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INTERSECTIONS OF OUR

ROADS AND RIVERS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

STREAM CROSSING INITIATIVE

MISSION

Inventory stream crossings throughout

the state to inform data-driven decisions

on culvert replacement and stream

restoration

Multi-agency partnership

Address the complex problem of

undersized and deficient crossings

across the state

Facilitate communication and organize

effor ts among partners

Consistent data collection and analysis

Reduce redundancy in efforts

Inventory state’s infrastructure

Field surveys

Streamlined protocol to address all

agencies’ interests

Develop standardized ranking system

to assess flood risk , geomorphic

compatibility, and aquatic organism

passage

Target good restoration and mitigation

PROGRAM GOALS AND STRATEGY

STREAM CROSSING ASSESSMENTS

Combined protocol to

meet all agency

objectives Geomorphic

Compatibility

Aquatic Organism

Passage

Structure Condition

Hydraulic Vulnerability

General river

environment

ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION

AND ONLINE GEODATABASE

ESRI Arc GIS online and

Collector App

GPS enabled

Create a new data and

picture points for each

survey location

ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION

AND ONLINE GEODATABASE

ESRI Arc GIS online and

Collector App

GPS enabled

Create a new data and

picture points for each

survey location

Menu appears with the data

form with drop-down options

Online

geodatabase

Real-time data

acquisition

Hosted by UNH

Technology

Transfer System

STATEWIDE ASSET DATA EXCHANGE

SYSTEM- “SADES”

QUALITY CONTROL FOR DATA

CONSISTENCY

Online QAQC process

lead by NH Geological

Survey

Data reviewed by

NHGS staff

Update status in real-

time

SCREENING TOOLS TO RANK

CROSSINGS

1. Geomorphic Compatibility How well the crossing

fits river shape and if it impedes

sediment transport

2. Aquatic Organism Passage Describes whether structure is

passable by fish and other animals

3. Hydraulic Vulnerability Can crossing convey water volume for

10, 25, 50, and 100 year events

4. Asset Condition DOT structure assessment

Visual rating of good, fair, poor

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FLOOD HISTORY DATA FROM TOWN

HAZARD MITIGATION PLANS

Towns document flood hazards

Extract data on stream crossings

and digitize

Hazard

Type

Location Severity Frequency Description

Road

flooding

Main Street High Annual 24” metal pipe overtops in the spring with

high flows and causes road closures.

Washout Elm Street Medium 2-5 years Bridge has become obstructed at high

flows and water over the banks will cause

road erosion.

MULTIPLE PARTNERS ARE

COLLECTING DATA STATEWIDE

Regional Planning

Commissions

NHDES funded projects

from federal grant

programs

NHFG collaborations

and external grants to

fund crossings in Brook

Trout streams

Non-profit and

consulting

TRYING TO ACHIEVE STATEWIDE

COVERAGE IN ASSESSMENTS

7,500 crossings surveyed

~5,400 scored for AOP and GC

Many surveys incomplete or have

QAQC problems

PRIORITIZING CULVERT REPLACEMENTS

FOR RESTORATION AND MITIGATION

Improving flood

resiliency and public

safety

Improving aquatic

connectivity

Individual stakeholder

goals

Target funding

eligibility

Scores together can help

asses the overall impacts of

a crossing

PRIORITIZING CULVERT REPLACEMENTS

FOR RESTORATION AND MITIGATION

High quality fish and wildlife

habitat

Diadromous fish corridors

Maximize upstream habitat

gained

Connecting conservation land

and habitat corridors

Presence of species of concern

Already a focus of existing

conservation/restoration efforts

Water quality concerns

Ecological factors that play

an important role in

prioritization

Data delivery issues

and objectives

How do we make stream

crossing data available to the

public?

Easily accessible

Interactive

Query and filter

Export data

PRIORITIZING CULVERT REPLACEMENTS

FOR RESTORATION AND MITIGATION

PRIORITIZING CULVERT REPLACEMENTS

FOR RESTORATION AND MITIGATION

Data delivery issues

and objectives

How do we make stream

crossing data available to the

public?

Easily accessible

Interactive

Query and filter

Export data

Include tools to:

Prioritize structures on scores

Identify projects eligible for

specific grant programs

Interactive mapping tool to target restoration and

mitigation to improve stream connectivity,

restore important fish habitat, and increase

flood resiliency.

SCREENING TOOLS TO

RANK CROSSINGS

Geomorphic Compatibility-

How well does a crossing fit natural

channel forming and sediment transport

processes of a river?

GC

AOP

10 25

50 100

C

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ati

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k

SCREENING TOOLS TO

RANK CROSSINGS

Aquatic Organism Passage

How much of a barrier is the crossing to

fish and other animals?

GC

AOP

10 25

50 100

C

Fis

h P

assa

ge

SCREENING TOOLS TO

RANK CROSSINGS

Asset Condition

Is the integrity of the structure compromised

due to weathering, damage, and exposure?

GC

AOP

10 25

50 100

C

Ove

rall C

on

dit

ion

SCREENING TOOLS TO

RANK CROSSINGS

Hydraulic Vulnerability

Predicts flow capacity 10, 25, 50,

100 year flows?

GC

AOP

10 25

50 100

C

Flag culverts that have

flooded in the past

FLOOD HAZARDS AT STREAM CROSSINGS

This culvert has

been identified as

a flood hazard

Also preventing

passage between

conservation

parcels

highest ranked

habitat

Brook Trout

habitat

Good ARM

candidate!

PRIORITIZE REPLACEMENTS TO MEET

INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM/FUNDING GOALS

THANK YOU!

Geological Survey

Shane Csiki

Thomas Taggart

DES Wetlands Bureau

Lori Sommer

Cheryl Bondi

Mary Ann Tilton

Fish and Game, Inland Fisheries

John Magee

Matt Carpenter

Dianne Timmins

Ben Nugent

Katie Callahan

Homeland Security and

Emergency Management

Whitney Welch

Department of Transportation

Mathew Urban

Sarah Large

Timothy Mallet

Kevin Nyhan

Mark Hemmerlein

UNH Technology

Transfer Center

Christopher Dowd

NH Regional Planning

Commissions

How are other states assessing wetland

crossings?

15% of NH’s crossing are on wetlands

How are state’s funding survey work?

Sharing information across state lines

for common watersheds.

For collaborative assessment efforts,

how do you ensure data quality and

consistency?

Volunteers and citizen scientists?

Non-profit groups

DISCUSSION TOPICS