Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Monitoring Streambank Retreat: Comparison with Traditional Surveying Techniques
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 10
Abstract
Data concerning streambank retreat (SBR) rates are important for many different engineering applications such as stream restoration and total maximum daily load (TMDL) development. However, measurement of SBR can be time-consuming and is often characterized by large measurement and interpolation errors. These errors propagate into the calculation of sediment budgets for the development of TMDLs, creating uncertainty in source partitioning and overall load estimates. We compared two techniques for measuring SBR: (1) traditional surveying with a total station and (2) terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). An 11-m streambank on Stroubles Creek in Blacksburg, Virgina was surveyed six times over a 2-year period. The average SBR along the entire bank was estimated to be −0.15 m/year with TLS and −0.18 m/year with total station surveying. The resulting differences in median SBR estimates along five distinct cross sections between each of the survey dates ranged from −0.11 to . This error in SBR due to total station surveying would be significant when extrapolating to a reach- or watershed-scale estimate of sediment load due to SBR. In addition, TLS collects data across the entire streambank surface, rather than just at distinct cross sections, providing much more information concerning SBR volumes and spatial variability.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to Bethany Bezak, Kristen Bronnenkant, Leslie Hopkinson, Jess Kozarek, Andrea Ludwig, Sara Morris, Mike Nassry, Sheila Ranganath, Matt Smith, Barb Utley, and Dr. Tess Wynn.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 10 • October 2010
Pages: 794 - 798
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: May 15, 2009
Accepted: Mar 18, 2010
Published online: Mar 27, 2010
Published in print: Oct 2010
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