Soil and Water

Road Condition Index

SDTDCPrepared by:

Carolyn Napper 10/06

Project Update 10-17-06

• Literature search of existing indices

• Internal search of FS road data collection tools and methodologies

• Development of a draft index

• Field testing of index nationally

Maine S&PF

BMP evaluation methodology developed by S&PF

Partially funded by EPA and developed software program during beta-testing

R-5 LTBMU

•Characterization of roads for public information

•WEPP as comparison

R-5 Los Padres

Closed road

R-5 San Bernardino

STEEP hillslopes

Road segmentation

R-2 Bighorn NF

Existing survey by watershed

Identify work, implement contracts to reduce sediment delivery to streams on all road levels.

R-2 White River

Road-stream connectivity

Gully formation

R-2 WCP handbook

Breckenridge Ski Area

R-6 Okanogan NF

R-10 Tongass

Subsurface

Drainage

R-9 White Mountain NF

Level 2-gated

URCI- Bob Eaton, process for evaluation of a road segment

R-8 Ozark-St Francis

TNC &FS road inventory

Trimble w/Infra and Terra Sync software

10 mi/rd per day/crew

R-8 Ouachita NF

Road surveys for Roads analysis, NEPA, using WEPP, relative abundance of benthic fish tied to roads. Pursuing KV dollars for road improvement work.

Infra data not reliable

Goal of SWRCI Project

• Need to measure the performance of the road improvement and road maintenance programs in meeting our responsibility for protecting watersheds.– Soil and Water road condition index– Photo Guidebook to determine SWRCI– Training module

9/27/2006Road #Segment Length_________________Total road length________________Reviewed by:___________________Road Template/Surface shape Inslope Outslope Crown

upper 1/3 middle 1/3 lower 1/3climbing segment within SMZ

Road Surface Material Native Gravelled PavedSurface Traffic High Low Closed

Good Fair PoorRoad Surface Drainage

Ditch relief culvertsOpen / no deposition/ no

scour25-50% blocked, scour at

outlet>50% blocked, scour at outlet

Ditch No signs of erosion or scour

25-50% of ditch shows erosion/scour

>50% of ditch shows erosion/scour

Drainage dipsOpen/ no deposition/ no

scour25-50% deposition, scour,

erosion at outlet>50% deposition, scour, erosion

at outlet

Overside drainsOpen / no deposition/ no

scour25-50% blocked, scour at

outlet>50% blocked, scour at outlet

Entrenched

Gentle road grade, frequent relief drainage

25-50% of segment with long slope lengths, concentrated flows

>50% of segment with concentrated flows in road prism

Turnpiked

Surface and subsurface flow is not disrupted by turnpiked

section

25-50% of surface, subsurface flows are

concentrated

>50% of flows, channelized, changing hydrologic regime

Condition of Stream Crossing Open & Functional

25-50% of structures failed or reduced capacity

>50% of structures failed or plugged

Road Subsurface Drainage

Intercepts subsurface flows with no adverse effect to

vegetation & no ditch scour

25-50% of ditch eroded, evidence of vegetation

change

>50% of ditch eroded, evidence of vegetation change.

Diversion Potential at CrossingsNo diversion

25-50% of structures with diversion potential

>50% of structures with diversion potential

Hydrologic ConnectivityPercent of category 1 road

length connected?Hydrologically Disconnected 25-50% connected >50% connected

Percent of category 2 road length connected?

Hydrologically Disconnected 25-50% connected >50% connected

Road Surface ConditionNo rilling/rutting

25-50% of segment has rill or ruts

>50% of segment has rill or ruts

Dominant Soil Texture Sandy loam Silt Loam Clay loamRoad Gradient 2-8% 9-15% 0-2% or >16%Hillslope Gradient 0-15% 16-35% >35%

Cutslope Conditionvegetated/stable

25-50% unstable & unvegetated

>50% unstable & unvegetated

Fillslope Conditionvegetated/stable

25-50% unstable & unvegetated

>50% unstable & unvegetated

SWRCI RATINGAdd up the rating numerically by the number of good, fair, and poor.

Environmental ConsiderationsSeason of Use for road

Seasonal Year long

Design StormSnowRain

Rain on snowShort duration/high intensity rain

event

If sediment transport is occurring what is the cause?Inappropriate time of use of road with respect to soil and weather conditions.Inappropriate location/design of road.Incorrect maintenance of the roadNo or Inadequate maintenance or failure to add reinforcement to drainage or soil stabilization BMPs.

Soil and Water Road Condition Index

Road Segment Location on hillslope

Road template/Surface Shape information

• Stratify roads pre-post documentation• Focuses the reviewer on what they should

anticipate from a given road• Insloped roads may have a ditch and relief

culverts• Outsloped roads with drainage dips, may

want to focus on road gradient, soil texture associated with that type of design.

• Could be set up electronically

Good Fair Poor

Ditch Relief Culverts

Cross drains are free of sediment and debris, no indications of scour or plugging at inlet. No erosion at outlet.

25-50% of cross drains show indications of scour or plugging. Erosion at outlet

>50% of cross drains culverts show scour or plugging. Erosion at outlet.

Good Fair Poor

Ditches Ditch accommodates runoff without indications of erosion or scour.

25-50% of ditch has erosion and downcutting from long ditch lengths.

>50% of the ditch has erosion, downcutting, or scour.

Road-stream connectivity

Good Fair Poor

Road-streamConnectivity

Road is hydrologically disconnected from channel network. Road template design is outslope, any surface water from road prism reinfiltrates into soil, and any ditches present are not connected to the stream.

25-50% of the road segment is hydrologically connected to the channel network from drainage ditches or cross-drain outlets.

>50% of the road segment is hydrologically connected to the channel network from drainage ditches or cross-drain outlets.

Soil Texture and WEPP

Good Fair Poor

Soil Texture Sandy loam Silt loam Clay loam

Colors–Numbers-Adjectives

• Pavement Condition Index 0-100 to rate pavement condition

• SWRCI is additive, and the higher # is the rating

• Could develop a rule set if a tie

• Focuses on visual indicators

• Useful in the ID team setting

Page 2 of SWRCI

• Environmental considerations

• Causal factors for erosion and sediment transport

• Site specific immediate concern issues

Performance Accountability

• USDA FS Strategic Plan Goal 5 Improve Watershed Condition– Program issues for CMRD include:

• Lack of road maintenance $ = degraded forest road conditions.

• Negative impacts to natural resources

Key Outcome Measures of PAS

• % of high clearance & stored roads incompliance with soil and water BMPs (R-10 uses RCS method) Unclear on how RCS identifies compliance and at what scale?

• % of car passenger miles meeting soil and water BMPs (% of roads with no identified critical resource protection deferred maintenance needs) SWRCI can identify drainage, erosional concerns

• Revised Infra 7/06 task list identifies critical resource=drainage (roadway, x-drain, erosion)

National BMP & EP

• On-going effort to develop a national program for all regions.

• The effectiveness protocol will meet Goal 5-2 for monitoring water quality impacts of all activities on National Forest Service system lands.

• Time frame estimate 18 months

Needs or should be done…

• Complete the documentation including references for each indicator. More pictures – limitation is due to

• Develop a web page that would have all the existing forms being used. Showcase the forms, uses, and findings. Foster information exchange.

• Form needs a software application to increase its use.

Discussion & FeedbackNext Steps

Discussion, questions, next steps