BRIGE: Investigating the Influence of Riparian Vegetation on Floods

这项扩大参与研究启动赠款工程（桥梁）赠款的研究目标是提高对河岸植被对洪水的影响的理解。这一目标将通过改进计算机模型来实现，以描述河岸植被对洪水条件的影响，并应用先进的模型来研究洪水波衰减现象。 今天，人们普遍认识到，过去的工程和经济水资源开发做法虽然往往能达到具体的项目目标，但往往是与自然作对，而不是与自然和谐相处，在许多情况下，其后果是我们的自然环境严重退化。因此，目前的几项努力都集中在使河流恢复到更自然的状态，以便恢复正常运作的生态系统所提供的惠益。 河岸带位于土地和河流之间的界面，由于它们提供了许多生态系统功能，包括野生动物栖息地和改善水质，因此经常成为恢复的目标。然而，现有的河流工程方法在许多方面不足以通知河岸恢复设计。例如，在评估洪水风险时，用于预测洪水影响的计算机模型不能充分反映河岸植被的影响。此外，人们广泛认识到，健康的河岸带可以通过在称为洪水波衰减的过程中储存水和减缓洪水波来减少下游洪峰。然而，现有的工具不能预测真实世界条件下的衰减程度。这项研究将有利于社会，提高我们的能力，设计河流恢复项目的方式，加强防洪，而不是增加洪水风险。这些信息也将使社会考虑防洪的非结构性方法，不会对河流和洪泛区功能产生不利影响。该项目还将扩大代表性不足的学生在土木工程领域的参与。

The research goal of this Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in Engineering (BRIGE) grant is to improve understanding of the effects of riparian vegetation on floods. This goal will be met by improving computer models to describe the influence of riparian vegetation on flood conditions, and to apply the advanced models to study the phenomenon of flood wave attenuation. Today it is widely recognized that past engineering and economic water resources development practices, while often meeting specific project objectives, tended to work against nature rather than with it, and the consequence in many cases has been severe degradation of our natural environment. Thus, several efforts are now focused on restoring rivers to a more natural state in order to recover the benefits provided by properly functioning ecosystems. Riparian zones, which exist at the interface between land and a stream, are often targeted for restoration due to the many ecosystem functions they provide including wildlife habitat and improved water quality. However, existing river engineering methods are in many ways inadequate for informing riparian restoration designs. For example, computer models that are used to predict the impacts of floods do not adequately represent the influence of riparian vegetation when assessing flood risks. Further, it is widely recognized that healthy riparian zones can reduce downstream flood peaks by storing water and slowing down flood waves in a process known as flood wave attenuation. However, existing tools cannot predict the degree of attenuation for real-world conditions. This research will benefit society by improving our ability to design stream restoration projects in a way that enhances flood protection rather than increasing flood risks. Such information will also allow society to consider nonstructural approaches to flood control that will not adversely impact river and floodplain functions. This project will also broaden participation of underrepresented students in the field of civil engineering.