Planning, Design and Implementation

Restoration Practitioners share simultaneously in the good fortune and responsibility of participating in a new endeavor - stepping beyond the current concept of natural resources conservation to a newer concept of restoring the living environment to an ecologically viable condition - to create places that improve rather than degrade over time. (Federal Interagency Stream Corridor Restoration Manual)

Discussion

WATERSHED- PLANNING SCALE CONSIDERATIONS
1. Understand the end-point goals
	CWA, restore the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the resource OEPA, achieve full aquatic life-use attainment TMDL, effectively reduce pollutant loadings Drinking water standards, improve and protect source water quality
2. Understand the impairments of the resource
	Hydromodification (channelization and drainage works such as ditches) The associated siltation Flow alteration Nutrient enrichment Organic enrichment (loss of pollutant assimilation).
3. Understand the science that links stream ecosystem function with water quality.
	The physical integrity or habitat characteristics of the stream system directly correlate to the ability of the stream to process pollutants effectively. This can be measured with biological indices-biocriteria and bioassessment.
4. Understand how to interpolate and apply the science to a project
	Satisfying the end point goals - how will the project be implemented

DESIGN PROCESS AT THE PROJECT SCALE

Nine Logical Steps Of The Restoration Process

Issue Assessment Data collection, problem confirmation, trends and disturbances Assessment of current conditions and functions Prediction of future conditions Define/evaluate alternatives Feasibility of intervention Choose/ develop conceptual design Develop final design Implement, monitor, and adjust

Design Team Considerations As a means to evaluate the proposed project and the project approach the following should be examined:

The competence of the design team The competence of the build team The capability/ability to implement the restoration The capability/ability to manage the project The capability/ability to inspect, monitor, warrantee the project

More specifically, the process must include establishing specific project criteria that will examine and determine the following:

The extent of training and experience the design team and contractors have with Natural Channel Design (NCD) The amount of actual "project experience" acquired by the design team and contractors The ability of the project to restore all or most of the critical impairments, protects all designated uses, and restore the stream to its designated water use The extent to which the project has self-sustaining habitat attributes and requires no long-term maintenance. That the project will be able to measurably improve chemical WQ as measured using standard protocol such as bioassessment. in Ohio. That the project has a significant pre and post monitoring plan that will document conditions and objectively evaluate the success.

At the completion of the project (or within specified time frames after the completion of the project) specific testable attributes will confirm that the stream is converting back to full life use attainment status. Some of these attribute will likely include the following:

reduced Nitrogen loadings within the water column reduced Phosphorus loadings increased biomass a greater number of pool and riffle habitats a greater number of microhabitats, niches and substrate diversities reduced substrate embeddedness decreased suspended solids and fluctuations in dissolved oxygen and ion concentration that impact species survival and community composition reduced flood peaks and increase flow during critical low-flow periods that alter aquatic community composition and lessen chances of survival

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