A natural stream channel remains stable over a wide range of flows, while typically accumulating sediment during low-flow periods and carrying sediment downstream during high flow periods. Changes to the channel, vegetation, floodplain, flow or sediment supply may affect the equilibrium and cause the stream channel to become unstable.  This course covers procedures for evaluating the stability of a stream channel reach and planning and design for restoration of an unstable stream channel reach to bring it back into a stable condition. This course is intended primarily for civil engineers, hydraulic engineers, hydrologists and geologists interested or involved in stream channel evaluation and/or restoration procedures. Prior to taking the course, please review the material in the course content file: "Stream Restoration - A Natural Channel Design Handbook," prepared by the North Carolina Stream Restoration Institute and North Carolina Sea Grant. Once you successfully complete the course review, please proceed to and complete the associated multiple-choice quiz, consisting of forty (40) questions on the course material in order to earn 7 PDH credits.

Learning Objectives

• Basis of fluvial processes
• Stream assessment and survey procedures
• Rosgen stream classification systems
• Bankfull verification and gage station analyses
• Priority options for restoring incised streams
• Reference reach surveys
• Design procedures
• Structures for stream restoration
• Riparian-buffer re-establishment
• Erosion and sediment control plans
• Flood studies
• Restoration evaluation and monitoring