River Spanning Rock Structures Research
W-Weir at Pagosa Springs, CO
Restoration of river systems to higher levels of function utilize a diverse array of techiniques. One category of techniques includes instream structures. The interactions between restoration structures and a river network, or vice versa, are not always understood. Differences between expected and actual performance can vary widely and may result in unintended consequences includind damage to the morphologic imbalances, ecological impairment, or failure meet objectives, or the loss of the structure.
The river spanning rock structures design guidlines research project improves the understanding of physical mechanisms in order to better meet project objectives and reduce maintenance requirements.
Research products will include design and performance parameters for a wide array of structures including:
- Weirs, Roughned Channels, Boulder Clusters, Rock Ramps, Check Dams, etc.
The end product will consist of design guidlines and tools for achiving specific hydraulic and ecologic performance objectives in a sustainable manner.
River Spanning Rock Structures Site Map
The research project take a multi-faceted approach towards developing a deeper understanding of rivers and instream structures including:
- Field Work
- Detailed Field Case Studies on a limited number of sites
- Broad Field Performance Evaluations on a wide range of systems
- Scour Pool Development
- Live Scour Physical Modeling
- Scour Process Governing Equations
- Numerical Modeling
- Hydraulics of Rock Weirs
- 3D Numerical Modeling for Hydraulic and Processes
- 1D Numerical Modeling for Simplified Design Tools
- Design Tools
- Rock Ramp (Roughned Channel) Design Guidelines
Downloads
- Fact Sheets
- TSC Overview - Qualitative Evaluation of Rock Weir Field Performance (pdf)
- TSC Overview - Qualitative Results from Physical Modeling of Scour Pools Downstream of Rock Weirs.pdf (pdf)
- TSC Overview - Modeling Three-Dimensional Hydraulics of Rock Weirs (pdf)
- Presentations
- Fort Collins, October 17, 2006 - Rock Weir Research Overview (Power Point pdf 1.1MB)
- Reports
- Rock Ramp Design Guidelines (Sept 2007) (pdf)
- Qualitative Evaluation of Rock Weir Field Performance and Failure Mechanisms (Sept 2007) (pdf)
- Tools
Contact
For more information on Reclamation's River Engineering Services, contact the Group Manager, Tim Randle (303)445-2557.