Ensuring safe passage for both the community and its fish
On Memorial Day 2015, catastrophic floods hit central and south Texas. Flooding on the Blanco River in Wimberley was so forceful that it managed to strip concrete away from rebar, washing away most of the Hidden Valley Low Water Crossing, and leaving the 50-year old, five-foot-tall, single-lane crossing completely useless and un-salvageable; impacting both recreation and transportation for area residents.
The City asked our team to design a new crossing that could withstand the hydraulic forces possible in a 500-year storm event—a replacement, but better. Furthermore, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) leadership asked us to help them improve fish connectivity and potentially improve on the river ecosystem. How? Compliance with a new standard which required that a fish passage be constructed as part of the crossing, allowing fish to travel both up and downstream.
In a constrained space (strict limits on excess earthwork), our team designed and modeled a culvert system of weirs and baffles, as well as a downstream tail-water condition, that allowed for a condensed fish ramp.
The more resilient Hidden Valley Low Water Crossing and its fish ramp were completed in the summer of 2017. Plus, if confirmed to improve the stream ecosystem (in a TPWD case study), the Stantec method for fish passage could be implemented in all 91 Blanco River low water crossings, and beyond!
At a Glance
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Jason Nelson, Vice President
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