Details:

Creators:
Abbott, Alexander
Corporate Creators:
Maine. Dept. of Transportation. Transportation Research Division
Subject/TRT Terms:
[+]
Aquatic Life Costs Fishes Geographic Information Systems Habitat (Ecology) Pipe Culverts Rehabilitation (Maintenance) Streams Wildlife Crossings
Publication/ Report Number:
ME 14-10
Resource Type:
Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:
Maine
Corporate Publisher:
Maine. Dept. of Transportation
Abstract:
Recent discussions around State and federal stream crossing regulations have focused on resolving existing barriers

to fish movement created by pipe culverts associated with transportation infrastructure. Approximately 30% of

Maine has been surveyed for stream barriers through the joint efforts of state and federal fisheries agencies and non-government organizations, which have mapped this data via GIS. These same entities are currently working toward

prioritizing identified barriers according to potential habitat value and species status. The resulting database contains

location information, but does not differentiate crossings for which the state is responsible from those under local or

private responsibility. This lack of distinction makes it near to impossible to quantify specific future costs to

MaineDOT other than on a crossing by crossing basis.

The overall project was focused on continued development of the Maine Barrier Database, integrating MaineDOT

crossings with that database, and supporting the development of

the Maine Stream Habitat Viewer http://mapserver.maine.gov/streamviewer/streamdocHome.html

as a tool to be used by MaineDOT, municipalities and others for viewing aquatic habitat data in association with

stream crossings. The final dataset developed for use by MaineDOT includes important attributes associated with

fisheries habitat values, as well as cost estimates for evaluating addition of projects to work plans.

There are two major outcomes from this work that are already benefitting MaineDOT.

1) Completion of GIS aquatic barrier work that was started under other sponsorship: The results were

delivered to MaineDOT as ArcMAP coverages and to the Maine Office of GIS for incorporation into the Maine

Stream Habitat Viewer. MaineDOT has been using both products on a regular basis. The products have been of

great value in enabling the Environmental Office staff to deliver quick preliminary assessments of aquatic habitat

that might affect MaineDOT projects.

2) Application of culvert replacement cost model for providing fish passage: Several years ago University of

Southern Maine/Muskie School developed a cost model for culvert replacement. The focus was on replacement

culverts that would be accepted as providing fish passage. This cost model was applied to data generated from his

GIS data in (1) above. The results show order-of-magnitude implications for various replacement strategies.


Format:
PDF
Collection(s):
US Transportation Collection
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:b1f6ef811e01da6d644953c55a2c20f2f93d22e5d91bfc364724c0e03026123c
Download URL:
https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28484/dot_28484_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• No Additional Files

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