Streambank protection and restoration techniques used on the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) - Alexandre Lai , Alyeska Pipeline (co-authors: none)

ABSTRACT

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) crosses hundreds of streams on its 800 mile journey from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, Alaska. It traverses many diverse environments and landforms such as arctic tundra with continuous permafrost, boreal forests in the interior of Alaska with intermittent permafrost, recently glaciated basins, and temperate rainforests in the south.

To protect critical infrastructure and habitat where TAPS crosses streams and floodplains various techniques are used for bank protection and restoration. These designs attempt to emulate natural riverine systems by incorporating when applicable features such as hydraulic diversity, riffles and pools, woody material, floodplain zones, and vegetation. This design approach is a departure from hard engineering methods used in the past for erosion control. It is a multi disciplinary effort that integrates the mandate to protect infrastructure, stakeholder needs and regulatory requirements.

Topic: Fish habitat