Restoration and Historic Preservation: Protecting Cultural Resources along a Meandering Stream

Reclamation proposes to preserve archaeological site 24BE529 from erosion by the Red Rock River in southwestern Montana. The Red Rock river is naturally meandering towards site 24BE529, slowly eroding the bank containing the resource. Federal historic preservation laws require Reclamation to address the impact. The preservation plan calls for the installation of three or four Bendway Weirs, also called Thalweg Displacing Barbs. The order of construction excludes all equipment activity in the stream. The barb materials will be large stones, up to 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter, quarried nearby. The bank buttressing material will be smaller stones, less than 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. A top soil will be placed on both the finished barbs and the bank buttressing material. The soil will be seeded with native grasses and willows, forming a natural looking bank.