Description: This workshop will provide participants with a basic understanding of channel migration zones (CMZs), including the principal factors influencing channel migration, appropriate methods for mapping historic migration zones, erosion and avulsion hazard areas, and identifying future migration areas. The course will cover basic concepts in interpreting fluvial landscapes, including fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, geology, sedimentology and hydraulics.

Fluvial channel networks define pathways through which water and sediment are conveyed across the landscape. The spatial and temporal characteristics of water and sediment conveyance define two distinct disturbance regimes that directly impact ecological and human communities. The first of these disturbance regimes is defined by the spatial extent and frequency of flooding. The second disturbance regime involves spatial changes in the land by erosion or deposition through time. While these two regimes are closely linked, it is important to distinguish them since they represent two distinctly different consequences: 1) flood inundation and 2) land erosion. Both disturbance regimes have beneficial environmental effects but can pose significant hazards to development within the floodplain or channel migration zone. Local, state and federal regulatory guidelines increasingly recognize the importance of CMZs both in regards to erosion hazard assessment and protection of aquatic and riparian habitat.

Course Topics:

CMZ Definition and Functions Water Quality - Runoff Filtering - Hyporheic Zone - Sediment Aquatic Habitat Riparian Habitat Geologic Hazard Fluvial Geomorphology Valleys and Hillslopes Channels, Floodplains, and Terraces Channel Types, Segments, Reaches, Sub-reaches, and Networks Channel Movement: Migration Versus Avulsion (Classification of lateral activity) Geologic Controls Hydrology and Hydraulics Topographic Analysis 7.51 Minute Quadrangles 10m/30m DEMs 1-2m LiDAR 2-51 Contour Photogrammetry Historic Channel Analysis Historic Analysis Maps Airphoto

Field Mapping Landform Mapping and Trend Analysis Geomorphic Metrics - radius of curvature - channel slope v. valley slope Floodplain and Terrace Mapping -GPS -Total Station and Prism -Autolevel, Tripod and Survey Rod -Handlevel and Tape Interpretation of Alluvial Sediments and Debris -Bank Stratigraphy -Forests Stems Roots -Snags -Logjams Infrastructure Special Circumstances Hands-on CMZ Delineation Several field trips will be taken during this course, Yellowstone River

Intended audience: The course is intended for professional geo-scientists with a background in fluvial processes. The course is also appropriate for personnel involved with reviewing CMZ delineations and desiring a better understanding of fluvial systems.

Prerequisites: This course is intended for professional geo-scientists with a background in fluvial processes. Introductory college level courses in fluvial geomorphology, hydrology, geology and remote sensing or cartography (including GIS) are strongly recommended. The course is also appropriate for personnel who will be involved with reviewing CMZ delineations and desiring a better understanding of fluvial systems.

Course materials: Each attendee will receive a copy of the workshop proceedings and case study data for the hands-on exercises.

Credit: 2.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Lead instructor bio: Dr. Abbe is an internationally recognized geomorphologist and licensed engineering and hydrogeologist with 22 years of applied science and research experience in geology, geomorphology, environmental restoration, risk assessment, self-mitigating flood and erosion protection, sustainable land management, and water resources. Dr. Abbe has developed and implemented cutting edge solutions for a wide range of clients and his work is being used all over the world to better understand and restore rivers.
Dr. Abbe has directed major water resource and geomorphic investigations throughout the Western United States, including: the effects of flow diversions and landuse on aquatic habitat; channel migration and erosion, flooding; water, sediment and wood budgets, geomorphic hazards; slope stability; ship traffic; scour assessment; mining; and water quality. He has directed the development and implementation of 50 successful projects to restore habitat and protect infrastructure in river and coastal environments around the world. His work in restoration and protecting transportation infrastructure has been featured in major newspapers, magazines, and National Public Radio.

One of Dr. Abbe’s areas of expertise is the geomorphology of forest rivers and the mechanics and effects of large woody debris on channel form and dynamics. Dr. Abbe is one of the foremost experts on the dynamics, management and re-introduction of wood debris. He pioneered the development of “engineered log jam technology” (ELJ), structures that emulate natural conditions and processes to rehabilitate aquatic and riparian habitat, provide erosion control, flood diffusion, grade control, and sediment retention. He has designed successful ELJs throughout the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, California, and New South Wales, Australia. His work on ELJs, has offered new technology to professionals who must comply with the environmental regulations while solving traditional problems such as bank erosion and channel incision. Dr. Abbe’s ELJ design to protect US Highway 101 for the Washington Department of Transportation won a Gold Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and reconigition from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Prior to his ground breaking work at the University of Washington, Dr. Abbe worked on flood control, sediment transport, bank erosion, restoration projects in fluvial, estuarine, and coastal environments from Mt. St. Helens and the Columbia River Estuary to Southern California. He directed and published research on the effect of vessel wakes on shoreline erosion and littoral transport in the Columbia River and San Francisco Bay. His expertise includes tidal inlet dynamics, coastal and tidal marsh geomorphology effects, sedimentology, scour assessment, mine tailing remediation, effects of gravel extraction and erosion hazard mapping. Recently, Dr. Abbe co-authored technical guidelines for the delineation of channel migration zones for the Washington State Department of Ecology and an introduction to ELJ technology for the U.S.D.A. (Natural Resource Conservation Service) and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency in the United Kingdom. He is a frequent speaker at conferences throughout the United States and a regular reviewer for scientific and engineering journals. Dr. Abbe is well known and respected by the academic, professional and regulatory communities for his innovative work, individual expertise, ethics, and team approach to complex multi-disciplinary projects.

