Restoration Techniques
Restoration activities may range from a simple removal of a disturbance which inhibits natural stream function (e.g. repairing a damaged culvert), to stabilization of stream banks, to more active intervention such as installation of stormwater management facilities, such as riparian zone restoration and constructed wetlands.
Successful restoration projects begin with careful study of the stream system, including the historical weather patterns, stream hydraulics, sediment transport patterns and related conditions. Researchers evaluating restoration projects have found that many of these projects subsequently fail (e.g., with flooding or excessive erosion) because the projects were not designed with a sufficient scientific basis; restoration techniques may have been selected for aesthetic reasons.
The River Restoration Centre, based at Cranfield University, is responsible for the National River Restoration Inventory (NRRI) which is used to document best practice in river watercourse and floodplain restoration, enhancement and management efforts in the UK. Other established sources for information on river and stream restoration include the National River Restoration Science Synthesis (NRRSS) in the United States of America, and the European Centre for River Restoration (ECRR) which holds details of projects across Europe, and in conjunction with the LIFE+ RESTORE project, is developing a ‘Wiki’-based inventory of river restoration case studies which is freely available to view online.
Read more about this topic: Stream Restoration
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