Massachusetts' Rivers Response to Tropical Storm Irene Carrie Banks, Division of Ecological Restoration

1. Massachusetts’ Rivers Response
to Tropical Storm Irene
Carrie Banks, Division of Ecological Restoration
Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

2. Ford Brook, Bug Hill Road, Ashfield
Source: You Tube

3. Station Drainage
(mi^2)
Irene
Peak Flow
Previous
Peak
Date of
Previous
Peak
Special Remarks
North River 89.0 53,100 cfs 18,800 cfs 10/9/2005 72 yrs flow record, <0.2%
probability
South River 24.1 12,800 cfs 8,770 cfs 10/9/2005 45 yrs flow record, 0.5-1%
probability
Deerfield River
(Charlemont)
361 53,900 cfs 56,300 cfs 9/21/1938 98 yrs flow record, 1-2%
probability
Deerfield River
(West Deerfield)
557 103,000
cfs
61,700 cfs 4/5/1987 71 yrs flow record, flow
regulated, 0.2-0.5% probability
Green River
(Colrain)
41.4 17,500 cfs 6,540 cfs 10/9/2005 44 yrs flow record, 0.2%
probability
Mill River
(Northampton)
52.6 7,020 cfs 6,300 cfs 8/19/1955 73 yrs flow record, 1-2%
probability
West Branch
Westfield River
94.0 36,200 cfs 28,000 cfs 10/9/2005 76 yrs flow record, 0.5-1%
probability
Westfield River
(Westfield)
497 26,200 cfs 70,300 cfs 8/19/1955 73 yrs flow record, 4-10%
probability
USGS Provisional Data, Streamflow Peaks Resulting from Hurricane Irene Rainfall
Annual Exceedance Probability: 0.2% = 500-year, 0.5% = 200-year, 1% = 100-year, 2% = 50-year, 4% =25-year,
10% = 10-year recurrence interval

4. Peak flow at Fife Brook Dam,
~58,329 cfs
Peak Flow at USGS Gage in
Charlemont, ~53,900 cfs

6. Rivers used their floodplains.

7. Protect floodplains from development.

8. Scour on the outside of
meander bends
Deposition on inside of
bends
Rivers erode and deposit.

9. Deerfield River, Charlemont

11. River and stream changed their channels.

15. Rivers remember where they have been.

16. South River, Conway (July 2011)

18. Rivers downcut, especially in areas where not
able to access floodplains.
Clesson Brook, Buckland
~ 2-3 Feet

19. Swift River, Cummington
Photo: Matthew Grallert Photo: NRCS
Photo: NRCS
Bank hardening transfers energy downstream.

20. Extreme impacts at pinch points

21. Green River, Water Supply Dam, Greenfield

22. Walker Brook, BecketWalker Brook, Becket
(10/06/05)
Minor Barrier Aquatic Score: 0.79462249989
Undersized culverts block river processes.

23. 11/16/2010
Moderate Barrier Aquatic Score: 0.518504180114
6/30/2011

24. Post IrenePost Irene

26. Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards
www.streamcontinuity.org/publications
Establish minimum criteria necessary to
facilitate fish and wildlife movement and
maintain stream continuity
Use of these standards alone will not
satisfy the need for proper engineering
and design.

27. • General Standards
– Open-bottom span preferred
– If culvert, then embedded:
• Min. 2ft (and at least 25% for round
pipe culverts)
• Include substrate >15 inches in
diameter, depths at least 2x D84 of
embed material
– Min. 1.2x bankfull width
– Matches stream substrate
– Openness: 0.25m
– Banks on both sides of stream,
match horizontal profile of
existing stream and banks
• Optimum Standards
– Bridge
– Min. 1.2x bankfull width
– Matches stream substrate
– Openness: 0.5-0.75m, Height:
6-8ft
– Banks on both sides of
stream, match horizontal
profile of existing stream and
banks, sufficient headroom
for wildlife
Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards

28. These or similar standards are required to
be met under:
• U.S. Army Corp of Engineers'
Massachusetts General Permit
(July 2011)
• Massachusetts 401 Water Quality
Certification (314 CMR 9.00, June
2009)
• Further, the performance
standards in the Wetlands
Protection Act (310 CMR 10.00,
June 2009) require crossings to
maintain the carrying capacity of
the channel.
• DEP Regulatory Reform – include
permit streamlining for ecological
restoration, including culvert
replacements

29. • 2- 10 foot box culverts washed out in 2003. Road was closed to all traffic.2- 10 foot box culverts washed out in 2003. Road was closed to all traffic.
• Culvert had a history of clogging with debrisCulvert had a history of clogging with debris
Bronson Brook, WorthingtonBronson Brook, Worthington
Design with the river in mind!

30. Bronson Brook During IreneBronson Brook During Irene

31. Bronson Brook Post IreneBronson Brook Post Irene
• A channel spanning tree
located upstream of this culvert
prior to the storm was mobilized
and easily passed through this
crossing.
• Road remained open and
passable.

32. Green Mountain National Forest
FR17A/Jenny Coolidge Brook
Bottomless Arch Outlet
Competed Channel Construction
2010
Post TS Irene September 2011
Lost largest boulders near outlet and roughness along stem walls. Structure and road
undamaged.

33. Green Mountain National Forest
FR54/ Sparks Brook Bottomless Arch Inlet and Outlet
Pre-Irene July 2011 Post TS Irene September 2011
Flood Stage

34. “Being in the floodplain is like
sitting down in the bathtub”
~Robert Hunter
Take home messages:
•Use up-to-date data for
sizing culverts and locating
infrastructure
•Increase infiltration
wherever possible
•Design with the river in mind
•Minimize stream bank
hardening
•Protect floodplains from
development