1. Implementation of In-Stream,
Streambank and Riparian Practices in
Conjunction with Upland Practices for
Conservation of Water Resources
G.A. FOX1, D.E. STORM1, J.R. VOGEL1, T. BOYER2, L.
SANDERS2, A. STOECKER2, P. STARKS3, D. MORIASI3,
J. STEINER3
1 DEPARTM ENT OF BIOSYSTEMS AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING,
OKLAHOM A STATE UNIVERSITY, STILLWATER, OK
2 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, OKLAHOM A STATE UNIVERSITY,
STILLWATER, OK
3 USDA-ARS GRAZINGLANDS RESEARCH LABORATORY, EL RENO, OK

2. Overall Hypothesis
Integrated watershed-scale biophysical and
socioeconomic research, combined with outreach
and educational activities, can effectively identify
the most likely to be implemented, cost-effective,
and ecologically-beneficial suite of upland, in-
stream, streambank and riparian conservation
practices to reduce sediment loads and protect
long-term water availability even under increased
climate variability.

3. Project Overview

4. Fort Cobb
Watershed
•Reservoir provides public water
supply, recreation, and wildlife
habitat
•Winter wheat and small grains (43%),
pasture/grass (34%), peanuts and
cotton (9%), forest (5%), other
summer crops (4%), roads and urban
(5%), and water (<2%)
•Fails to meet water quality standards
based on sediment and trophic level

5. Conservation Practices
•Adoption of no-tillage management, conversion
of cropland to grassland, cattle exclusion from
streams
•Various structural and water management
practices
• From 1992 to 2004, conventional tillage in the
watershed decreased from 71 to 44%
•Concerns about sedimentation of the reservoir
persist
• Majority of the sediment originating from streambanks
and channels
• Using 7Be and 210Pb as radionuclide tracers, as much as
50% of suspended sediment was from streambanks

6. Objectives
•Biophysical Research: To develop a prioritization
scheme using process-based simulation modeling that
determines both where to implement upland, in-
stream, streambank, and riparian practices and also
how many stream miles, in conjunction with upland
practice scenarios, require practices at a watershed
scale to reach long-term water quality improvements.

7. Biophysical Objective Stream
Channel Tasks
•Characterize streambeds and unstable streambanks, install
water level loggers, and conduct cross-section surveys
•Estimate streambed and streambank erosion/failure
resistance using JETs and BSTs
•Estimate long-term erosion rates using aerial photography
•Determine optimal in-stream, streambank, and riparian
practices based on the site and reach scale bank erosion
modeling

8. Characterizing Streambanks

9. Cross-Section and Profile
Surveys
•At least one cross-section was
surveyed at each site, as well as a
longitudinal profile during Summer
2014
•Multiple cross-sections were surveyed
at site FM2
• Impacted by a series of three headcuts
•Cross-sectional surveys were repeated
in Summer 2015 and Spring 2016

10. Station (ft)
0 20 40 60 80
Elevation(ft)
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
100
July 2015
July 2014

11. Station (ft)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Elevation(ft)
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
July 2015
July 2014

12. Station (ft)
0 20 40 60 80
Elevation(ft)
80
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
July 2014
July 2015
Station (ft)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Elevation(ft)
82
84
86
88
90
92
94
96
98
July 2015
July 2014

13. Thalweg Profile Change-FM2
Station (m)
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Elevation(m)
25.5
26.0
26.5
27.0
27.5
28.0
28.5
29.0
June 2015
July 2014

14. Site-Scale Bank Erosion
Modeling: BSTEM
•BSTEM simulations were developed and
calibrated for 8 sites
•SWAT generated hydrograph for a 2003-
2013 study period was used
•Long-term erosion rates were determined
from NAIP images from 2003-2013 and
used to calibrate the model
•Only four sites experienced erosion
during the study period
•Stabilization practices were simulated at
these sites

15. Sediment reduction from stabilization

16. Stabilization Costs and Returns

17. Reach-Scale modeling:
CONCEPTS
•CONservational Channel
Evolution and Pollutant
Transport System
(CONCEPTS)
•Simulates:
• Open-channel hydraulics
• Sediment transport
• Bank erosion processes
• Fluvial erosion
• Mass wasting
(Langendoen, 2000)

