Restoration of Streams and Wetlands Following Pipeline Construction Projects

Pipelines are routinely installed under streams and wetlands, resulting in temporary impacts to these resources. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act requires impacted streams, wetlands, and other waterbodies to be either restored or replaced. However, if the streams and wetlands are not restored correctly, the impacts can be permanent. The success of stream and wetland restoration is primarily dependent on returning the disturbed areas to pre-existing conditions and contours, which can be readily verified by monitoring construction activities or conducting post-construction monitoring. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) added a special permit condition to several linear projects in Pennsylvania requiring post-construction monitoring of restored streams and wetlands to ensure the success of the restoration efforts. The special permit condition required that a summary report of the monitoring be submitted to the Corps stating that excess fill material was removed and the site was restored to pre-existing conditions and contours. The report also needed to document the existence and relative success of revegetation efforts and installed erosion and sedimentation controls. The majority of stream and wetland permits for pipeline projects do not include a special condition requiring post-construction monitoring. Further, most natural gas operators do not typically conduct construction monitoring or post-construction monitoring to specifically review stream and wetland restoration efforts unless required as a permit condition. Without monitoring, easily avoidable and solvable problems could result in permanent stream and wetland impacts. As more pipelines are installed, stream and wetland restoration may become a primary environmental and regulatory concern and require more active construction monitoring by natural gas operators.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413654.045
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784413654
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Kanouff, Paul A
• Conference:
  • Shale Energy Engineering Conference 2014
  • Location: Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
  • Date: 2014-7-21 to 2014-7-23
• Publication Date: 2014-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 421-429
• Monograph Title: Shale Energy Engineering 2014: Technical Challenges, Environmental Issues, and Public Policy

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction; Mining and extractive industries; Monitoring; Pipelines; Stream restoration; Wetlands
• Subject Areas: Environment; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Maintenance and Preservation; Pipelines; I15: Environment; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01535264
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784413654
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: Aug 27 2014 10:44AM