RiverRAT: River Restoration and Analysis Tools
The Pacific Northwest continues to be an international leader in the field of stream restoration. As such, regulatory reviewers are often faced with novel project types that are not yet supported by industry standards. While appropriate and necessary given the state of our river systems, this does pose unique challenges when reviewers are faced with evaluating a stream restoration project.
To address this challenge, NOAA Fisheries and USFWS collaboratively commissioned research in 2008-09 to develop a Science Document and accompanying tools to support more consistent and comprehensive reviews of stream management and restoration proposals. The Science Document synthesizes the body of knowledge in fluvial geomorphology and river
management, and presents it in a way that is accessible to a broad scientific and management audience.
Accompanying the Science Document are three tools:
- A Screening Matrix that relatively ranks risks due to project and stream response potential;
- A Project Information Checklist to assist in evaluating whether a proposal includes all the information necessary to allow critical and thorough project evaluation; and
- A project evaluation tool named RiverRAT that guides reviewers through the steps necessary to critically evaluate the quality of the information submitted, the goals and objectives of the project, project planning and development, project design, geomorphic-habitat-species relevance, and risks to listed species
The tools and supporting Science Document are publicly available, and are now being commonly used for review by various state and federal agencies.
This course will provide an overview of the physical science underpinning river restoration, use of the Screening Matrix, overview of the Project Information Checklist, and in-class use of RiverRAT utilizing a real restoration project. This
course is intended for anyone involved in the planning, design, implementation, monitoring, funding, and/or review of stream restoration or management actions. Course facilitated by Janine Castro, Ph.D., R.G.
- Duration: 1 day
- Available Professional Credit: 0.8 CEU, 8 PDH