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Design of road crossings for resiliency and aquatic organism passage (AOP)
Co-Instructor:
Kathy Hoverman, PE
Senior Project Manager
Resource Environmental Solutions LLC (RES)
Richmond, VA
Co-Instructor:
Michael Chelminski, PE
Principle, Environmental Services, Stantec
Topsham, Maine
Instruction methods:
The session will be a short course with presentations, examples with real site data and hands on analysis and design and computer analysis.
Students Should Bring: a laptop with current HECRAS and FishXing swim tables (https://www.fsl.orst.edu/geowater/FX3/help/FX3_Help.html)
Learning Objectives:
Develop a framework for identification of AOP impairment
Learn waterway characterization and stream simulation design steps
Learn how to identify and evaluate potential AOP solutions
Gain an understanding of the necessary multi-disciplinary contributors for a successful AOP project
Gain knowledge on how AOP culverts fit into resiliency planning
Workshop Description:
This session will focus on the design of road-stream crossing (i.e., culverts, small bridges) for improved resiliency of infrastructure and natural resources with specific emphasis on aquatic organism passage (AOP) and “stream simulation” design approaches. The objective of this session is to present goals and objectives for AOP and the stream simulation design approach, along with resulting improvements in resiliency relative to classic engineering. This session also addresses the potential for increased project costs for stream simulation design relative to classic engineering design criteria that are largely based on hydraulic conveyance capacity and presents these costs in the context of increased resiliency of transportation infrastructure that can result from increased design conveyance capacity.
The target audience for this session includes engineers, fluvial geomorphologists, and other scientists who are involved with design and permitting of road-stream crossings. Information presented in this session will also be beneficial for those who scope and fund stream simulation-type projects and staff responsible for review of these project types, including regulatory agency personnel. By using the principles of stream simulation design method developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others, participants will learn the skills and considerations for documenting and quantifying natural channel characteristics and fluvial processes and incorporating this information into the stream simulation design process. Course design topics include conducting site assessments, designing an AOP structure, and constructing road-stream crossings. Experienced instructors will guide participants through a mock site assessment and how to analyze the data. A real data set will be provided to students for hands-on analysis. Participants will learn about the various types of structures and benefits of each, and the finer points to properly installing the culverts and performance of the structure as intended.
.About Kathy Hoverman, PE
Ms. Hoverman is a registered Professional Engineer in multiple states and senior project manager at Resource Environmental Solutions (RES). She has 21 years of experience providing engineering and ecological expertise for a wide range of stream assessments, design, construction, and monitoring projects with various land use practices and watershed sizes with specialization in dam removal and aquatic organism passage. Ms Hoverman serves on numerous committees, boards and task groups including the Virginia Stream Barrier Removal Task Force, Chesapeake Bay Program Stream Restoration Verification Team, Virginia Lakes and Watershed Association, and the ASCE and AFS Joint Committee of Fisheries Engineering and Science. Ms. Hoverman was featured in the World Fish Migration Foundation’s documentary Love Flows and is a recent Fellow of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. These experiences and others have highlighted the need to ensure all communities are included in the benefits of stream restoration. Kathy is a former professional soccer player, an avid adventure racer, mom and wife who loves to share her interest in water and all things outdoors.
Link to Love Flows https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tBtz2uv8fI
About Michael Chelminski, PE
Michael Chelminski is a civil engineer with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. and specializes in aquatic organism passage and dam removal. He is based in New England and regularly works in tidal habitats on tidal marsh restoration, dam removal and bridge and culvert replacement projects. Michael is the engineer-of-record for 19 completed dam removals, has led approximately 80 preliminary- and feasibility-level dam removal studies, and has contributed to dam removal projects throughout the US and Canada.