stream assessment and improvement plan
Eroding and unstable stream banks on portions of the five-mile reach of the Tongue River upstream of Dayton, Wyoming, prompted public requests to the Sheridan County Conservation District (SCCD) and the Sheridan County Public Works Department (SCPWD) to evaluate the problem and recommend solutions. Upstream from Dayton, the river has two distinct stream and valley types with associated susceptibilities to bank erosion and active movement of bed materials. In 2013, the community decided to pursue a stream-improvement plan that would include a landowner engagement process and a stream assessment. Barr was selected to complete this work.
The scope of work included use of the NRCS Stream Visual Assessment Protocol as part of the education and outreach to engage landowners and help prioritize future improvements. The stream survey included longitudinal profile and cross-section survey, pebble counts, bar sampling, and collection of data for use of the BANCS model for erosion risk evaluation. Analysis of survey data using GIS and RiverMorph produced dimensionless ratios suitable for use in future restoration projects along the corridor.
The resulting stream-improvement plan included reach-by-reach recommendations for ways to treat bank erosion and improve fish habitat.