The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project. Constructed: August 2008

Existing riffle constructed by ODOT Conceptual Design Illustration of Restoration Site by Matt Horvat of TMACOG At the request of the Village of Ottawa Hills we did not work in this bend even though the vertical bank is 7 ft tall and the water over 7 ft deep!! US Project Limit DS Project Limit This project will encompass the bends immediately upstream and downstream of the former dam site

The Ottawa Hills Dam Decommissioning Project The dam was removed by Ohio-DOT in November The project described in this PowerPoint is designed to reduce bank erosion and protect public infrastructure (two roads), create aquatic & riparian habitat, improve streamside vegetation, assist with improving the riparian area, provide benches & stepping stones for public stream enjoyment and access, and still have the existing mowed floodplain recreation areas for public use!

OHIO DOT REMOVING THE SECOR ROAD DAM NOV-DEC 2007

Looking from left bank at the Secor Road dam. OTTAWA R-DAM OTTAWA HILLS-PIX BY MATT HORVAT-2007

Typical condition US of the Secor Road dam. OTTAWA R-DAM OTTAWA HILLS-PIX BY MATT HORVAT-2007

Looking from left trackhoe removing the dam. OTTAWA RIVER-DAM OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-LAWRENCE-2007

Looking trackhoes removing dam OTTAWA RIVER-DAM OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-LAWRENCE-2007

Looking US. Dam out, right bank sheetpile out, concrete riffle in. Left bank sheetpile will stay. OTTAWA RIVER-DAM OTTAWA HILLS-PIX-HORVAT

PRE-PROJECT PHOTOS STARTING FROM UPSTREAM TO DOWNSTREAM by Dave Derrick AUGUST 20, 2008

Looking DS. High velocity current is eroding the right bank, then crosses over & erodes the left bank in the crossing. Note how deep Matt is. Matt went in over his head when he ventured near the right bank. At the request of the Village of Ottawa Hills, the right bank was not stabilized. PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking left eroded bank in the crossing & the upper portion of the US project bend. PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking the lower end of the US project bend PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

At the former dam site, looking US into the US bend PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking the DS project bend. Hill Ditch tributary comes in just US of the bend. PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking the DS project bend & the Secor Road bridge. PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking DS. The protection will tie into the existing bridge abutment protection right here. PRE-PROJECT-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

THE PLAN

Existing riffle constructed by ODOT Conceptual Design Illustration of Restoration Site by Matt Horvat of TMACOG At the request of the Village of Ottawa Hills we did not work in this bend even though the vertical bank is 7 ft tall and the water over 7 ft deep!! US Project Limit DS Project Limit This project will encompass the bends upstream and downstrea m of the former dam site

EQUIPMENT

The Cat 330 tracked back hoe with a 4 ft wide bucket, 25 ft reach, weight about 70,000 pounds CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

STONE & STONE STAGING

SUITABLE STONE Stone used for keys and LPSTP was a well-graded, self-adjusting, self- filtering Class A Stone with a size of 18” to 36” on the “B” axis. Stone for the Bendway Weirs & Traffic Control Stones was a specially produced armor stone that varied from 2’ by 2’ by 3’ to 4’ by 4’ by 5’.

Dumping “A”stone-18 to 36 inch sized stone CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Staged “A”-stone and armor stone CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

THE BEND IMMEDIATELY UPSTREAM OF THE FORMER DAM LOCATION

Methodologies for the Upstream Bend  Traffic Control Stones with short Bendway Weirs  Vegetated keys  Transplanted clumps of shrubs  Hydraulic Cover Stones  Planned fall 2008: Container plantings of dogwoods, fast and slow growing shade trees, chokecherry, buttonbush, & other shrubs for food, pollinators, etc.

A KEY HAS ONE MAIN JOB, TO CONNECT THE RIVER TRAINING STRUCTURE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD (DON’T LET THE STREAM GET BEHIND {FLANK} RIVER TRAINING STRUCTURES)

CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS by Dave Derrick & Matt Horvat August 20-25, 2008

Detail for key Cross-section for keyway Flow

Looking uphill at the dug key trench CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK Flow

Detail for key Place some stone & soil in the trench Flow

Placing some graded “A” stone and soil in the trench CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK Flow

Place Willow Poles against DS side of trench. Detail for key Flow

Placing willow poles in the key trench CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Key will be extended uphill where the hoe is parked CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK Flow

Place the remainder of the stone in the trench Detail for key Flow

Placing “A” stone within 1 ft of the surface of the trench CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Choke stone with soil & water in. Detail for key Flow

Backfill with native soils. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Backfill and overfill with native soils, then compact (some settling will still occur) Detail for key Flow

Compacting soil over key. Note poles on DS side of key CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

TRAFFIC CONTROL STONES

WHAT IS THE LOWER LIMIT OF HARD BANK PROTECTION? AND MORE IMPORTANT, HOW CAN WE REACH IT?

