Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings

Kim Clarkin, Project Coordinator

Project Description

Original proposals by:

Sandra Wilson-Musser, R-6 Bob Gubernick, R-10, Tongass-Stikine Area Frank Votapka, R-1, Kootenai NF Mike Furniss, R-5, Six Rivers NF

PROJECT GOAL

To maintain or restore stream form and biologic, hydrologic and geomorphic function at, upstream and down-stream of road-stream crossings.

OBJECTIVES

Establish an expert interagency committee to:

• Develop a national protocol to assess the ability of aquatic organisms to move through culverts.
• Develop an interdisciplinary design manual to evaluate, design, and construct appropriate aquatic organism passage structures.
• Develop learning materials and provide training to all disciplines involved.
• Develop an awareness video and/or use other media to raise the level of awareness in land management agencies about the passage needs of aquatic organisms, the extent and importance of problems associated with man-made barriers, and how the problem can be solved.

To determine the national extent of passage problems, the FS needs a national standardized protocol that evaluates to what degree existing stream crossings are barriers to movement of fish and other aquatic organisms. Several assessment methods have been developed and tested in the Pacific Coast and other regions. This project will analyze these existing methods, then make any necessary modifications to develop a national standardized assessment procedure. Fish and wildlife biologists, engineers, hydrologists and geomorphologists are working together to refine the existing methods with input from all interested Forest Service Regions. We anticipate that field tests of the new protocol will be conducted in the summer of 2002. The project will include development of an Access database compatible with both INFRA and NRIS. This database will allow data storage at the regional or forest level until the national databases are able to house and maintain the data permanently.

The project will also compile a design manual that consolidates best available methods for designing new crossings and culvert retrofits. To the extent feasible, existing procedures and information will be linked, rather than rewritten. However, documentation for some techniques and design strategies must be developed. Many states, tribes, and Canadian provinces are also working to improve passage at road-stream crossings, and there is a strong desire to develop methods and state-of-the-art guidelines that will have broad acceptance and support. This project has a large interagency oversight team that reflects that goal.

As the need to replace failing culverts increases with time, biologists, hydrologists and engineers all need training in inventory, analysis and design techniques for passable stream crossings. The project will produce various training courses and reference materials. We hope to provide audio-visual lectures, slides and video available via the web and/or CD, as well as traditional training courses that will be offered throughout the country.

Funding and Cooperators

This project is funded by the USFS and Federal Highway Administration's Federal Lands Division. Organizations currently participating or cooperating with the project are US Dept of Fish and Wildlife; Trout Unlimited; US Army Corps of Engineers; BC Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks; BC Forest Service; Washington DOT and Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife; Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife; NRCS; and the National Marine Fisheries Service. For further information, contact Kim Clarkin, project coordinator (909) 599-1267 x209