Restoring Stream Connectivity in the University Context: A Project Manager’s Guidebook and Online Resource Library for Small Dam Removals and Culvert Replacements

Abstract

Stream systems across the United States are fragmented by an estimated 2.5 million dams and countless undersized road-stream crossings. Over 5,000 universities across the country manage streams flowing through university campuses, forests, and agricultural lands. University facilities and forest managers regularly manage dams, bridges, and roads that cross these streams. Removing obsolete barriers can restore stream functions and processes and provide many social and environmental benefits. University managers interested in undertaking barrier removals have a unique opportunity to use university streams as living research laboratories and leverage university expertise and resources throughout the process. Our research found that university campus and forest managers are increasingly interested in removing stream barriers. Our research also identified a gap in barrier removal project management guidance with attention to the unique project elements found in the university context. As a result, this Master’s Project aims to fill that knowledge gap by creating a guidebook for university managers undertaking barrier removal projects. We conducted surveys, interviews, and a literature review to support the creation of this guidebook. Additionally, the guidebook draws upon a barrier removal project in the Duke Forest Teaching and Research Laboratory as a case study. We obtained survey results from 136 university managers and stream restoration professionals. These survey results were used as a needs assessment to identify topics most relevant to university project managers. Additionally, experience from stream restoration professionals was obtained in order to supplement missing information from the literature review. Interviews were used to follow up with 11 survey participants. These interviews provided in-depth information on best management practices, lessons learned, and additional case studies referenced throughout the guidebook. Chapters within the guidebook cover project planning, site assessment, partnerships, funding, project engineering, permitting, construction, and monitoring with the university project manager in mind. In addition to the guidebook, an accompanying Online Resource Library was created to provide project managers with a directory of regional and technical barrier removal guidance documents. The Online Resource Library provides an interactive and user-friendly database where users can select their project interests and region to see which resources are available.