Aquatic Organism Passage Design Guidelines for Culverts

摘要

The Federal Highway Administration has developed new guidance for the design of culverts to facilitate aquatic organism passage (AOP). The guidance is provided in Hydraulic Engineering Circular (HEC) 26 "Culvert Design for Aquatic Organism Passage." The basis of the design approach is to provide hydraulic conditions within an embedded (or open-bottom) culvert similar to those found upstream and downstream of the culvert over a wide range of flow rates. By simulating the depth, velocity, and sediment transport capabilities of the channel within the culvert crossing, it is reasonable to infer that aquatic organisms capable of passing up and down the channel can also pass through the culvert. Species-specific information on the swimming capabilities or behaviors of fish (or other aquatic organisms) is not required. The procedure, summarized in this paper, features a 13-step design process that provides a sound basis for sizing crossing structures. An example application of the procedure is also provided in this paper.