Bridges

• Reach analysis
• Fundamental tool for design
• Scalable and can be phased
• 3 defined levels of analysis
Bridges

• Step-wise sizing method

• Existing bridge condition and history
• Confined channels
• Floodplain channels
• Floodplain management
• Flood control features
• Infrastructure
 Which is best?
No Slope
• short, low slope streams (<75’ , <3%)
• simple situations (single lane road, low fill)
• confined to moderately confined channels

Stream Simulation
• default channels <15 ft
• steeper, longer culverts
• improved ecological connectivity required
• moderately confined channels

Hydraulic Method
• retrofits
• exceptional circumstances

Bridge
• default channels >15 ft
• wide, steep, or high energy streams
• high potential for vertical or
horizontal instability
• high debris or sediment load
 Long Profile
Long profile is necessary to understand reach-level
behavior of the channel
• identify grade breaks
• assess regrade potential and effects
• average scour depth of pools
• determine channel incision
• channel characteristics for stream simulation

Survey minimum 40 channel widths

plus culvert length

Chapter 7, P. 40
 Outlet drop caused by scour pool vs. incised channel

Outlet Scour

Original Channel Grade

Incised Channel

Original Channel Grade

Nick point supported by

Incised Channel Grade culvert
4 ft
 Channel profile
Scale of Problem = Scale of Solution

Outlet scour – Solution at culvert

scale

Short

Incised channel –
Reach solution; regrade
e gra de
te d r
Expec

Long
 Channel Regrade Options
Grade Maintain upstream
control bed elevation to protect
current habitat or
(or fishway) infrastructure
 Channel Regrade Options
Grade
control
(or fishway)

Increased reach gradient leads to

• Greater transport capacity
• Increased downstream
velocity
• Decrease in habitat quality
 Channel Regrade Options
Grade
control
impacts

•Required to maintain culvert within design criteria (part of

culvert design)
•Locks-in channel section in a vertically mobile channel
system (often leads to more controls downstream).
•Requires maintenance for the life of the culvert (obligation
of the landowner).
•May reduce habitat value of reach.
 Channel Regrade Options
Grade control
(or fishway)
Min Min. 35-
25 50 ft

Downstream bed control

to anticipate further channel
incision.

These recommendations are not in the culvert manual.

 Channel Regrade Options
Allow upstream
Regrade bed elevation to lower
and establish a new profile.
 Channel Regrade Options

Regrade
 Channel Regrade Options

Regrade impacts

•Temporary upstream habitat loss

•Possible permanent loss of habitat (exposure of bedrock)
•Downstream sediment deposition
•Potential lowering of local water table, perching riparian
 Channel Regrade Options

Regrade benefits

•Reestablishment of natural stream profile and processes

•Rejuvenation of upstream habitat
•Elimination of man-made structure in stream
 Channel regrade considerations
• Extent of regrade expected.
– Low channel slopes (fine bed materials) are sensitive.
– High channel slopes less so.
• Condition of upstream channel and banks
– Are they susceptible to bank collapse, riparian dewatering?
• Habitat impacts by upstream incision
– Is there value of culvert as nick point, preventing further incision?
– Is there hard pan or bedrock near the surface?
• Culvert and channel capacity reduced by sediment slug released from
upstream incision.
• Risk to utilities and structures.
• Potential passage barriers created upstream by further incision.
• Construction access to dig regrade.

Chapter 7, p. 41-43
 Incising upstream channel

Slug of regraded
material plugging
the culvert.
Are these “plans” good enough?
 Project Plans

Complete plans include:

•Project layout
•New and old culvert profiles superimposed
•Long channel profile
•Bed material specifications and quantities
•Care of water (erosion control, diversion
plans)
•Road runoff treatment
Project Plans
Project Plans
Project Plans
Stream Simulation Culvert
Effectiveness Study
WDFW and DNR

Bob Barnard
Sheila Yokers
Heather Tschaekosfske
Alex Nagygyor
24
25
 Reference Reach

Culvert

26
 10% (5) culverts with D50 larger than reference

Sites arranged in order of decreasing sediment size →

Thalweg Depth survey
 10% (5) culverts with deeper mean
thalweg depth than reference

Reference reach 95% CI envelope

44% (22) culverts with shallower mean thalweg depth than reference
6% (3) culverts with Q100 velocity
greater than reference

11% (5) culverts with Q100 velocity less than reference