New Web Seminar Proposal Stream restoration: what works and what doesn't work

Transcription

1 New Web Seminar Proposal Stream restoration: what works and what doesn't work F. D. Shields, Jr.

2 Proposed Title: Stream restoration: what works and what doesn't work Purpose and Background: Stream restoration is widely practiced in developed countries, with annual expenditures in the U.S. exceeding $1 billion. However, few projects are monitored, and many that have been monitored have performed poorly. Accordingly, the ability of stream restoration engineers to deliver promised benefits is in question. This webinar will provide a synthesis of available data regarding effectiveness of selected stream restoration approaches, identifying key factors that lead to success or failure. These factors may be combined in an overall semi-quantitative assessment of the risk of project failure. The webinar should equip participants to produce stream restoration projects that more closely approach stakeholder expectations. Learning Objectives: Identify key factors that contribute to stream restoration project success Be able to list several proven stream restoration techniques Be able to identify "promising" but not yet proven approaches Be able to develop semi-quantitative project risk assessments Benefits for Participants: Learn about latest meta-reviews of stream restoration effects research Reduce project outcome uncertainty Educate stakeholders regarding difficulty of stream ecosystem restoration so that they have realistic expectations regarding project outcomes Learn about the types of projects that have proven most effective in producing desired ecological outcomes Avoid selecting restoration design approaches that have poor track records of success Consider recent innovative ideas for new stream restoration approaches Learn about recently published research on stream restoration effects

3 Outline: I. Introduction, overview, objectives II. III. IV. Where's the beef? What research studies on restoration benefit delivery have shown Shooting fish in a barrel: some things that almost always work Snake oil for sure: some things that hardly ever work V. Ideas someone should try. Instructor(s): Dr. Douglas Shields has been involved in research in a range of topics along the interface between engineering and freshwater aquatic ecology since the early 1980s. He is presently a selfemployed consultant, and previously worked as a research hydraulic engineer at the National Sedimentation Laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service ( ). He also worked for ten years in the Environmental Laboratory of the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station, and he spent two years with the Nashville District of the US Corps of Engineers. Dr. Shields is an adjunct professor at the University of Mississippi. He earned his MS degree in environmental and water resources engineering from Vanderbilt University (1977) and a PhD in hydraulic engineering from Colorado State University (1987). Dr. Shields interests include stream corridor habitat rehabilitation in incising streams, role of woody debris in fluvial systems, riverine backwater rehabilitation, environmental design criteria for river engineering, and the influence of vegetation on sedimentation and erosion. During the late 1980s, he conducted studies of the effects of woody vegetation on Sacramento River revetments and levees. He has also designed and directed construction of five stream-restoration projects targeted at aquatic habitat rehabilitation. Additional work includes the effect of dams on channel migration, hyporheic retention in sand-bed streams, and water quality in agricultural landscapes. Dr. Shields has also served as a consultant to the California Levee Vegetation Research Program since Dr. Shields is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and has contributed to several documents that provide guidance for restoration planning and design, including the book River Channel Restoration (John Wiley and Sons, 1996), the USDA-NCRS Stream Restoration Design Guide (2008), and ASCE Manual 110 (2008). He also was a contributor to the document Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices, jointly published in 1998 by 14 federal agencies, and has authored or co-authored more than 270 technical publications. He is registered as a professional engineer in Mississippi.

4 Who Should Attend: Hydraulic Engineers Hyrdologists Geomorphologists Biologists and Ecologists Planners and project managers

5 BIOGRAPHICAL DATA Name: F. Douglas Shields, Jr. Title: Consulting hydraulic engineer Organization: Shields Engineering, LLC Street Address: 3613 Lyles Drive City, State, Zip: Oxford, MS Business Phone: Home Phone: Preferred Introduction: Dr. F. Douglas Shields, Jr., Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE, F.ASCE Dr. Douglas Shields has been involved in research in a range of topics along the interface between engineering and freshwater aquatic ecology since the early 1980s. He is presently a selfemployed consultant, and previously worked as a research hydraulic engineer at the National Sedimentation Laboratory of the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service ( ). He earned his M.S. degree in environmental and water resources engineering from Vanderbilt University (1977) and a Ph.D. in hydraulic engineering from Colorado State University (1987). Dr. Shields interests include stream corridor habitat rehabilitation in incising streams, role of woody debris in fluvial systems, riverine backwater rehabilitation, environmental design criteria for river engineering, and the influence of vegetation on sedimentation and erosion. Prior to joining the ARS, Shields worked for ten years in the Environmental Laboratory of the US Army Engineer Waters Experiment Station, and he spent two years with the Nashville District of the US Corps of Engineers. Dr. Shields is an adjunct professor at the University of Mississippi, and taught engineering for two years at Tennessee State University. He has given dozens of presentations and invited keynote lectures at national and international conferences. He recently was co-instructor for a well-attended webinar sponsored by American Rivers on compensatory mitigation ( He has also given invited guest lectures and seminars at several universities. Shields currently serves as Vice-Chair of the ASCE EWRI Technical Committee on River Restoration. He is a past chair of the Hydraulics and Waterways Council and has served on various task and technical committees relating to sedimentation and river restoration.

6 BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE The following questions are designed to ascertain background information relating to the proposed course. Your thoughtful responses will aid in further enhancing the promotional efforts of the course. For those questions requiring a lengthy reply, please prepare responses on a separate sheet, indicating the corresponding numerical designation to which it responds. 1. Is this course designed primarily for civil engineers? x Yes No Other, explain 2. If this is not a newly developed course, please indicate: When developed ongoing Developed for whom Engineers and scientists in the consulting community working on planning, design, and construction of stream restoration projects Designed by Doug Shields 3. Profile the audience for whom the course is intended by area(s) of specialty and professional level (i.e. structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, environmental engineers etc.): Primary target audience environmental and hydraulic engineers, water resources engineers, hydrologists, affiliated geologists, geomorphologists Secondary audience, if applicable Upper management X Middle management X First-line management/technical Other 4. Indicate other professional groups that would benefit from your course, e.g. architects, contractors, lawyers, etc. See above 5. If this course has been previously sponsored by organizations other than ASCE, please write a brief credibility statement or testimonials regarding past successes. N/A

7 6. Describe how the knowledge gained from taking this course will benefit participants in their work place: Professional personnel charged with preparing stream restoration designs will be able to evaluate proposed projects and quickly categorize their likelihood of success or failure. In some cases, they may be able to use the ideas presented in this course to reduce uncertainty regarding project outcomes. 7. What problem(s) or issue(s) will this course address? Stream restoration is a growing area of civil engineering practice, yet many projects do not deliver intended benefits. Great uncertainty exists regarding appropriate standards of care in planning and design for these projects. This course will represent a first step in identifying practices to adopt and those to avoid. POWER POINT PRESENTATION Your PowerPoint slides are critical to the success of an effective web seminar presentation. They will assist participants in following your presentation and in retaining information that is presented. In addition, they will provide seminar participants with a resource for future use and continued learning. Salient points should be highlighted for easy reference and review, and materials should include bulleted slides with salient points, suggested reading material, case studies, charts, diagrams, and other pertinent references as appropriate. It is important that the organization of the slides follow the planned presentation sequentially. Time Frame for Submitting PowerPoint Presentation to ASCE Your PowerPoint presentation must be ed to ASCE no later than one month prior to your scheduled web seminar.