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Demonstration of Drainage Channel Restoration to Improve Stream Integrity and Maintain Flow Capacity
Project Managers: Larry C. Brown Andrew D. Ward
The Ohio State University The Ohio State University
 
Phone: (614)292-3826 (614)292-9354
E-mail: brown59@osu.edu ward180@osu.edu
Natural System and Location:
Lake Plains EcoRegion. Agricultural drainage ditches and stream remnants in Lake Erie drainage basin in Ohio.
Hypothesis/Goal:
Restoration of channelized low-gradient streams will reduce flood peaks and increase base flow during low-flow periods, improve sediment management (especially fine-grained sediments), and improve sediment sorting and transport onto the floodplain… all while maintaining drainage capacity.
Restoration Strategy:

Phase I - Identify relative rates of channel adjustment and recovery and the relationship between adjustment stage and channel function. Develop engineering and ecosystem approaches to restore drainage channels.

Phase II - Construct demonstration project, initiate monitoring, and conduct economic, flow, and ecosystem analyses. The Ohio State University will develop an engineering approach to improve ecosystem function and maintain capacity of agricultural drainage channels. The ecological impacts of, and costs associated with, channel modification will be evaluated and compared with traditional ditches. The team will conduct an economic cost-benefit analysis related to the design, implementation, construction and maintenance of modified channels and will explore the use of state and federal farm conservation funds to provide additional incentive to interested farmers.

Anticipated Outcomes/Environmental Affects:
Stream bank protection and reduced bank erosion; habitat restoration; water retention; improved water quality; landscape buffering; Clean Water Act compliance; maintenance of drainage capacity for adjacent land uses, i.e. agriculture; reduced maintenance costs for landowners.
Progress to Date:
Selected target area channel reaches have higher biological integrity than expected. Many new stakeholders and renewed interest from drainage authority engineers. There is a high potential for cost sharing from state & local sources. Preliminary data suggest low-bench channels are "naturally stable" and enhance local habitat diversity. Additional instrumentation and monitoring added summer 2001. The Water Quality Laboratory (Heidelberg College) collecting water samples for nutrients and contaminants.
URL:
www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~streams
www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~agwatmgt/drainage.htm
School of Natural Resources and Environment
Dana Building
430 East University
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1115
riverflows@snre.umich.edu