Riverbank Stabilization Guidelines:
Pend Oreille River in the Box Canyon Reservoir

PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is responsible for regulatory review and approval of riverbank stabilization measures implemented on private and some public land within the state through the Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA). Increased land development along the Pend Oreille River within the 54-mile long Box Canyon Reservoir and high rates of riverbank erosion have led to the implementation of a large number of bank stabilization projects in recent years. Most of these projects have not accounted for protecting environmental conditions and have not incorporated measures to mitigate for environmental impacts. This document is intended to provide guidance to assist the public with identifying the causes of riverbank erosion along their property and selecting environmentally appropriate design options in order to gain WDFW approval. In addition to an assessment framework and technique selection process, this guideline includes a detailed description of five bank stabilization techniques that have the support of WDFW. Therefore, landowners who submit HPA applications that appropriately utilize these techniques will be proposing measures endorsed by WDFW.