Teaching where science and policy
intersect by developing a river
restoration plan on a local stream
Gabrielle David
Department of Earth and
Environmental Sciences
Boston College
2014
Project Goals
Students learn:
1. about process-based restoration.
2. how to apply geomorphic concepts that they learned in class to
river management.
Examples of geomorphic concepts include:
• shear stress
• flow resistance
• bedload transport
• bankfull discharge
• stable channel design
• Natural flow regime
Higher-order
thinking skills
Students learn each aspect of developing
stream restoration project including how
to
• set project goals,
• assess the current and past
condition of the watershed,
• identify problems and potential
actions,
• review and select appropriate
restoration techniques , and
• develop a design plan for
restoration.
Other skills goals
1. Collaboration
2. Field Techniques
3. Writing Skills
Student projects
Group 1: Recreation
Group 3: Sediment supply
Group 2: Ecology
Group 4: Channel stability
Group 5: Natural flow regime
Group 6: Water Quality
Assignment Details
Final proposal includes:
1) Introduction and Watershed Assessment
2) Project objectives and stakeholders
3) Project design
4) Implementation and monitoring plan
5) Budget and justification
2 Field trips
1) Mill River in Taunton, MA
• Restored sites
2) Data collection day
• Stream adjacent to BC
Provide students with
examples: Mill River
Field trip
Stop 6: Headwater Habitat
Stop 5: Morey’s Bridge Dam
Stop 4: Whittenton Dam Removal
Stop 3: West Brittania Dam
Stop 2: Hopewell Dam Removal
Stop 1: Stormwater Park
8
Downstream
park with
USGS gage
What did the students observe?
Dam
improvement
site
Headwater
habitat
Dam removal
site: restored
channel
Potential dam
removal site:
constrained
channel
Dam
removal
site –
restored
channel
Where did this lead
the class discussion?
1. How is USGS gage data used for river
management and restoration?
2. How do you deal with contaminated sediment?
(Hopewell dam removal)
3. How do you choose what type of channel to
design? How do you design a meandering
channel? How do you design a pool-riffle channel?
4. How do you bioengineer banks?
5. What are the challenges of dam removal in an
urban setting?
6. How do you design a fish passage?
7. What are problems associated with road-stream
crossings?
Concretelined channel
Field Trip 2: Edmands Brook
Dam
Wetland
Sediment deposition
above dam
Culverts
Incised channel
below culvert
11
Results from Data
Collection Field Trip
Use the data collected in the field to further engage students and
emphasize connection to some major concepts that you cover in
class.
Also, you can make use of this
opportunity to discuss significant
figures!
Other Assignments
2 Problem Sets
Need to work on integrating
these with stream restoration
project, but then students
would not get opportunity to
work with gage data.
Reading scientific
papers
Assignment borrowed from Leroy Poff
Some results of
the project
Natural flow regime group
At least one or two lectures were
spent discussing how to properly
present results and develop figures.
Implementation
and Monitoring
Sediment supply group
Every group had to come
up with a timeline and a
monitoring plan.
Natural flow regime group
Other ideas that
students developed
Recreation group
Bring back ice rink and improve aesthetics
• Is this topic too simple (not enough
emphasis on geomorphic concepts) in
comparison to the other topics?
Work Items
Median Cost (USD)
Concrete Spillway Removal
$4,800
Culvert Removal (x2)
$6,000
Dam Removal
$45,651
Dredging Sediment
$3,000
Project Engineer
$40,640
Project Manager
$42,240
Footbridge construction (x3)
$45,000
Landscaping and Park Construction
$40,000
Materials – soil, rocks, vegetation, coir mats $8,000
Monitoring
$5,249
Parking Lot Removal
$45,500
Permits
$45,590
Public Outreach
$2,736
Re-vegetation
$4,000
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Studies
$10,000
Sediment and Management Planning
$12,000
Pre-restoration Data Collection
$778
Budget
Examples of
restoration
proposal budgets
were provided by
government
scientists.
Final Thoughts
1. Students had opportunity to see how to apply scientific
concepts to a river management plan.
2. Students interacted with government workers who
design and implement stream restoration in
Massachusetts.
3. Students developed writing and presentation skills.
4. Collaboration!!
Thank you! Questions?