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Using Technology to Improve Stream Restoration

Hannah Hearn, PE
KCI Technologies, Inc.
Georgetown, DE

Stream restoration projects often cost millions of dollars and take extensive time; from planning, through detailed design, and construction.  Recent technological advancements offer ways to improve site selection, designs, and design efficiency.

The presentation will focus on examples of how technology can improve site selection and stream restoration design.  Using LIDAR and Topographic Openness to identify erosion on a watershed scale allows for better stream restoration site selection.  Methods developed using Autodesk Civil3D subassembly composer allow for more nuanced and refined ‘tie-out’ grading when developing proposed terrain surfaces.   Designs are improved using 2D HEC-RAS and an iterative design approach to identify and address hydraulic issues (e.g. erosive conditions, concentrated flow, hydraulic trespass).  These technological tools save time and money and result in improved stream restoration projects.

About Hannah Hearn, PE
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