Forest Road Water Quality Management
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Issues and Solutions Affecting Aquatic Life and Habitat
Copyright January 2002
Stream crossing values and impacts
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Aquatic Values -
Water Quality PH, (acid balance) Temperature, Turbidity, Dissolved oxygen
Fish Life Cycles
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Stream characteristics
Riparian area Values of streamside vegetation
Overhanging vegetation Shade Nutrients Bugs
Root systems Armour Hiding places
Large Organic Debris Shade, shelter Scour poolsKay & Associates
Stream crossing
water management
Stream Crossing Water ManagementManaging ditchwater
Eric L Kay & Associates
Use the duff layer as a filter medium
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Stream Crossing Water ManagementMinimize length/armour ditchlines
Use check-dams to manage water energy
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Stream Crossing Water Management Breach berms / Energy dissipators
Use rip-rap or synthetics eg C350 or P300
And should be impervious
Stream Crossing Water Management Ditch blocks
Consider raising both the approaches and the crossing itself to manage road surface water flow.
Stream Crossing Water Management Rolling grade or dip
Stream Crossing Water Management Road Inslope/Outslope
Manage discharge from road surfaceUse grader berms as a water management tool to
direct water to a safe discharge management area.
Response materials - TOOLS
Spill Kit Adsorbent Pads Boom - dont forget the rope to hold it in place!
Hand tools Shovel / Mattock / Axe / Pry-bar /
Optional tools Chain saw dont forget leg, face, hearing etc
protection!
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Response materials Sediment control
Sediment Control Devices Silt fence Filter cloth Hay bales Erosion control
blankets Sediment sock
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Using spill kit
Using pads Use protective gloves Soak up oil by placing on surface When saturated (full of oil), place in leak-proof
container.
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Using spill kit
Using boom Prior to start of work, place across stream in
quietest possible water downstream from the worksite.
HINT - If water is turbulent, angle the boom across stream and direct oil to a back-water.
Allow for rise and fall of water flow. In the event of a spill, use pads to absorb oil.
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Stream Crossing Sediment Management
Erosion Control - MulchKay & Associates
Check-dams Controlling erosive energy of ditch-line water
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Check-dams Hay bales in ditchline
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Trapped Sediment Vegetated
Rock Bay FSR Ron Frank pointing to silt fence placed alongside road to protect fish bearing ditchline.
Silt fence
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Please refer to hand-out article for silt fence
installation procedures
Hay bales Effective sediment
control?? NO!
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Cut Slope - sediment generator
Oyster River, Glacial till.
Continuous sediment generating source.
Oversteep Continually failing, will not re-vegetate until it reaches a stable angle of repose.Kay & Associates
Cut Slope - sediment generator - Solutions
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Remove failing headscarp (Explosives / Spider excavator)
Slope back to angle of repose (Seldom is a solution)
Provide internal drainage (Gravel / Synthetics / Live pole drains)
Cut off water source (surface / subsurface) Install retaining wall Use Bio-engineering techniques for
stabilization CLASS EXERCISE Slope stabilization
Settling pond using filter cloth
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RED FLAGS
Use as imaginary indicator where there may be a problem
Usually requires investigation There may be a need for;
immediate mitigative measures eg sediment control extra resources eg. Equipment, Load of gravel, manpower etc a combination of planning, engineering, management
involvement
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Debris from mechanical brush-cutting
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Plugged ditchline from brush debris
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Ditchline troubles ?
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Overfull ditches contribute to;
-Detrimental movement of sediments
-Saturated road-bed (becomes prone to pot-holing)
Ponded water in ditchline saturating roadbed
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Transported road surface and ditchline materials in stream channel
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River side channel not recognized
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Problem grader berm, or deliberate sediment control device?
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Use grader berms as a sediment management tool to direct water to a safe discharge management area.
Loss of water control - 6% grade
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Detrimental Effects;
Sediment generation = detriment to environment
Loss of road fines = future need for new surfacing materials
Results in - a) lower road travel speeds b) damage to vehicles c) more frequent grading d) costs for re-surfacing
Water running down wheel tracksKay & Associates
Ditchline solution?
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Blocked - Culvert? Ditch?
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Consider rock cross drain rather than culvert
Seepage in road surfaceKay & Associates
Road Surfacing Rock Protrusions Mud in roadbed
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Road Surfacing - Hydraulic Hammer
Considerations; Machine size Hourly rate
Benefits; Less capping
material to obtain cover depth
Road Surfacing - Rock shards
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Road Surfacing Calcium Chloride
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Road Surfacing - Compaction
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Group exercise
Road Surfacing - Additional road surface material
CULVERTS open bottom
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CULVERTS FailuresMost-common causes
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Poor installation practices
Poor material selection for backfill
Inadequate or no Compaction
Lack of, or wrong size armour
Culverts Collateral damage during Maintenance or Replacement
Common errors Brush cutting indiscriminately (loss of
shade) Piling of waste materials over vegetation Sediment run-off from waste piles Digging/disturbance outside of work area Damage to juvenile or mature timber
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Polyethylene used to allow growth of grass for ditchline armour
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Settling pond
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Settling times (1m depth)Coarse silt .2 hrMedium silt 1.3 hrFine silt 14 hrClay 5 daysTimes are approximate, temp of5 C and assuming no turbulence.Silt 0.05mm to 0.002mmClay < 0.002mm
Sediment Sock
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Grading
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Use grader to inslope/outslope road to manage sediment
Roads continually lose surfacing materials, lowering the road, and exposing sub-grade .
Improper grading continually widens the road, impacting on wetlands and watercourses.
Hay bales for sediment miss-control????
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Always remember Do not reduce the flow-capacity of the ditchline!
Do hay bales make good filters? NO
Where to place sediment control?
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Culvert outlet armour
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Failure to armour to the end of erodible materials
Repair or replace?
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would you install lower or raise road?
Bridge approach
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Sediment is running down the road grade and ponding where the truck is parked
Brush control - Sightlines
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Knowledge of materials
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Water - Depth and Velocity
Double the depth =4 times the velocityMoves 64 times in size/weight
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Safety Flooded structures
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Caution:Saturated and unstable banks and culvert fill materialUndermined banks / culverts
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Cave Protection Act
Sensitive landscape
Easily damaged by: Contamination Fire Heavy equipment Altered hydrology
KarstFormations
B 85
A complex landscape sculptured by water
(Diagram of Karst Formation)
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Wet weather shut down
48
Practical, well-planned approach for shut-down When there are expected periods
of high saturation When there are prolonged periods of saturation BEFORE ! sediments are started to be
transported
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STOP work;During prolonged saturation periodsDuring intense weather systemsBefore negative effects are experiencedWhen you can not follow the plan - interpretation - changed site materials - changed weather conditions
Shut Down Guidelines
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Know when to seek advice from a professional
Water quality sampling for evidence Evidence gathering
Photo Video Interviews
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General
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FIELD DAY All attendees;The field portion will require full safety gear
MandatoryHard hat Visi-vest Safety footwear
Recommended;Bag lunch Warm clothing Rain gear Gloves
OptionalSunto(inclinometer), Binoculars, Notebook
Safety;- Standard safety procedures
Responsibility does not rest in only one place in any organization.
It is not the sole responsibility of one group. It is not the sole responsibility of one individual.
It is a cooperative and teamwork approach that results in success!
Management Supervisors (superintendent, foremen, etc.) Engineering Accounting
Operators Road users
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Teamwork
Never tell people how to do things
Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity
General George S Patton.
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Thank YouEric L Kay
Kay & Associates Copyright January 2002