Evaluation of Rock Check Dam Performance using Large-Scale Testing Techniques

Highway construction activities often involve clearing, grubbing, grading, and excavation activities which have the potential to disturb large areas of land. These operations increase the risk of stormwater-induced soil erosion and sediment loss into downstream receiving waterbodies. Sediment-laden stormwater runoff has the potential to negatively impact aquatic life, and clog nearby culverts and drains. The Iowa DOT incorporates stormwater pollution prevention practices on site during construction to minimize erosion and sediment-laden runoff. One of the most commonly used construction stormwater management practices used by the Iowa DOT are check dams. These practices are installed within the channel to reduce stormwater velocity, reduce channel erosion, and promote the settling of suspended sediment. The Iowa DOT maintains standard details for silt fence check dams, wattle check dams, and rock check dams. For roadside and median channels with high runoff velocities, rock check dams are the most common practices because of their structural durability. The project is intended to evaluate Iowa DOT’s current rock check dam standard (EC-302) and proposed modifications to compare hydraulic and sedimentation performance.

• Record URL:
  https://ideas.iowadot.gov/subdomain/ideas-main/end/node/3783?qmzn=iKFrYf#Active

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $118863
• Sponsor Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Managing Organizations:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Project Managers:

  Serio, Melissa

• Performing Organizations:

  Auburn University

  Auburn, AL  United States  36830
• Principal Investigators:

  Perez, Michael

• Start Date: 20231201
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Dams; Erosion control; Road construction; Runoff; Sedimentation; Standards
• Identifier Terms: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Subject Areas: Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01907935
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Iowa Department of Transportation
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Feb 12 2024 6:18PM