Chuck Dalby is a hydrologist and geomorphologist with 28 years experience in surface-water hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, hydraulics, water quality, and computer methods for water resource data analysis. His education (B.A. and M.S. degrees in geology from University of Montana) emphasized sedimentary and glacial geology, geophysics, surface-water hydrology, and fluvial geomorphology. Chuck's professional interests include, watershed management and cumulative effects of land use; measurement and monitoring of sediment transport and channel changes in gravel-bed rivers; application of river-channel classification and historic stability assessment to river-corridor management and channel restoration; design and implementation of channel maintenance flows; and analysis and maintenance of irrigation water quality (salinity and trace elements).

Recently as a hydrologist with the Water Resources Division of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation), he served as principal investigator on the Upper Yellowstone River Task Force's study of historic channel changes and geomorphology; currently he is assisting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with development of a Special Area Management Plan for the upper Yellowstone. Other DNRC experience includes: cooperative research (with US Geological Survey, Montana State University and University of Montana) to determine downstream fate of geothermal arsenic as it moves through water and irrigated soils of the upper Missouri Basin; design and implementation of water-quality monitoring to support adaptive management of Madison-Missouri River hydro-electric projects; analysis of consumptive water use and water availability in support of U.S. Supreme Court litigation (MT V. WY 2008); measurement of evapotranspiration using remote-sensing and energy-budget methods (METRIC ); design, implementation, and monitoring of flushing flows to remove fine-sediments sluiced from Ruby Reservoir; measurement of a fine-sediment budget for Nevada Creek Reservoir; evaluation of Yellowstone River channel changes and stability proximate to the Livingston Ditch diversion; and delineation of a channel migration zone for the upper Yellowstone River.

Dr. Patricia Olson is a hydrologist, fluvial geomorphologist and licensed hydrogeologist. She has 30+ years of applied science and research work in watershed, surface and groundwater-hydrology, groundwater and fluvial geomorphology including channel migration assessments; watershed assessments; restoration monitoring, design and implementation; erosion protection; hydraulic and GIS modeling; water quality; and instream flow program development and assessments. Currently she works for the Washington Department of Ecology where she is the senior freshwater hydrogeologist for the Shoreline and Environmental Assistance Program. Her position provides technical and scientific assistance on hydrologic and geomorphic issues related to shoreline, floodplain, and wetland management and watershed planning. She also is responsible for developing guidance for local governments including: 1) delineating channel migration zones; 2) integrating management of channel migration areas into shoreline and floodplain zoning ordinances; 3) delineating ordinary high water marks on streams. Previously

Patricia was the Principal Scientist, and a co-founder, for the Pacific Watershed Institute (PWI), a 501 (3)(c) non-profit organization dedicated to integrating ecosystem and watershed science and research into natural resource management and environmental restoration. While with PWI, she conducted watershed assessments in Washington, Idaho and Montana, established pre and post-stream restoration monitoring protocols, designed, implemented and monitored many restoration projects throughout 5 watersheds, and conducted research on forest harvest effects on groundwater heat transport to small salmon rearing streams. She was also was part of the team of researchers from NOAA, Northwest Fisheries Research Institute, that developed and tested a decision system for salmon recovery planning. She is still on the board of the Institute. She is also a Board member and Vice President of the Washington Water Trust a private, nonprofit organization established in 1998 to restore instream flows in Washington’s rivers and streams by acquiring existing water rights from willing sellers through purchase, lease or gift.

Patricia has a PhD in forest hydrology with a minor in ecosystem analyses from the University of Washington. Her research was on ground -surface water interactions in floodplains and groundwater geomorphology influence on the water interactions as well as on channel morphology. Patricia received a Masters degree in fluvial geomorphology from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Her Master’s research was conducted on the Milk River located along the border between Alberta and Montana. Her current applied research interests include: continued research on land use management effects on ground-surface water interactions, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems; role of groundwater geomorphology in forming landscapes including channel pattern and migration; and climate change influence on flooding and potential for increased channel migration.

• Registration: Early bird $995 before August 20, 2008, $1,395 thereafter
  This course fee includes:
• Accommodations at one of two main lodges (double occupancy only) at Chico's Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner on October 21st through 23rd
• October 20th: For those of you that want to get a ride from Bozeman: We'll meet at the Bozeman airport (Galletin Field Airport), load vans, which we will take to Chico's. If you would like to get a ride from the airport, please include $20 to your registration total.
• We'll check-in on the evening of the 20th and will meet for dinner for some introductions and networking
• October 21th: Breakfast at 8 A.M. Class starts at 9:00 A.M.
• October 22th: Breakfast at 8 A.M. Class starts at 9:00 A.M.
• October 23th: Breakfast at 8 A.M. Class starts at 9:00 A.M.
• October 24th: Breakfast at 9 A.M. Check-out and head back to Bozeman at 11:00 A.M.
  (This is a tentative schedule, more details coming soon)
• Chico's Hot Springs Resort and Day Spa is located in Paradise Valley, just north of Yellowstone National Forest and along the foothills of the Absaroka Mountain Range, capturing all the beauty Montana has to offer.
  

This course is limited to 35 people, early registration is strongly recommended! You may register online or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976. If you require more time for payment please don't hesitate to call us.
Contact Renata Sobol with any additional questions | Register Online

Registration and Cancellation Policy: All registrations cancelled before 5 P.M. on August 20, 2008 are 100% refundable. All cancellations occurring between August 20, 2008 and October 20, 2008 are non-refundable. Registrations may occur up to 7 days prior to the course provided that space is available. Maximum number of attendees is limited to 35. Course registration fees and cancellation policy are subject to change without notice.

Disability Accommodations: To request disability accommodations, please contact us at info@nwetc.org or (206) 762-1976 at least 30 days prior to the event.

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