Highway construction projects often impact streams, whether directly by encroachment, culvert or bridge crossings, relocation to enable cut or fill, or construction in the floodplain; or by indirect means such as upslope construction resulting in erosion and sediment transport into the stream channel.  These construction projects typically require some type of mitigation, which can involve streambank stabilization, stream relocation, stream restoration, and possibly mitigation elsewhere to compensate for impacts of the project.  For example, the I-99 project involves mitigation of approximately 22,000 feet of stream.

The objective of this task is to assess the effectiveness of stream restoration, stabilization, and relocation practices for highway construction and their ability to sustain a complex, ecologically diverse healthy stream system over the long term.  The task also includes identifying key factors for rapid assessment of future mitigation projects.  The Evaluation of Stream Restoration Projects consists of eight tasks:

Under Task D of the I-99 Environmental Monitoring Project, monitoring of the completed stream restoration work will assess the effectiveness of the restoration techniques. Key items used in determining the effectiveness of the restoration include stream stability, successful establishment of streamside and floodplain vegetation, and the presence of key wildlife habitat indicators. Stream restoration work locations are on Reese Hollow Run and Bald Eagle Creek.

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