Authors:
Matthew Hernick, Christian Lenhart, Jessica Kozarek, John Nieber
Publication Date:
2019
Abstract/Summary:
This guide assists Minnesota culvert designers in identifying, selecting, and implementing appropriate designs for maintaining aquatic organism passage (AOP) and stream connectivity at road-stream intersections. It was synthesized from existing literature and culvert design documents, a survey of practitioners, research, and input from experts. Culvert designs often disrupt AOP, degrading stream health. Best practices for AOP at culverts were developed and summarized as follows: 1.) Design the culvert to be similar to the stream channel (reference reach), 2. Provide a continuous sediment bed with roughness similar to the channel 3.) Design for public safety, longevity, and resilience.
- A1: Assess degraded ecosystems
- A3: Involve all relevant stakeholders
- A5: Assess institutional, policy, and legal frameworks & identify financial/technical resources
- A6: Identify options to reduce the drivers biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation
- B3: Promote and strengthen formal and informal education systems
- B6: Review, improve or establish targets, policies and strategies for ecosystem restoration
- B10: Promote and support capacity-building, training, and technology transfer
- C1: Identify appropriate measures for conducting ecosystem restoration
- C4: Develop explicit implementation tasks, schedules, and budgets
- C5: Implement the measures
- D3: Share lessons learned from planning, financing, implementing and monitoring ecosystem restoration plans
Resource Type:
Technical Document
Source:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Link:
https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/publications/culvert-stream-connectivity.pdf