The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project. Constructed: August 2008.

The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project. Constructed: August 2008

Existing riffle constructed by ODOT

Conceptual Design

Illustration of

Restoration Site by Matt Horvat of TMACOG

At the request of

the Village of Ottawa Hills we did not work in

this bend even

though the

vertical bank is 7 ft tall and the water over 7 ft deep!!

US

Pro

ject

Lim

it

DS

Pro

ject

Lim

it

This project will

encompass the bends

immediately upstream

and downstream of the former

dam site

The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project

The dam was removed by Ohio-DOT in November 2007.

The project described in this PowerPoint is designed to reduce bank erosion and protect public

infrastructure (two roads), create aquatic & riparian habitat, improve streamside vegetation, assist with improving the riparian area, provide

benches & stepping stones for public stream enjoyment and access, and still have the existing

mowed floodplain recreation areas for public use!

OHIO DOT REMOVING THE

SECOR ROAD DAM NOV-DEC 2007

Looking from left bank at the Secor Road dam.

OTTAWA R-DAM REMOVAL @ OTTAWA HILLS-PIX BY MATT HORVAT-2007

Typical condition US of the Secor Road dam.

OTTAWA R-DAM REMOVAL @ OTTAWA HILLS-PIX BY MATT HORVAT-2007

Looking from left bank @ trackhoe removing the dam.

OTTAWA RIVER-DAM REMOVAL @ OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-LAWRENCE-2007

Looking US @ trackhoes removing dam

OTTAWA RIVER-DAM REMOVAL @ OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-LAWRENCE-2007

Looking US. Dam out, right bank sheetpile out, concrete riffle in. Left bank sheetpile will stay.

OTTAWA RIVER-DAM REMOVAL @ OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-HORVAT - 2007

PRE-PROJECT PHOTOS STARTING FROM

UPSTREAM TO DOWNSTREAMby Dave Derrick

AUGUST 20, 2008

Looking DS. High velocity current is eroding the right bank, then crosses over & erodes the left bank in the crossing. Note

how deep Matt is. Matt went in over his head when he ventured near the right bank. At the request of the Village of

Ottawa Hills, the right bank was not stabilized.

PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-20-2008

Looking DS @ left eroded bank in the crossing & the upper portion of the US project bend.


Looking US @ the lower end of the US project bend


At the former dam site, looking US into the US bend


Looking DS @ the DS project bend. Hill Ditch tributary comes in just US of the bend.


Looking DS @ the DS project bend & the Secor Road bridge.


Looking DS. The protection will tie into the existing bridge abutment protection right here.


THE PLAN

Existing riffle constructed by ODOT

Conceptual Design

Illustration of

Restoration Site by Matt Horvat of TMACOG

At the request of

the Village of Ottawa Hills we did not work in

this bend even

though the

vertical bank is 7 ft tall and the water over 7 ft deep!!

US

Pro

ject

Lim

it

DS

Pro

ject

Lim

it

This project will

encompass the bends upstream

and downstrea

m of the former dam

site

EQUIPMENT

The Cat 330 tracked back hoe with a 4 ft wide bucket, 25 ft reach, weight about 70,000 pounds

CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-2008

STONE & STONE STAGING

SUITABLE STONE

Stone used for keys and LPSTP was a well-graded, self-adjusting, self-filtering Class A Stone with a size of 18” to 36” on the “B” axis. Stone for the Bendway Weirs &

Traffic Control Stones was a specially produced armor stone that varied from 2’ by 2’ by 3’ to

4’ by 4’ by 5’.

Dumping “A”stone-18 to 36 inch sized stone


Staged “A”-stone and armor stone


THE BEND IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM OF THE FORMER

DAM LOCATION

Methodologies for the Upstream Bend

Traffic Control Stones with short Bendway Weirs

Vegetated keys

Transplanted clumps of shrubs

Hydraulic Cover Stones

Planned fall 2008: Container plantings of dogwoods, fast and slow growing shade trees, chokecherry, buttonbush, & other shrubs for food, pollinators, etc.