TRAFFIC CONTROL STONES (TCS) WITH SINGLE-STONE OR SHORT BENDWAY WEIRS

Drawn by Matt Horvat, TMACOG Traffic Control Stones for the US project bend

Drawn by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Large stones (3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft) designed to “kick” flow off the bank, must be keyed into the bed & bank, spaced 6 to 8 ft apart, every 3rd one should be keyed into the bank. Every 3rd stone has a Single Stone or short Bendway Weir. Traffic Control Stones with Single Stone Bendway Weirs Key TCS Key TCS SSBW TCS SSBW

Willow, dogwood, & buttonbush Live Stakes & poles were installed along with the TCS. Rooted stock plants will be installed this fall or spring Traffic Control Stones with Single Stone Bendway Weirs Key TCS Key TCS SSBW TCS SSBW

Track hoe digs a pit. Willow, dogwood, & buttonbush poles are placed around backside of pit CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking Traffic Control Stone being placed in pit CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking key, TCS, BW, & adventitious rooting poles CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK BW TCS

How Do Bendway Weirs Work?  Water flowing over the weir is redirected at an angle perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the weir.  With weirs angled upstream the erosive flow (energy) is directed away from the outer bank and toward the inner part of the bend.  Strong secondary currents (helical flow) in bend are broken up.  A set of weirs are designed to act as a system to capture, control, and redirect current directions and velocities through the bend and into the downstream crossing.  Last weir in system can aim flow (and channel thalweg) where you need it.

Looking TCS. Hoe is stuck in unconsolidated muck CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking hoe filling tracks. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking the row of the upper end of the bend. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking center of bend (impact area). No mature vegetation on bank, so TCS are placed closer together. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking DS toward the former dam location. Placing TCS CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking the TCS near the DS end of the bend. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Looking US. Dense brush & trees make TCS placement difficult CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK

Resting rocks in the upper bend. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT

Raking, seeding, and spreading weed-free straw. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT

Spreading straw. CONSTRUCTION-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT

THE UPSTREAM BEND CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE (let’s look from upstream to downstream)

FROM THE OPPOSITE BANK (inner bank), LOOKING AT THE COMPLETED UPPER BEND

Looking US key, veg poles & transplants & TCS CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT 8-08

Looking TCS, Live Poles, Bendway Weirs, & Live Stakes CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

center of bend (impinging impact area) CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Looking outer bend just DS of the apex (center). CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-HORVAT 8-08

Looking outer bank TCS, Bendway Weirs, & poles. CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Looking lower end of bend (dam sheetpile visible) CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Looking end of bend TCS, Poles, & Live Stakes.

From the US crossing, looking DS into the project bend CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Looking DS into the impinging flow impact zone of the bend. CONSTRUCTION DONE-OTTAWA OTTAWA HILLS. PIX-DERRICK 8-08

Ottawa River Dam Removal Update Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Increased public use Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Pix by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Left Bank in the spring Bank protection stones and willow, dogwood, buttonbush stakes are visible photo, Horvat

SIGNIFICANT PLANTING EFFORT 500 PLANTS INSTALLED THE WEEK OF JULY 27, 2009 ON BANKS & RIPARIAN AREAS Photos & words by Matt Horvat

Another view of the same area - Left Bank in the spring Bank protection stones and willow, dogwood, buttonbush stakes are visible Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Close up, leafing of stakes is visible. Stakes were installed when stones were placed in Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Materials to be used for restoration and stabilization Photos taken week of Pix & words by Matt Horvat, TMACOG

Wetland and riparian species of shrubs will be placed to in-fill between the stabilization stones. Nine-bark and buttonbush will be planted in the lowest areas.. They love having wet roots. Their roots will spread forming a dense network, holding the bank and soil during flood events. Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Some of the woody shrubs being staged for planting on a right bank. The shrubs will be staggered to maximize the benefit of their roots holding the soil. Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Floodplain area on the right bank being reforested. The vegetated floodplain and riparian area will help to slow flood velocities and allow suspended soil to settle out as well as provide habitat and recreation opportunities. Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

An auger is used where possible to prepare the soil for the new plant. All bank areas will have to be hand planted. Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Site prep done with the 24” auger Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

One of the woody shrubs Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Photos taken week of

Planting top of bank floodplain areas Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Looking downstream Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

LDB, just downstream of first key, new plantings of buttonbush, ninebark and elderberry visible at the bamboo stakes Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Ninebark Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Newly planted maple severely browsed, planting was only one day old Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Browsed Hackberry Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

One of the suspects What deer like: Opportunity Maple Hackberry Everything else Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Smells bad enough, lets hope it works! Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

RDB, just upstream on the old dam on the inside bank. Note the buttonbush planted low along the bank Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

LDB, looking upstream toward key Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

LDB, looking upstream toward key Stakes mark each plant location Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

RDB, upstream of dam and undercut high bank visible just beyond the sign at the locust tree. Planted approx 750lf from dam upstream = 0.8 acre Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

RDB, nearest old dam Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

LDB, West of Secor Ave. 800 lf from dam upstream = 1 acre Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

LDB, looking upstream. Upstream key starts at big locust Photos taken by Matt Horvat week of

Documented watershed scale fish distribution changes due to dam mitigation/removal (first fish passage connectivity in 80+ years) !! Fish community above both Secor Dam (removed) and Highland Dam (mitigated) have significantly changed for the better. Least Darter are now distributed throughout the lower Ottawa River, presumably following the new conveyance of sand. I think I forwarded the picture of the juvenile Rainbow Trout we caught right? We caught the first juvenile Golden Redhorse I've found above the dam this fall. Furthermore, sunfish are abundant around Sylvania, which never happened before. The result of having sunfish and Redhorse has been a shift in dominance to less tolerant, lithophilic-spawning species. I also talked to someone who lives by the Airport who has had white suckers in his ditch every spring since you put in the riffle at Highland. There have been other highlights, but you're probably all yawning with the fish talk by now :) Awesome part, most all this data was collected by undergraduates in our Ecology 3060 lab course (University of Toledo). Take home message: CONNECTIVITY = GOOD! From: Todd Crail

the Bassett as a mountain lion