Effects of Bank Revetment on Sacramento River, California

Abstract

Twelve low radius of curvature bends, half of which were rivetted, were studied in the Butte Basin reach of Sacramento River, California, to determine whether bank revetment deleteriously affected salmonid habitat. At low discharge (128.6 cubic meters/s) it was demonstrated that revetment does not cause channel narrowing or deepening, nor does it prevent re-entrainment of gravels on point bars. Point bar sediments in rivetted bends are not coarser than those in non-rivetted bends. Point bar morphology is stage-dependent, and therefore, point bars are both sources and sinks for spawning-size gravel which can mitigate against reduced gravel recruitment due to bank revetment.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the California riparian systems conference: protection, management, and restoration for the 1990s; 1988 September 22-24; Davis, CA.

Citation

Harvey, Michael D.; Watson, Chester C. 1989. Effects of Bank Revetment on Sacramento River, California. In: Abell, Dana L., Technical Coordinator. 1989. Proceedings of the California Riparian Systems Conference: protection, management, and restoration for the 1990s; 1988 September 22-24; Davis, CA. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-110. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 47-50