Bankfull Stage and Regional

Curves
Barbara Doll
NC Sea Grant
NC Stream Restoration Institute
 Restoration Concept
Restoration is defined as:
“the establishment of the dimension, pattern, and
profile of the appropriate, stable stream type in
order to restore it’s physical and biological
function.”

Source: Rosgen, D.L. The Reference Reach – a Blueprint for Natural Channel
Design. ASCE Proceedings, Denver, 1998.
 Natural Channel Design
Methodology
I. Watershed Analysis – Determine causes behind
instability
II. Gage Station Analysis for Hydraulic Geometry
Verification (Regional Curves)
III. Impacted Reach Survey
IV. Locate and Survey a Reference Reach
V. Design New Channel Dimension, Pattern, and Profile
VI. Develop Monitoring Plan for Project
 Bankfull Discharge
• The flow that fills the active channel and begins to spread
onto the floodplain
• Represents the break between channel processes and
floodplain processes
• Assumed to equal the effective discharge (ie transports the
most sediment over the long term)

• Bankfull stage is identified in

the field
• Return Period typically
between 1 and 2 years
 Return Period
Return Period = 100 / Probability of Occurrence

Probability of Occurrence (%) Return Period (years)

1 100
2 50
5 20
10 10
20 5
50 2
67 1.5
90 1.1
99 1.01
 Effective
Discharge
Flow that over the
long term
transports the
most sediment
 Bankfull Stage
Water fills the active channel and begins to spread
onto the floodplain

Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes, and Practices.

1998. Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group.
Designed Channel vs. Natural Channel
 Bankfull Indicators
• Top of streambank
• Break in slope on streambank
• Top of point bar
• Upper scour line on streambank

Bankfull Inner Berm

Bankfull
Bankfull at Top of
Bank
Inner Berm Bankfull

Bankfull

Bankfull
Bankfull
Bankfull
Bankfull

Bankfull
Bankfull
 Upper Scour

Bankfull

Bankfull
Bankfull
Inner Berm
 Regional Curves
(Hydraulic Geometry Relationships)

! Serves as a “data supported” basis for estimating

the bankfull discharge and bankfull channel
dimension (cross-sectional area, width and depth)
at selected ungaged sites, with a known watershed
or drainage area.
 Purpose

! Develop a tool to determine bankfull stage and

discharge in ungaged watersheds.
! Aid in Natural Channel Design.
! Can only be used in the same hydro-physiographic
province.
 Piedmont Regional Curve Survey Points
Rural and Urban

1000
Bankfull Cross-Sectional Area

100
(ft2)

10

1
0.1 1 10 100 1000
Drainage Area (mi2)

Urban Points Rural Points Urban Regression Rural Regression

Acceptable Streams For Regional Curves

! USGS Gage Stations

– 10 years or more of record
– No major land use change in past 10 years
– No impoundments
– Same physiographic region
! Reference Reaches
– Stable, ungaged watersheds
 Reference
Reach

A River segment that represents a stable

channel within a particular valley
morphology.
Source: Rosgen, D.L. The Reference Reach – a Blueprint for Natural
Channel Design. ASCE Proceedings, Denver, 1998.