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THE USE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND STREAM STABILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK OF STREAM IMPAIRMENT FROM SEDIMENT
Citation:
Schultz**, C A., M A. Morrison**, AND J SchubauerBerigan. THE USE OF GEOMORPHOLOGY AND STREAM STABILITY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK OF STREAM IMPAIRMENT FROM SEDIMENT. Presented at American Water Resources Association Annual Water Resources Conference, Orlando, FL, November 01 - 04, 2004.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
The evaluation of the current condition is critical to the management of streams impaired by sediment and other non-point source stressors, which adversely affect both physical habitat and water quality. Several rating and classification systems based on geomorphic data exist for determining current condition and predicting risk of impairment from clean sediment. This research compared two stream classification and bank stability rating systems, and evaluated several levels of intensity for collection of the data needed to obtain the rating. Thirty-five stream reaches in the Little Miami River, Southwestern Ohio, where several years of Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) data was available, were rated using each method. Aerial photographs were used to calculate sinuosity, topographic maps to calculate slope and a limited site survey was used to measure the stream profile, rate the bank and bed stability and evaluate the reliability of the slope and sinuosity calculations. Eight of these sites were extensively surveyed to obtain more accurate slope and sinuosity values. The values for slope and sinuosity obtained by extensive surveying were found to produce the same classification as the values obtained from existing data sources (aerial photographs and topographic maps). The cost in terms of time and technical skill, and the value of each system for assessing the current condition of an impaired stream reach will be presented.