18. Reach-Scale Sediment
Reductions
•Stream divided into segments based upon landowner
•Stabilization was applied to various stream segments and combinations
of segments
•Stabilization practices simulated include:
• Riprap Toe
• Grade Control
• Vegetation and Grading (2:1 and 3:1) bank slopes
•Generated relationships between length of stream stabilized and
sediment reduction for each stabilization practice

19. Grade Control
Stabilization Length/Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
SedimentReduction
-0.2
-0.1
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval

20. Stabilization Length/Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
SedimentReduction
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval
Riprap Toe

21. Vegetation + 2:1 Bank Slopes
Stabilized Length/Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
SedimentReduction
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval

22. Vegetation + 3:1 Bank Slopes+ Riprap Toe+ Grade Control
Stabilized Length/ Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
SedimentReduction
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval

23. Cost Estimation
RSMEANS Facilities Construction Cost Data from 2016
Stabilized Length/Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
Cost($)
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval
Stabilization Length/Total Length
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
SedimentReduction
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
95% Confidence Interval
95% Prediction Interval
Riprap Toe

24. Objectives
•Economics and Social Research:
• Cost Estimation of gulley and channel erosion abatement
structures
• Location of farms with sufficient areas of erodible soils for
contour, no-till farming
• SWAT and mathematical programming for cost-effective
selection and BMPs to reduce edge-of-field erosion
• Determine socio-economic characteristics that influence
adoption of conservation practices

25. Spreadsheet: Cost Estimation of
Gulley Abatement Structures
•Estimate of BMP costs for Reducing Channel Erosion.
•Basic Data Requirements: Gulley Width and Depth, RS
MEANS Cost Estimates
•BPM worksheets prepared for Cross Vanes, Cement
Spillway, Vegetated Bank, J-Hook Vane, Live Gulley, Stream
Crossing, Small Dam, and Grassed Waterway
•STATUS: Testing and Validation

26. Example Sheet for
NRCS Rip-Rap
Drop Chute

27. Location of Farms with Sufficient Areas of
Erodible Soils for Contour No-till Farming to be
Cost Effective
•Ho: Per Acre No-till Costs decline with Increasing Crop area of Erodible
Soils in each Farm.
•EPIC used to Estimate Erosion and Yield by Tillage method by Slope for 15
SURGGO Soil Types.
•GIS Delineated Farms by Owner in Willow Creek Sub-watershed, Area of
Crops Tabulated for each farm by soil type and slope.
•Linear Programming used to Maximize Net Farm Income from the Willow
Creek basin subject to upper total limits on soil erosion.
•Results Indicate Location of Farms with sufficient combination and area of
erodible soils for adoption of No-till and contour farming practices
•Status: MS thesis nearly complete

28. SWAT and Linear Programming for Cost
Effective Selection and Location of BMPs to
Reduce Edge-of-Field Erosion
Five Mile and Willow Creek Subbasins of Fort
Cobb Watershed.
Used 2-meter Lidar elevation to create drain
lines and locate broken terraces.
Calibrated SWAT with HRUs adjusted for
terrace condition
BMPs evaluated are Notill, Contour Notill,
terrace repair, cropland to grassland, pasture
management.
Linear programming used to maximize
watershed net farm income subject to Edge
of Field limits on soil erosion.
Status: SWAT Simulations in
Process

29. Landowner Surveys
•Determine socio-demographic
characteristics that lead to
conservation program enrollment
in the Ft. Cobb watershed
•Determine socio-demographic
characteristics that lead to
conservation practice adoption in
the Ft. Cobb watershed
•Rankings for reasons to adopt
soil and water conservation
practices 0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
BenefitsFarm
Ecosystem
Increases
Profit
Government
Subsity
Neighbor
showed it
works
Practice
Benefits
Downstream
Farmer
Absentee
Landowner

30. Conclusions from Landowner
Surveys
•Significant findings for the Enrollment
model in the Ft. Cobb Watershed are:
•Farms with higher total farm revenues
are more likely to enroll in a
conservation program
•Female producers are more likely to
enroll than males
•Those who have attained formal
education levels beyond high school are
more likely to enroll
•Ones attitude or definition of
stewardship plays into enrollment
decisions
•Significant findings for the Count Model
are:
•The higher the percentage of a
producers total income that is derived
from farming the more practices they
are likely to adopt
•Female farmers are also more likely to
adopt practices than male producers
•The more informational sources one
uses for conservation decisions increases
the number of practices adopted
•Farmers who believe that stewardship is
more than just protecting the
profitability of their land will adopt
more practices (renting vs. owning)

