CHAPTER 2
THE PROCESS
The diversity of channel rehabilitation projects precludes the acceptable use of a rigid blueprint
approach to rehabilitation design. Methods utilized in one ecological, hydrological, or geological setting
may not apply to another location. Different goals may require entirely different designs for the same
setting. The intent of this chapter is to provide four flowcharts that have been found useful in thinking
through the process of channel rehabilitation design.
The distinction between rehabilitation and restoration may be insignificant, depending on existing
conditions. Rehabilitation may be defined as maximizing the potential beneficial uses of resources, to some
reasonable and practical level. Restoration is defined as bringing a resource back to some former
condition. For this manual, rehabilitation is used in a broad sense that encompasses all aspects of channel
modification to achieve some desired improvement goal, whether for complete channel restoration, flood
control, navigation, water supply, channel stability, sediment control, or some other beneficial use.
Regardless of the goals of the rehabilitation project, the basic fundamentals of planning activities must be
followed. A typical planning process was outlined by Jensen and Platts (1990) in the following general
steps:
1. Preliminary planning to establish the scope, goals, preliminary objectives, and general approach
for restoration;
2. Baseline assessments and inventories of project location to assess the feasibility of preliminary
objectives, to refine the approach to restoration, and to provide for the project design;
3. Design of restoration projects to reflect objectives and limitations inherent to the project
location;
4. Evaluation of construction to identify, correct, or accommodate for inconsistencies with project
design; and
5. Monitoring of parameters important for assessing goals and objectives of restoration.
3
Previous Page
