Channel-forming discharge estimation for stream restoration design

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Rivers support precious aquatic ecosystems. Continued urban development and agricultural practices cause many river banks to collapse and aquatic ecosystems to degrade. In an effort to save as many diverse aquatic ecosystems as possible, communities across North America are undertaking millions of stream restoration projects per year. In the U. S. alone, it is estimated that about $1 billon a year is spent on these restoration projects since 1990. Many of these restoration projects failed despite the huge expenses. The reason for the majority of these failures is the wrong or inaccurate estimation of one important design parameter, known as the channel-forming discharge. The main objective of the proposed research is to develop more accurate approaches for the estimation of channel-forming discharges. This will be accomplished through data collection and analysis, mathematical model development and testing, as well as computer simulation.