EFFECTS OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES ON THE AQUATIC BIOTA OF THREE FLORIDA RIVERS
Aquatic communities were studied at three bridge sites in Florida rivers to determine whether bridge design features have any adverse impacts on biota. Construction methods were considered where information was available. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected along transects that extended across each river. Submerged macrophytes and associated epifaunal invertebrates that occurred in one of the rivers were also collected. Numbers of individuals for each of the taxa of benthic and epifaunal invertebrates and biomass for each of the plant species were determined. Dominance, diversity, and evenness values were calculated for sample collections. Significant alteration of the aquatic community occurred at one bridge site. Adverse impacts on the aquatic biota were attributed to bridge design and construction methods. Construction practices rather than bridge design were found to have potentially adverse impacts on the biota at a second site. At the remaining site, only minor disturbance of the aquatic community was detected. Impacts on aquatic communities can be minimized by (a) placing bridges at locations where alteration of the river channel or floodplain can be avoided; (b) designing bridges and selecting construction methods that maintain, as much as possible, the natural hydrological, sedimentary, and illumination characteristics of the river system and that minimize site disturbance, and (c) providing adequate quality control of construction practices.
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Supplemental Notes:
- Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Landscape and Environmental Design.
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Authors:
- Birkitt, B F
- Dougherty, B J
- Publication Date: 1984
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Figures; Maps; References; Tables;
- Pagination: pp 1-7
- Monograph Title: Wetlands and roadside management
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Serial:
- Transportation Research Record
- Issue Number: 969
- Publisher: Transportation Research Board
- ISSN: 0361-1981
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Aquatic life; Bridge design; Bridges; Construction management; Environmental impacts; Highway bridges; Living things; Location; Quality control; Rivers; Structural design
- Geographic Terms: Florida
- Old TRIS Terms: Biological factors
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Environment; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00394934
- Record Type: Publication
- ISBN: 0309037514
- Files: TRIS, TRB
- Created Date: Nov 30 1985 12:00AM