Road/Stream Crossing (RSX) Inventories
RSX inventories serve as a useful watershed management tool. They help identify sediment pollution entering surface waters from poorly designed, maintained, or aging stream crossing infrastructure. Inventories also reveal fish passage barriers due to perched culverts, as well as altered stream hydrology from inadequately designed or installed crossings. Performing regular RSX inventories allows road commissions and resource managers to note changes in stream and structure conditions over time, as well as rank RSXs as minor, moderate, or severe, as a means of prioritizing them for improvements or replacement.
RSXs that are improperly designed or installed, structurally failing, or no longer accommodate current stream conditions affect stream health. They can affect stream hydrology, prevent fish and other aquatic organisms from reaching up-and downstream reaches, increase water temperatures, and are sources of nutrients, sediments, bacteria, heavy metals, and other nonpoint source pollutants. In Northern Michigan, sediments pose the greatest threat to rivers and streams. Sedimentation can adversely impact fish and aquatic organisms by degrading their habitat and reducing water quality.
How is this data useful?
After an RSX inventory is completed, the Watershed Council prepares a summary of the inventory results that will highlight the priority sites where attention is needed most due to their current conditions and subsequent threat to water quality. The report also allows us to look for funding to help road commissions offset the cost of RSX improvements.
RSXs that are improperly designed or installed, structurally failing, or no longer accommodate current stream conditions affect stream health. They can affect stream hydrology, prevent fish and other aquatic organisms from reaching up-and downstream reaches, increase water temperatures, and are sources of nutrients, sediments, bacteria, heavy metals, and other nonpoint source pollutants. In Northern Michigan, sediments pose the greatest threat to rivers and streams. Sedimentation can adversely impact fish and aquatic organisms by degrading their habitat and reducing water quality.
How is this data useful?
After an RSX inventory is completed, the Watershed Council prepares a summary of the inventory results that will highlight the priority sites where attention is needed most due to their current conditions and subsequent threat to water quality. The report also allows us to look for funding to help road commissions offset the cost of RSX improvements.
Road Stream Crossing Inventories Within Our Service Area
- Road-Stream Crossing Inventory Results and Action Plan For The Grass and Rapid River Systems Antrim and Kalkaska Counties
http://www.elk-skegemog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/RSX_Report.pdf - Boyne and Jordan River Road Stream Crossing Inventories (2016)
https://7251350-936994914541145677.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/7/2/5/1/7251350/boyne_jordan_rsx_final_report_05.16.pdf - Little Traverse Bay Watershed Road Stream Crossing Inventory (2014)
http://www.watershedcouncil.org/uploads/7/2/5/1/7251350/ltb_rsx_final_report-2-14.pdf
- Mullett Creek Road Crossing Inventory - USFWS Report (May 2009)
https://www.fws.gov/fieldnotes/regmap.cfm?arskey=26609
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Road Stream Crossing Restoration Projects
When road stream crossings are inadequate or in need of repair to prevent severe erosion and the loading of sediments, nutrients, and pollutants into the river, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council assists road commissions and other partners to restore crossing. Here are a few of the projects we have completed in recent years |
