Show Report On Weber River Preliminary findings of a three year study on the Weber River near Henefer were reported reported reported re re- re- re ported to the State Road Commission Commission Commission Com Com- mission meeting in Salt Lake City on June 18 1971 DR JAMES R. R Barton Barlon Professor ProCessor Professor Pro Pro- fessor Cessor of Civil Engineering at BYU explained the conclusions to to those hose present at the meeting lr Dr Barton and David A. A White Assistant Professor of Zoology were the leaders of the study conducted for the Utah Department of Highways to explore the means of preparing preparing preparing pre pre- paring a guide for improvement improvement improvement improve improve- ment of channels which have been changed or for Cor restoring old channels which have de de- de- de THE TIIE MAIN preliminary conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- is that a river channel changed by construction can be made to function ecologically ecological ecological- ly as well as a natural chan chan- nel The results of this study indicate indicate in indicate in- in that fish habitat can be built into a new channel in such a way that the changed section will be as good if not better fishing areas than the original channel MANY TYPES of structures to habitat for Cor fish were tested some proving very good and others proving to be useless Structures constructed of oC large rip rap ro rock lock k s seemed emed to tobe tobe to- to be one of f the most e effective ve The rip-rap rip was pl placed ced so as asto asto asto to create a sort of check dam to form quiet spots for the fish The placing of large random rocks in the stream a technique used frequently in the past was studied and it was concluded that large random rocks need to be placed in the areas of o high velocity to create the desired results The random rocks placed in the main main channel ot of the trie stream have not been evaluated evaluated evaluated evalu evalu- yet because they were placed in the late fall Call of 1970 DR BARTON summed up his preliminary findings by say saying ng Chat long term research on these structures will be neceSsary necessary necessary sary to evaluate their effectiveness effective effective- ness over a long period of time The effects to time may alter some of the conclusions arrived at after a study as short as the one just con con- In general the structures structures structures tures placed in the changed sections of the channel on the Weber River near Henefer have been effective in creating good habitat MORE STUDIES are needed to establish the best and most economical methods of developing developing developing de de- de- de good fish habitat in stream channels changed as asa asa asa a result of construction require require- ments The State Road Commission voted to continue with the study on the Weber River and to al also also also al- al so study plans for similar experiments experiments experiments ex ex- in other rivers The highway department hopes to create a design manual for engineers to use when channel changes are anticipated in highway construction |