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River Projects: Stream Crossings Stream crossings present particular challenges to those involved with their design, construction, and maintenance. Every time a trail or road crosses a stream it creates the risk of disturbing a dynamic, complex, and unique ecological system. Understanding the potential effects of stream crossings and developing ways to reduce or eliminate disturbance requires interdisciplinary knowledge and skills from a range of sciences including hydrology, biology, geomorphology, hydraulics, and structural engineering. The National Park Service is helping to meet the challenges of stream crossings by providing technical assistance to states, local governments, and communities. This website is intended to serve as a clearinghouse for information transfer about meeting the challenges of stream crossings. examples resources Examples: Trails from a Rivers Point of View: A poetic perspective on stream crossings Resources: American Trails: Trail Design and Construction Appalachian Trail Conference: Stream Crossings and Bridges British Columbia Ministry of Forestry: Fish-stream Crossing Guidebook California Department of Fish and Game: California Salmonid Stream Habitat Restoration Manual California Department of Fish and Game: Fish Passage Evaluation at Stream Crossings Federal Highway Administration – Bridge Technology: Hydraulics Publications – Current Federal Highway Administration: Programs to Remove Fish Passage Barriers Federal Highway Administration: River Engineering for Highway Encroachment Federal Highway Administration: Stream Stability at Highway Structures For the Sake of Salmon: Oregon Road/Stream Crossing Restoration Guide International Mountain Biking Association: Trail Solutions: IMBA's Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack International Mountain Biking Association: Fish Prefer Bridges National Marine Fisheries Service: Guidelines for Salmonid Passage at Stream Crossings Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Guidelines and Criteria for Stream-Road Crossings University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation: Trails, Bridges and Boardwalks University of Minnesota Extension Service: Recreational Trail Design and Construction University of Washington: Juvenile and Resident Salmonid Movement and Passage through Culverts U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Geomorphologic Impacts of Culvert Replacement and Removal U.S. Forest Service: A Landowner’s Guide to Building Forest Access Roads U.S. Forest Service: FishXing U.S. Forest Service: Identifying Barriers to Aquatic Organism Passage at Road-Stream Crossings U.S. Forest Service: National Trail Drawings and Specifications U.S. Forest Service: Trail Bridge Catalogue U.S. Forest Service: Water-Road Interaction Technology Series Documents U.S. Roads: Designing Highway Culverts that do not Impede the Movements of Resident Fish Species Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Design of Road Culverts for Fish Passage Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Fish Passage Technical Assistance Western Trailbuilders Association: Publications on Trail Planning, Design, Construction & Maintenance Wild Salmon Center: Culvert Installation in Salmon Streams back to top