31. Extension and Education Activities
• A one-day stream restoration workshop by Dr. Doug Shields
• more than 50 attendees including government agencies and consulting firms.
• A field methods course on rapid geomorphic assessments of stream
systems in summer 2016 to eight grad students
• taught in summer 2016 to eight graduate students in multiple disciplines.
• Annual student water conference with students from across the U.S.
• Materials from this workshop and course will be used for future
Extension programming.
• K-12 demonstrations with the OSU stream trailer to an
Environmental Science class at El Reno High School (in the
watershed)

32. Acknowledgements
Funding from Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive
Grant no. 2013-51130-21484 from the USDA National Institute of Food
and Agriculture.

33. Field Site
Selection

34. Field data collection
•HOBO Water level Loggers
•Jet erosion tests (JETs)
•Bed and bank soil samples
•Soil layering
•Geotechnical parameters based on
soil texture
•Cross-sectional survey

35. Quantifying Erodibility
•Estimate streambed and streambank erosion/failure resistance using JETs
and BSTs
•Excess shear stress equation - commonly used to model the erosion
rate of cohesive soils:
o Critical shear stress (tc)
o Erodibility coefficient (kd )
er = kd (t – tc)a
a = 1

36. Adjusting Erodibility
Parameters
◦ Vegetation or meanders can
impact applied shear stress
◦ Vegetation reduces particle
shear stress by 13%-89%
(Thompson et al., 2004)
◦ Used α- factor to adjust
applied shear stress to
account for vegetation
𝜀 𝑟 = 𝑘 𝑑 ατ − 𝜏 𝑐 = α𝑘 𝑑 τ −
𝜏 𝑐
α

37. BSTEM Calibration Results
Aerial
Retreat
BSTEM
Retreat
Monitoring Site (m) (m) α c' Manning's n
FM1 0.0 0.0 0.01 Default 0.010
FM2 5.0 6.7 0.18 Default 0.010
FM3 12. 0 ϯ 15.6 0.04 Adjusted 0.010
FM4 0.0 0.0 0.05 Adjusted 0.010
FM5 11. 3§ 11.6 0.08 Adjusted 0.010
WC1 0.0 2.0 0.02 Adjusted 0.010
WC2 0.0 0.0 0.20 Default 0.010
WC3 8.6 3.2 0.01 Adjusted 0.010

38. Model setup
•10.25-km reach of Fivemile
Creek
•Input data
• 11 surveyed cross-sections
• 29 cross-sections from LiDAR
•τc and kd randomly generated
LiDAR Cross-sections
•SWAT Generated hydrograph
for 2008-2013
Station (m)
420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560 580
Elevation(m)
430
432
434
436
438
440
LiDAR
Surveyed
Smoothed and Merged

39. Calibration
◦ Water depth from HOBO
loggers
◦ Mannings’n
Aerial Retreat
◦ NAIP images 2008-2013
◦ τc and kd

40. River Kilometer
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
BankRetreat(m)
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Aerial Retreat
CONCEPTS Predicted Retreat
Calibration
Cross-section α-factor
FM1 0.01
FM2 0.1-0.5*
FM3 0.27
FM4 0.6
FM5 0.2
LiDAR cross-
sections
0.01-2
FM5
FM3FM2

41. Location of Farms with Sufficient Areas of
Erodible Soils for Contour Notill Farming
to be Cost Effective
•Ho: Per Acre NoTill Costs decline with Increasing Crop area of Erodible
Soils in each Farm.
•EPIC used to Estimate Erosion and Yield by Tillage method by Slope for
15 SURGGO Soil Types.
•GIS Delineated Farms by Owner in Willow Creek Sub-watershed, Area of
Crops Tabulated for each farm by soil type and slope.
•Linear Programming used to Maximize Net Farm Income from the WC
basin subject to upper total limits on soil erosion.
•Results Indicate Location of Farms with sufficient combination and area
of erodible soils for adoption of NoTill and Contour farming practices
•Status: MS thesis nearly complete