Abstract

Three case studies were conducted to identify critical factors influencing the design and implementation of stream restoration projects in Northwestern U.S. These projects include: (1) Indian Creek Restoration Project in Caldwell, Idaho, (2) Paradise Creek Restoration in Moscow, Idaho, and (3) Estes Park Riverfront Renewal in Estes Park, Colorado. They share similar scales and extents, but other attributes, such as climate, vary significantly. The study aims at examining how different elements of the planning and design process influence project outcomes. Such elements may include design principles, project objectives, team composition, project budget, funding sources, hydrology, land ownerships, mitigation techniques, native habitat, and many others that directly or indirectly impact outcomes. These project-specific elements are compared and contrasted for each of the selected projects. Careful analyses indicate that there are approaches and principles that could lead to the successful implementation of restoration projects. Viewed from the public realm, it is most critical that restoration projects satisfy multiple design criteria, whether physical (e.g., flood storage), economic, behavioral (e.g., pedestrian linkage), or ecological. The public increasingly demands multi-objective stream restoration projects. Project managers, planners, designers, and other professionals have moral responsibilities to integrate the current trends of stream restoration design into their daily practice and decision-making.