CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Cuthbert, I.D.; and Redden, I.D.
Date : 2005.
Title : Live gravel bar staking channel stabilization in the Lower Elk River.
Publication : Streamline. Watershed Management Bulletin
Issue : 8(2):
Page(s) : 10-13.
Abstract
During the past 70 years, the Elk River on northern Vancouver Island has evolved from a narrow, single-thread, stable channel to a wide multi-thread, laterally unstable, aggraded channel. This change was in response to several factors including: valley-bottom logging; channel relocation due to road construction; a large landslide in the river’s headwaters; and increased flows resulting from the diversion of water into the Elk River from the adjacent Heber River watershed. The net result: a 4–7 times increase in the unvegetated channel width in the lower 13 km of river and degraded fish habitat because pools infilled, banks eroded, and cover was lost. Previous channel morphology studies (e.g., M. Miles and Associates 1999) demonstrated the need to restore channel processes in the lower Elk River to expedite the re-formation of a stable, single channel. This project addresses this recommendation and does not incorporate any upland restoration activities that likely will be part of future restoration plans. Based on successful treatments of rivers with similar conditions, such as the San Juan (Switzer 1999), we chose the soil bioengineering technique of live gravel bar staking as the preferred restoration method to achieve our objective. This article describes the application of and lessons learned from live gravel bar staking in the lower Elk River.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology