Rice Creek Restoration
Rice Creek Restoration
EOR has completed one of the largest stream restoration projects in the Midwest. Over 2-miles of Rice Creek, presumably straightened in the early 1900’s for agricultural drainage, has been reconnected to its natural meandering flow path. In response to the legacy ditching this 7-mile reach of Rice Creek was laterally and horizontally unstable and thus transporting an abundant sediment load to downstream resources.
EOR utilized and paired multiple models (HECRAS, XP-SWMM, RIVERMorph, & CONCEPTS) to confirm field assessments and fine tune natural channel parameters for stability. Historic abandon water courses were identified and modified (to match present hydrology) to recreate a stable stream. The 1st restoration phase is over a decade mature and the most recent restoration was brought online in 2018.
Client Benefits
- Improved IBI (fish & invertebrate) scores and water quality.
- Reduced dredging frequency of downstream lake.
- Project spurred interest in resource and the establishment of a water trail.
- Same core project team spanning over a decade.
- Direct and indirect (stream aggradation) wetland hydrology restoration.
Related Projects
Improving Trout Passage
Road culvert design maintains water flow, promoting fish passage to spawning habitat.
Land Cover Updates
Using GIS to update county information as per state land cover classification system for conservatipon planning.
Resource Assessment
Documentation of significant natural resources to inform larger stewardship and comp. plans.