Overview
The use of culverts as an appurtenance to convey stormwater flow is an essential element in stream crossings. Culverts are an alternative to bridges that span the entire stream and may be pipes or box culverts. In streams where aquatic organisms are present, culverts have to be designed to function hydraulically and at the same time allowing the passage of aquatic organisms, specifically various species of fish. There are a several characteristics to be considered when designing these types of culverts including the elevation of inverts, culvert geometrics, stream morphology, and stormwater velocity among others.
This course will focus on the design procedure, and methods for designing culverts to allow aquatic organism passage (AOP). A stream simulation design procedure is given to aid in understanding the course material.
After reading this course the student will have valuable knowledge to aid in designing culverts for aquatic organism passage.
The study materials for this course are based solely on the text “Culvert Design for Aquatic Organism Passage” Hydraulic Engineering Circular (HEC) 26, as published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The student should study the document through appendix G.
To earn PDH credit, the student must pass a multiple choice quiz consisting of fifty (50) questions.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Fish passage hydrology
- How to define headwater and tailwater
- Common obstruction to aquatic organism passage (AOP)
- How to determine the energy dissipation fact (EDF)
- How to assess fish passability
- How to determine the various barrier categories
- How to classify streams
- Morphological characteristics of streams
- Inspection requirements for culverts
- How to calculate the Reynolds number
- How to classify soils according to ASTM classifications
- Effects of using culvert baffles
- Features of related to stream geomorphology
- How to determine the recommended embedment depth for culverts an pipes
- How to define supercritical flow
- How drop height affect fish passage
- Fish swimming characteristics
- How to define stream channel conditions
- How to define the 100-year frequency flood
- How multiple barrel culverts affect fish passage
- Characteristics of cohesive soils
- How to determine the kinematic viscosity of water
- Stress caused at the stream bed by the movement of water
- How to define which crossings qualify as bridges
- Basic fish biology
- How to calculate Shield’s equation
- How to check culvert bed stability
- How to determine the Manning’s “n” coefficient
- How to determine shear stress
- How to determine stream bed gradation
Certificate of Completion
You will be able to immediately print a certificate of completion after passing a multiple-choice quiz . PDH credits are not awarded until the course is completed and quiz is passed.
Course and Quiz Preview
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