The 2011 Musselshell River Flood – Assessing Impacts and ...
The 2011 Musselshell River Flood – Assessing Impacts and ...
The 2011 Musselshell River Flood – Assessing Impacts and ...
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>2011</strong> <strong>Musselshell</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Flood</strong> <strong>–</strong><br />
<strong>Assessing</strong> <strong>Impacts</strong> <strong>and</strong> Developing<br />
Rehabilitation Strategies<br />
Karin Boyd<br />
Applied Geomorphology, Inc.
~8000 sq mi
<strong>Musselshell</strong> <strong>River</strong> Pre-<strong>Flood</strong> Conditions<br />
Entrenched due to shortening by railroad<br />
<strong>Flood</strong>plain isolated by railroad berm<br />
Fish passage blocked by diversion dams<br />
Extensive agriculture on floodplain
<strong>The</strong> Milwaukee Railroad (Upstream of Melstone)<br />
~1000 ft of channel isolated per mile ---19%
Entrenched channel<br />
Riparian clearing<br />
Set up for a<br />
flood response
May-June, <strong>2011</strong> (Billings Gazette)
Aroscott Whiteman, USGS<br />
<strong>2011</strong>: 14,100 cfs<br />
Max recorded pre-<br />
<strong>2011</strong>: 8181 cfs
Stage
25<br />
20<br />
15<br />
10<br />
5<br />
0<br />
Duration: ~3weeks in excess of Q10<br />
Number of days mean daily flow exceeded Q10<br />
<strong>Musselshell</strong> Mosby <strong>Musselshell</strong> Roundup
April 26, 2010
May 23, <strong>2011</strong> (Peak)
May 25, <strong>2011</strong> (Peak)
June 16, <strong>2011</strong> (Recession)
June 16, <strong>2011</strong> (Recession)
<strong>Musselshell</strong> Watershed Rehabilitation<br />
Project<br />
DNRC Proposal Submitted August 29, <strong>2011</strong><br />
Lower <strong>Musselshell</strong> Conservation District<br />
“Develop a multi-disciplined assessment team to work with<br />
impacted producers developing plans respectful to their<br />
needs <strong>and</strong> the river.”<br />
“RIVER ASSESSMENT TRIAGE TEAM” (RATT)
RATT Site Visits:<br />
September 21 Through November 12, <strong>2011</strong><br />
43 Sites Visited
RATT Responsibilities<br />
1. Assess <strong>Impacts</strong><br />
2. Develop Short-Term Strategies<br />
3. Develop Long-Term Strategies<br />
4. Identify Conservation Opportunities<br />
5. Identify Resources<br />
6. Develop Monitoring Strategies
• Avulsions<br />
Types of Damage Evaluated by RATT<br />
• Breached Railroad Berms<br />
• Diversion Structure Damage<br />
• <strong>Flood</strong>plain Deposition<br />
• Bank Erosion<br />
• Siphon Damage<br />
• <strong>Flood</strong>plain Scour<br />
• Pump Site Damage<br />
• Lost Access
Some <strong>Musselshell</strong> <strong>River</strong> <strong>Flood</strong> <strong>Impacts</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> river is now 8% shorter than pre-flood conditions<br />
Channel migration exceeded hundreds of feet<br />
Channel widths tripled<br />
Diversion structures were flanked or ab<strong>and</strong>oned<br />
Dozens of pump sites were eroded out or ab<strong>and</strong>oned<br />
Vast carpets of cottonwood <strong>and</strong> willow seedlings were<br />
established
Six Counties<br />
~330 <strong>River</strong> Miles
Avulsions: 59 total<br />
~37 Miles of Channel Ab<strong>and</strong>oned
Ab<strong>and</strong>oned Channel Length (ft)<br />
16000<br />
14000<br />
12000<br />
10000<br />
8000<br />
6000<br />
4000<br />
2000<br />
0<br />
<strong>Musselshell</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />
<strong>2011</strong> Ab<strong>and</strong>oned Channel Length<br />
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 Cumulative Length<br />
0.0<br />
