This study will measure the short-term, reach-scale impacts of streambank stabilization projects on a meandering, alluvial river that outlets into a federally owned reservoir. Continue reading “Evaluation of the geomorphological adjustment of a meandering, alluvial river”
Multiple unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drone, flight tests were performed at one stabilized streambank site. Continue reading “Assessing the effectiveness of streambank stabilization projects on the Cottonwood River using UAS”
In total, 24 riparian buffer strips were surveyed and sampled along the Little Blue, Big Blue, and Republican Rivers. At each site, three transects were set up extending across the buffer strip from the streambank towards the crop field. A streambank stability assessment was performed at each transect, along with a plant survey. Continue reading “Determining if riparian buffer strip age impacts phosphorus retention potential”
Streambank stabilization projects represent a key element in the plan to reduce sediment in Kansas waterways and reservoirs. In this project, investigators worked to quantify the environmental benefits of government-sponsored streambank stabilization and restoration projects in northeastern Kansas, with a special focus on sites within the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas and Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Indian Reservations. Continue reading “Monitoring the Effectiveness of Streambank Stabilization Projects in Northeast Kansas”
Streambank erosion in Kansas is a serious concern, particularly upstream of reservoirs. In just one year, normal changes in rainfall or storm events lead to tons of soil from streambanks washing away into the water, headed downstream. That same sediment, when unchecked, also can diminish reservoir capacity, degrade wetland areas, and create problems with municipal water systems.
With approval from the Corps of Engineers and funding from both the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and Watershed Restoration and Protections Strategies (WRAPS), watershed specialist Ron Graber and his team partnered with a select few landowners along the Smoky Hill River interested in trying an untried method of streambank stabilization. This experiment is called a “woody revetment,” and, if successful, could save landowners tens of thousands of dollars – more, if there are several unstable streambanks on a property.
Continue reading “Planting new foundations: Streambank stabilization on the Smoky Hill River”