Road-stream crossings, which include culverts and bridges, are an essential element of our transportation networks, allowing roads to pass over streams and rivers. Yet undersized or poorly designed crossings can fragment streams and disrupt the natural movement of water, sediment, debris, and aquatic organisms, causing erosion and degraded habitat. The most problematic of these crossings prevent aquatic organisms from accessing upstream and downstream habitat they need to survive and reproduce. Undersized crossings restrict the natural flow of the stream, which can lead to clogging, flooding, and culvert failure, which cause unsafe conditions on roads.
The Nature Conservancy and many other organizations are working to improve the connectivity of freshwater systems across North America. On the following pages, you will find a compilation of resources from scientists and practitioners, representing a range of organizations across North America. These resources were compiled by staff from The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers.
This set of materials is a work in progress, and we invite your contributions. Please
contact us if you have information to share.
Road stream crossing prioritization tools (coming soon)
Project planning (coming soon)
Implementation case studies (coming soon)
General outreach and training materials (coming soon)
Standards, permits and regulations (coming soon)
Image credit: Connie Prickett