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350<br />
<strong>River</strong> Mile<br />
~37 Miles of 2009 Channel Ab<strong>and</strong>oned<br />
40.0<br />
35.0<br />
30.0<br />
25.0<br />
20.0<br />
15.0<br />
10.0<br />
5.0<br />
Cumulative Length Ab<strong>and</strong>oned (miles)
2009
<strong>2011</strong>
2009
<strong>2011</strong>
• Channel Stability<br />
• Pump Site Relocations<br />
• Road Crossings<br />
• Erosion Control<br />
• Riparian Protections<br />
• Wetl<strong>and</strong> Restoration<br />
Avulsions
Wetl<strong>and</strong> function, targeted recharge,<br />
riparian protections
Pump Site<br />
Abbreviated process for change in POD<br />
Temporary, mobile irrigation pumps<br />
Pump Site
Railroad Grade Breaches
• <strong>Flood</strong>plain Access<br />
• Erosion Control<br />
• Dike Repair or Removal<br />
• Road Access<br />
A total of 31 Breaches
Breach
Convert breach to return flow swale
Dissuade berm repair<br />
Maintain return flow points
Breached <strong>and</strong> Ab<strong>and</strong>oned Diversion Dams
•Repair<br />
•Conversion to Pumps<br />
•Erosion Control<br />
•Fish Passage<br />
•Grade Control<br />
Diversion Structure Damage
Convert to pumps where possible; use seasonal<br />
diversion structures, <strong>and</strong> assess grade control<br />
issues. Incorporate fish passage if repaired.
Cottonwoods!
Conservation Opportunity:<br />
Capitalizing on <strong>Flood</strong>ing as a Passive<br />
Restoration Measure<br />
• Inset <strong>Flood</strong>plain Development<br />
• Riparian Recovery<br />
• <strong>Flood</strong>plain Access<br />
• Habitat Rejuvenation<br />
• Wetl<strong>and</strong> Creation<br />
• Fish Passage<br />
“We should leverage this catastrophe for the public good.”
<strong>The</strong> RATT<br />
Tom Pick (NRCS)<br />
Warren Kellogg (Independent Contractor)<br />
Mike Ruggles (MTFWP)<br />
Scott Irvin (MTDNRC)<br />
Karin Boyd (Applied Geomorphology, Inc)
Set the stage<br />
Document the flood<br />
Document the impacts<br />
RATT Summary Report<br />
July 2012<br />
Present strategies that support both producers<br />
<strong>and</strong> long-term river processes
<strong>The</strong> RATT Approach<br />
Conveying a coordinated, consistent message in<br />
support of an ecologically- supportive outcome.<br />
•Get out there fast<br />
•Listen to the story<br />
•Go multidisciplinary<br />
•Document the event<br />
•Document the opportunities<br />
•Monitor the results
Acknowledgements<br />
Bill Milton (<strong>Musselshell</strong> Watershed Coalition)<br />
Krist Walsted, Reba Ahlgren, Ken Mosdal (NRCS Roundup Field Office)<br />
Donna Pedrazzi, <strong>and</strong> Shirley Parrot (Lower <strong>Musselshell</strong> Conservation District)<br />
Sue Potter-FitzGerald <strong>and</strong> BG FitzGerald (NRCS Jordan Field Office)<br />
Nikki Rife <strong>and</strong> Heather Richter (NRCS Winnett Field Office)<br />
Diane Ahlgren (Petroleum Conservation District)<br />
Lloyd Rowton (Petroleum County)<br />
John Oiestad (NRCS Harlowton Field Office)<br />
Monty Sealey (<strong>Musselshell</strong> County)<br />
Rena Ruffin (NRCS Economist)<br />
Chris Boyer (Kestrel Aerial Services, Inc.)<br />
Anne Tews (Montana Fish, Wildlife, <strong>and</strong> Parks)<br />
All of the producers of the <strong>Musselshell</strong> <strong>River</strong> Valley
Special thanks to:<br />
Chris Boyer (Kestrel Aviation)<br />
Bill Milton<br />
(<strong>Musselshell</strong> Watershed Coalition)
http://dnrc.mt.gov/cardd/ResourceDevelopment/<strong>Musselshell</strong><strong>Flood</strong>Rehab/<strong>Musselshell</strong><strong>Flood</strong>Rehab.asp
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