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August 2, 2024

The USGS New England Water Science Center has developed a GIS-based hydraulic modeling tool to provide preliminary culvert designs for stream-crossing replacement projects in Massachusetts, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and in partnership with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass Amherst).

Phase 2 of this study presents initial preliminary culvert design for 16 stream crossings in the Squannacook Watershed, north-central Massachusetts. The GIS-based tool provides preliminary designs for box, arch, and pipe culverts to convey the 10- and 4-percent annual exceedance probability flood flows and to meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards. In addition to the preliminary culvert designs, the StreamStats report also includes: a link to the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (if stream crossing assessment data is available), information on the habitat quality and stream connectivity restoration potential of the stream crossing, and the ability to download the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HEC-RAS hydraulic model files used in development of these designs. This tool is planned to be implemented at about 20,000 stream crossings across the State over the next several years and results added to StreamStats.
 

Stream crossing over Bronson Brook in Worthington, MA.
Photograph showing Bronson Brook at Dingle Road in Worthington, Massachusetts, after stream crossing replacement. The 2008 replacement culvert project was designed to meet the Massachusetts Stream Crossing Standards.

Credit: Paul Nguyen (used with permission)

More information on this study and the different phases can be found at the related science link below or by contacting Gardner Bent (gbent@usgs.gov) and Luke Sturtevant (lstrutevant@usgs.gov).


 

StreamStats regression equation updates for Massachusetts

StreamStats regression equation updates for Massachusetts

Massachusetts StreamStats

Massachusetts StreamStats

StreamStats Information Portal

StreamStats Information Portal

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