Stream Team PDF Documents

RMRS-GTR-226: Sediment transport primer: estimating bed-material transport in gravel-bed rivers (1440 KB/84 pages)

Peter Wilcock, John Pitlick, and Yantao Cui

This document provides background information on sediment transport dynamics and is a supplement to the BAGS (Bedload Assessment in Gravel-bedded Streams) program so that the user can more effectively apply the model and interpret the bed load transport estimates. Additionally, the document provides information to help the user of BAGS define relevant and proper sediment transport problems, select appropriate model input data, interpret and apply the model output results in a useful and reliable fashion, and examine sources of error.

Go to BAGS main page

Homogenization of regional river dynamcs by dams and global biodiversity implications (2020 KB / 6 pages)

N. LeRoy Poff, Julian D. Olden, David M. Merritt, and David M. Pepin

Global biodiversity in river and riparian ecosystems is generated and maintained by geographic variation in stream processes and fluvial disturbance regimes, which largely reflect regional differences in climate and geology. Extensive construction of dams...

RMRS-GTR-191: Guidelines for Using Bedload Traps in Coarse-Bedded Mountain Streams: Construction, Installation, Operation, and Sample Processing (12.1 MB / 91 pages)

Kristin Bunte, Kurt W. Swingle, and Steven R. Abt

A bedload trap is a portable sampler designed specifically for collecting gravel and cobble bedload (4 to 180 mm in diameter) in wadeable streams. Bedload traps consist of an aluminum frame with a 12 by 8 inch (0.3 by 0.2 m) opening to ...

A Geomorphic Perspective on Things to Think About Before
Starting a Gravel Augmentation Project

Kristin Bunte, John Potyondy, and Dan Cenderelli

Gravel augmentation for the purpose of spawning habitat improvement has been carried out episodically by various government agencies since the 1960’s, and renewed interest in gravel augmentation was generated during the relicensing of numerous hydroelectric projects in the 1990’s. From a scientific and engineering perspective, not much ...

State-of-the-Science Review: Gravel Mitigation and Augmentation Below Hydroelectric Dams: A Geomorphological Perspective (2595 KB / 144 pages)

Kristin Bunte

In many salmon-bearing Pacific coast gravel-bed rivers, closure of hydroelectric dams cut off gravel supply to streambeds below. Gravel mining and changes in the post-dam flow regime further disturbed the streams, leaving them in a geomorphologically and biologically dysfunctional state. Habitat for spawning and other salmon life stages ...

Hydrologic Regimes and Riparian Forests: A Structured Population Model for Cottonwood (99KB / 11 pages)

David A. Lytle and David M. Merritt

Riparian cottonwood (Populus deltoides) forests form the one of the most extensive deciduous forest ecosystems in arid regions of the western United States. However, cottonwood populations are threatened by flow alteration and channel degradation caused by dams, water diversions, and groundwater pumping. We developed a ...

RMRS-GTR-128: Quantifying Channel Maintenance Instream Flows: an approach for gravel-bed streams in the Western United States (1420 KB/42 pages)

Larry J. Schmidt and John P. Potyondy

This paper discusses one approach for quantifying channel maintenance instream flow necessary to achieve the Forest Service Organic Act purpose of securing favorable conditions of water flows. The approach is appropriate for quantifying channel maintenance flows on perennial, unregulated, snowmelt-dominated, gravel-bed streams with alluvial reaches. The approach identifies the minimum essential regime of streamflows necessary for the channel and its floodplain to...

2004 STREAM Strategic Planning Workshop Summary (350 KB / 36 pages)

John Potyondy, Program Manager

The STREAM Strategic Planning Workshop was held on March 30-31, 2004 in Fort Collins, Colorado. The primary objective of the workshop was to review the National Stream Systems Technology Center (STREAM) work plan and charter with the intent of looking ahead at nationally significant emerging issues and evaluate opportunities for STREAM to address and provide relevant technology to meet anticipated needs.

Workshop on the Multiple Influences of Riparian Ecosystems on Fires in Western Forest Landscapes - Summary Report (1,915 KB / 209 pages)

J. Boone Kauffman

This report summarizes discussions from "The Workshop on Multiples Influences of Riparian/Stream Ecosystems on Fires In Western Forest Landscapes" sponsored by the Stream Systems Technology Center and held at the Center for the Management of Information, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, March 13-15, 2001. A diverse group of 30 federal scientists, fire and natural resource mangers, and university professors convened to discuss the functional role of riparian/stream zones as they affect fire on western forest landscapes

Still No Water for the Woods(238 KB / 21 pages)

Lois G. Witte

This paper examines the federal government's track record in securing instream flows and protecting aquatic resources on federally reserved lands in the West, using lands administered by the Forest Service as an example.

Stream Channel Reference Sites: An Illustrated Guide to Field Technique (5,175 KB / 67 pages)

Cheryl C. Harrelson, C.L. Rawlins, and John P. Potyondy

Describes procedures for establishing permanent channel reference including selecting and mapping a site, measuring channel cross-sections, surveying a longitudinal profile, identifying bankfull stage, and measuring streamflow and bed material.  Originally published in 1994 as USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, General Technical Report RM-245.

Sampling Surface and Subsurface Particle-Size Distributions in Wadable Gravel-Bed Streams (10.2 MB / 428 pages)

Kristin Bunte and Steven R. Abt

Zipped version: (8.4 MB)

Provides guidance for sampling surface and subsurface sediment from wadable gravel- and cobble-bed streams. The document describes the spatial variability of bed-material particle sizes and sampling procedures and equipment to help make appropriate selections of sampling designs to meet sampling objectives. The Rocky Mountain Research Station publication explains a variety of methods, their usage and prerequisites.

The full document and individual chapters may also be viewed and downloaded here: www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr74.html

A Bank-Operated Traveling Block Cableway for Stream Discharge and Sediment Measurements

James J. Paradiso (General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-44)

File: Cableway.zip (1.2KB)

This publication describes the construction and use of a cableway system. Included are figures describing parts and dimensions, installation methods, and field operation. The system provides a low-cost, safe alternative to cable cars or operation from bridges during high runoff.

This zip file only needs to be downloaded by anyone wishing to construct a traveling block cableway as described in RMRS-GTR-44. The zip file contains a full-sized set of scaled AutoCAD plans (*.dwg format) and standard graphics files (*.tif format) as described in Appendix B of the publication. File notation corresponds to the figures in the publication (e.g., file "cable04.tif" refers to Figure 4). AutoCAD software is needed to look at the *.dwg files.

Water-road interaction technology series publications (mirror from San Dimas Technology and Development Center Intranet site)

Fluvial Classification: Neanderthal Necessity or Needless Normalcy (738 KB / 8 pages)

Craig N. Goodwin

Provides an overview of basic classification concepts and their application in river classification including recommendations for improving future classification systems. Originally published in American Water Resources Association, Proceedings of Specialty Conference on Wildland Hydrology, D.S. Olson and J.P. Potyondy (editors), Bozeman, Montana, June 30-July 2, 1999, pp. 229-236.  Used with permission of the American Water Resources Association .

Measuring Bedload in Coarse-grained Channels: Procedures, Problems, and Recommendations (742 KB / 10 pages)

Sandra E. Ryan and Charles.A. Troendle.

Discusses several methods for assessing bedload movement in coarse-grained channels in the Rocky Mountains including the use of weir ponds, portable samplers, and tracer grains.  Originally published in American Water Resources Association, Proceedings of Conference on Water Resources Education, Training, and Practice: Opportunities for the Next Century, Keystone, Colorado, June 29-July 3, 1999, pp. 949-958.  Used with permission of the American Water Resources Association