A KEY HAS ONE MAIN JOB, TO CONNECT THE

RIVER TRAINING STRUCTURE TO THE REST

OF THE WORLD (DON’T LET THE STREAM GET BEHIND {FLANK} RIVER TRAINING STRUCTURES)

CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

by Dave Derrick & Matt Horvat

August 20-25, 2008

Detail for key

Cross-section for keywayFlow

Looking uphill at the dug key trench


Flow

Detail for key

Place some stone & soil in the trench

Flow

Placing some graded “A” stone and soil in the trench


Flow

Place Willow Poles against DS side of trench.

Detail for key

Flow

Placing willow poles in the key trench


Key will be extended uphill where the hoe is parked


Flow

Place the remainder of the stone in the trench

Detail for key

Flow

Placing “A” stone within 1 ft of the surface of the trench


Choke stone with soil & water in.

Detail for key

Flow

Backfill with native soils.


Backfill and overfill with native soils, then compact

(some settling will still occur)

Detail for key

Flow

Compacting soil over key. Note poles on DS side of key


TRAFFIC CONTRO

L STONES

WHAT IS THE LOWER LIMIT OF HARD

BANK PROTECTION?

AND MORE IMPORTANT, HOW

CAN WE REACH IT?

TRAFFIC CONTROL STONES

(TCS) WITH SINGLE-STONE OR SHORT BENDWAY

WEIRS

Drawn by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Traffic Control

Stones for the US project

bend

Drawn by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Large stones (3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft) designed to “kick” flow off the bank, must be keyed into the bed & bank, spaced 6 to 8 ft

apart, every 3rd one should be keyed into the bank. Every 3rd stone has a Single Stone or short Bendway Weir.

Traffic Control Stones with Single Stone Bendway Weirs

Key

Key

TCS

Key

TCS

SSBW

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

SSBW

SSBW

Willow, dogwood, & buttonbush Live Stakes & poles

were installed along with the TCS. Rooted stock plants will be installed this fall or spring

Traffic Control Stones with Single Stone Bendway Weirs

Key

Key

TCS

Key

TCS

SSBW

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

SSBW

SSBW

Track hoe digs a pit. Willow, dogwood, & buttonbush poles are placed around backside of pit


Looking DS @ Traffic Control Stone being placed in pit


Looking DS @ key, TCS, BW, & adventitious rooting poles


BW

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

TCS

How Do Bendway Weirs Work? Water flowing over the weir is redirected at an angle

perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the weir.

With weirs angled upstream the erosive flow (energy) is directed away from the outer bank and toward the inner part of the bend.

Strong secondary currents (helical flow) in bend are broken up.

A set of weirs are designed to act as a system to capture, control, and redirect current directions and velocities through the bend and into the downstream crossing.

Last weir in system can aim flow (and channel thalweg) where you need it.

Looking DS @ TCS. Hoe is stuck in unconsolidated muck


Looking DS @ hoe filling tracks.


Looking US @ the row of TCS @ the upper end of the bend.


Looking US @ center of bend (impact area). No mature vegetation on bank, so TCS are placed closer together.


Looking DS toward the former dam location. Placing TCS


Looking US @ the TCS near the DS end of the bend.


Looking US. Dense brush & trees make TCS placement difficult


Resting rocks in the upper bend.

CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT 8-2008

Raking, seeding, and spreading weed-free straw.


Spreading straw.


THE UPSTREAM BEND

CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE

(let’s look from upstream to downstream)

FROM THE OPPOSITE BANK

(inner bank), LOOKING AT THE

COMPLETED UPPER BEND

Looking US @ US key, veg poles & transplants & TCS

CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT 8-08

Looking US @ TCS, Live Poles, Bendway Weirs, & Live Stakes

CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Looking @ center of bend (impinging impact area)


Looking across @ outer bend just DS of the apex (center).

CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA RIVER @ OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT 8-08

Looking DS @ outer bank TCS, Bendway Weirs, & poles.


Looking DS @ lower end of bend (dam sheetpile visible)



Looking DS @ end of bend TCS, Poles, & Live Stakes.

From the US crossing, looking DS into the project bend


Looking DS into the impinging flow impact zone of the bend.


Ottawa River Dam Removal8-10-2009

UpdatePix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Increased public use

Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Pix by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Left Bank in the spring

Bank protection stones and willow, dogwood, buttonbush stakes are visible

6-5-2009 photo, Horvat

SIGNIFICANT PLANTING EFFORT

500 PLANTS INSTALLED THE WEEK OF JULY 27,

2009 ON BANKS & RIPARIAN AREAS

Photos & words by Matt Horvat

Another view of the same area - Left Bank in the spring

Bank protection stones and willow, dogwood, buttonbush stakes are visible


Close up, leafing of stakes is visible.

Stakes were installed when stones were placed in 8-2008


Materials to be used for restoration and stabilization

Photos taken week of 7-27-2009


Wetland and riparian species of shrubs will be placed to in-fill between the stabilization stones.

Nine-bark and buttonbush will be planted in the lowest areas.. They love having wet roots. Their roots will spread forming a dense network, holding the bank and soil during flood events.

Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of 7-27-2009

Some of the woody shrubs being staged for planting on a right bank. The shrubs will be staggered to maximize the benefit of their roots holding the soil.


Floodplain area on the right bank being reforested.

The vegetated floodplain and riparian area will help to slow flood velocities and allow suspended soil to settle out as well as provide habitat and recreation opportunities.


An auger is used where possible to prepare the soil for the new plant. All bank areas will have to be hand planted.


Site prep done with the 24” auger


One of the woody shrubs


Photos taken week of 7-27-2009

Planting top of bank floodplain areas


Looking downstream


LDB, just downstream of first key, new plantings of buttonbush, ninebark and elderberry visible at the bamboo stakes


Ninebark


Newly planted maple severely browsed, planting was only one day old


Browsed Hackberry


One of the suspects

What deer like:•Opportunity•Maple•Hackberry•Everything else


Smells bad enough, lets hope it works!


RDB, just upstream on the old dam on the inside bank. Note the buttonbush planted low along the bank


LDB, looking upstream toward key


LDB, looking upstream toward key

Stakes mark each plant location


RDB, upstream of dam and undercut high bank visible just beyond the sign at the locust tree.

Planted approx 750lf from dam upstream = 0.8 acre


RDB, nearest old dam


LDB, West of Secor Ave.

800 lf from dam upstream = 1 acre


LDB, looking upstream. Upstream key starts at big locust


Documented watershed scale fish distribution changes due to dam mitigation/removal (first fish passage connectivity in 80+ years) !! Fish community above both Secor Dam (removed) and Highland Dam (mitigated) have significantly changed for the better. Least Darter are now distributed throughout the lower Ottawa River, presumably following the new conveyance of sand. I think I forwarded the picture of the juvenile Rainbow Trout we caught right? We caught the first juvenile Golden Redhorse I've found above the dam this fall. Furthermore, sunfish are abundant around Sylvania, which never happened before. The result of having sunfish and Redhorse has been a shift in dominance to less tolerant, lithophilic-spawning species.

I also talked to someone who lives by the Airport who has had white suckers in his ditch every spring since you put in the riffle at Highland. There have been other highlights, but you're probably all yawning with the fish talk by now :) Awesome part, most all this data was collected by undergraduates in our Ecology 3060 lab course (University of Toledo).Take home message: CONNECTIVITY = GOOD! From: Todd Crail

the Bassett as a mountain lion

The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project. Constructed: August 2008.

Documents

ottawa hillspix

village of ottawa hills

dam ottawa riverdam

dam site slide

ottawa rdam removal

ds project bend

plan slide

looking us