Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration Designs & Regulatory Challenges
Christy Mower, CERP
Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Bethal Park, PA
Stream and wetland restoration is a common term in today’s ecological world. With years of research and case studies; techniques and advances to restoring our ecosystems has significantly grown. The most common technique used in restoring our ecosystems is referred to as natural channel design (NCD), an approach made famous by Dr. David Rosgen in the late 90’s. After almost two decades of evaluating stream restoration projects and learning from thousands of monitoring projects, additional approaches or tools to aquatic ecosystem restoration have been established. The purpose of this presentation is to present project examples on the latest design approach that has evolved and is gaining nationwide attention: low-tech process-based restoration (LT-PBR). LT-PBR is currently the shiny tool in the box, being one of the latest options to consider when evaluating a site. LT-PBR approaches are becoming more common across the U.S. due to its cost effectiveness to leverage natural processes to restore aquatic ecosystems, long-term sustainability, and ecological resilience. This presentation will review goals, strategies, and examples of LT-PBR to gain a better understanding of when to select this design approach over NCD and briefly review regulatory and permitting challenges our company has had. Project examples will extend from Colorado to Ohio and Pennsylvania.
About Christy Mower, CERP
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