Hadlock Brook waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine as seen from a stone bridge.
Stream Flood Vulnerability Assessment at Acadia National Park
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By New England Water Science Center
April 21, 2023
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with Acadia National Park, is assessing the vulnerability of the park’s streams, culverts, and bridges to flood damage and erosion using design flows for selected high streamflow recurrence intervals to inform management decisions on infrastructure upgrades.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
On June 9, 2021, some areas of Acadia National Park received up to 4 inches of rain in three hours, generating extreme runoff flows that damaged historic carriage roads, trails and surrounding forests and streams. Short-duration, high-volume storms increasingly result in costly emergency repairs to infrastructure. Additionally, historic infrastructure that does not accommodate current stormwater flow levels contribute to, rather than prevent, damage to adjacent natural resources.
The study’s objectives are to:
- Assess the vulnerability of stream reaches within the park to erosion
- Assess the ability of culverts and bridges to pass simulated storm events.
USGS is conducting a comprehensive GIS evaluation of topographic features that control stream erosion. The study includes updating the park hydrography using the best available LiDAR data and calculating geomorphic metrics, such as stream steepness and channel incision. Culvert characteristics, dimensions, and history from existing infrastructure databases and construction and maintenance documentation are also incorporated into the evaluation. USGS Scientists are using USGS Streamstats to compute design flows that will help determine sizing adequacy of each culvert and bridge. The analysis also involves identifying other infrastructure attributes, such as historic status and degree of use, and in-person data-collection at a subset of sites to verify feature information.
This calculated and compiled data is being used to develop a database of stream reaches and infrastructure to assist Acadia National Park staff in the prioritization of the repair, restoration or replacement of damaged or failing culverts and to inform strategy development to prevent and mitigate damage to natural resources. The methods employed by this project are applicable to the remainder of Mount Desert Island as well as other national parks and monuments in the Northeast Temperate Network (NETN).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine
Hadlock Brook waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine as seen from a stone bridge.
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park, Maine. Photo taken in the mid of summer.
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park, Maine. Photo taken in the mid of summer.
Hydrologic Technician stands in Kebo Brook in Acadia National Park
Hydrologic Technician Sean Thiboldeaux stands in Kebo Brook after making a streamflow measurement and conducting training with staff from Acadia National Park.
Summer 2022 Photo Contest Winner: Nicholas Stasulis, People category
Hydrologic Technician Sean Thiboldeaux stands in Kebo Brook after making a streamflow measurement and conducting training with staff from Acadia National Park.
Summer 2022 Photo Contest Winner: Nicholas Stasulis, People category
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park, one of the stations used by the Park for water quality and quantity sampling. This project involves an assessment of the water quantity data collected at this site (and others).
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park, one of the stations used by the Park for water quality and quantity sampling. This project involves an assessment of the water quantity data collected at this site (and others).
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, Maine.
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, Maine.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New England Water Science Center, in cooperation with Acadia National Park, is assessing the vulnerability of the park’s streams, culverts, and bridges to flood damage and erosion using design flows for selected high streamflow recurrence intervals to inform management decisions on infrastructure upgrades.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
On June 9, 2021, some areas of Acadia National Park received up to 4 inches of rain in three hours, generating extreme runoff flows that damaged historic carriage roads, trails and surrounding forests and streams. Short-duration, high-volume storms increasingly result in costly emergency repairs to infrastructure. Additionally, historic infrastructure that does not accommodate current stormwater flow levels contribute to, rather than prevent, damage to adjacent natural resources.
The study’s objectives are to:
- Assess the vulnerability of stream reaches within the park to erosion
- Assess the ability of culverts and bridges to pass simulated storm events.
USGS is conducting a comprehensive GIS evaluation of topographic features that control stream erosion. The study includes updating the park hydrography using the best available LiDAR data and calculating geomorphic metrics, such as stream steepness and channel incision. Culvert characteristics, dimensions, and history from existing infrastructure databases and construction and maintenance documentation are also incorporated into the evaluation. USGS Scientists are using USGS Streamstats to compute design flows that will help determine sizing adequacy of each culvert and bridge. The analysis also involves identifying other infrastructure attributes, such as historic status and degree of use, and in-person data-collection at a subset of sites to verify feature information.
This calculated and compiled data is being used to develop a database of stream reaches and infrastructure to assist Acadia National Park staff in the prioritization of the repair, restoration or replacement of damaged or failing culverts and to inform strategy development to prevent and mitigate damage to natural resources. The methods employed by this project are applicable to the remainder of Mount Desert Island as well as other national parks and monuments in the Northeast Temperate Network (NETN).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine
Hadlock Brook waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine as seen from a stone bridge.
Hadlock Brook waterfall in Acadia National Park, Maine as seen from a stone bridge.
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park, Maine. Photo taken in the mid of summer.
Aunt Betty Pond Inlet, Acadia National Park, Maine. Photo taken in the mid of summer.
Hydrologic Technician stands in Kebo Brook in Acadia National Park
Hydrologic Technician Sean Thiboldeaux stands in Kebo Brook after making a streamflow measurement and conducting training with staff from Acadia National Park.
Summer 2022 Photo Contest Winner: Nicholas Stasulis, People category
Hydrologic Technician Sean Thiboldeaux stands in Kebo Brook after making a streamflow measurement and conducting training with staff from Acadia National Park.
Summer 2022 Photo Contest Winner: Nicholas Stasulis, People category
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park, one of the stations used by the Park for water quality and quantity sampling. This project involves an assessment of the water quantity data collected at this site (and others).
Hunters Brook in Acadia National Park, one of the stations used by the Park for water quality and quantity sampling. This project involves an assessment of the water quantity data collected at this site (and others).
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, Maine.
Carriage road bridge over Duck Brook, Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, Maine.