Red River Riparian Project
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Richland County Drain 39
Intermittent streams in agricultural areas are frequently damaged by channelization, encroachment of crop fields, and
alteration of flow. The upstream natural section of a legal drain in Richland County in the southeast corner of North Dakota
is no exception. Since 1940, the intermittent stream has been farmed through in dry years, subject to frequent clean-outs, and
influenced by more frequent bankfull flows from increased field drainage and the expansion of cropped fields. A wet period beginning
in the 1990s caused frequent flooding along the natural drain and led to significant crop losses. The typical solution would have been
to clean out the channel, only to have it fill back in from soil washed from the fields. Instead, the local Water Resource District,
the NRCS, and the RRBRP decided to restore the channel to a natural functioning condition.
Using information on local hydrology, measurements of the existing channel in more natural reaches, local knowledge and
aerial photos from the early 1940's, a design was developed to restore the flood plain and meandering channel. The design
was based on principles of fluvial geomorphology developed by Luna Leopold and Dave Rosgen. In addition to restoring the channel,
the adjacent riparianriparian areas were enrolled in Continuous CRP by the landowners and will be planted to native grasses.
The channel restoration work was completed by summer 2004. At this time, the channel is moving water and its sediment load
without aggrading or breaking out of the channel as frequently. The CRP grassed buffers are helping to reduced sediment entering
the channel from the fields and are creating a 5- to 10-year flood plain for the stream to access. Preconstruction monitoring of
water quality and channel morphology was started in 2003 and will continue for the next 5 years as the restoration matures. This
is only the second project of this scope in North Dakota and the Red River Valley.
The following series of photographs depict the restoration of the Richland County Drain 39 Site. Click on an image for a
larger version.
1941 - Aerial view of Richland County Drain 39 - Central |
1941 - Aerial view of Richland County Drain 39 - East |
1941 - Aerial view of Richland County Drain 39 - Southwest |
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1983 - Aerial views of Richland County Drain 39 |
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