Organizations

Abstract

’Gerwasserpflegplane’, improvement plans for rivers and streams that treat the riverbed, riverbank and floodplain as an ecological unit. The Bavarian government pays farmers to take floodplain lands out of production, while encouraging them to plant native hardwood trees and remove cattle. Mr. Binder commented that the decision-making process encourages contributions by the ecologically-trained project workers. Mr. John Gardiner, of the National River Authority (NRA) in England, spoke on the redesign of flood control plans for the watershed of the Thames River. Emphasizing a "holistic approach" to flood control, these new channel designs have pools, riffles and islands, and reestablish natural river patterns. Andrew Brookes, also of the British NRA, highlighted alternative flood control designs to stabilize streambanks. Ann Riley gave a brief history of an alternative flood control design on Wildcat Creek in Richmond, California. She wryly described the Army Corps of Engineers’ reluctance to consider an alternative to the traditional channel, although it works better and costs less, both to build and maintain. Following Ms. Riley, Phil Williams, of Philip Williams and Associates, San Francisco, delivered a technical critique of the traditional concrete channel design. He cited unrealistic design criteria including expectations for low-sediment water and smooth flows; underestimated maintenance costs (which in budget crisis situations are often deferred, further aggravating channel performance); and inadequate evaluation of project success. On the other hand, he suggested that integrated alternative flood control designs address these and other technical considerations in the design process, and allow for riparian vegetation growth and natural sediment movement. He observed that these multi-objective projects, while less glamorous, are cheaper and more effective than projects that implement traditional designs. Williams noted that dynamic citizens groups, such as Friends of the Los Angeles River (see R&MN 8:230,234) and the Cottonwood Creek Conservancy in Encenitas, California, are at the center of change in flood control management, and play a critical role in pushing environmental planning and technology forward. The Berkeley conference outlined some useful tools for natural resource protection and restoration in the nineties. The Public Trust Doctrine merits a much closer scrutiny by restorationists, especially those working with water resources. One may hope for greater dialogue between planners, engineers and restoration ecologists at future conferences. Policy and Planning