SR-117 @ Tennessee River
Courtesy of the Alabama Department of Transportation

ALABAMA PROJECTS

• Major Projects
  • Weeks Bay
  • Urban-Flood Frequency
  • Flood-Depth Frequency
  • Bridge Site Hydraulic Studies
  • Catoma Creek

• Mobile NAWQA Study

ABOUT THE ALABAMA WSC

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USGS IN YOUR STATE

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

Bridge Site Hydraulic Studies

Project Chief: Scott Hedgecock
Cooperator: Alabama Department of Transportation
Period of Project: 2008-2009

Since 1948, the USGS has enjoyed a strong cooperative program with the Alabama Department of Transportation in the area of bridge site hydrologic and hydraulic investigations. These hydrologic and hydraulic investigations have been conducted for both bridge replacement projects and projects involving the construction of new highways across flood plains. These studies incorporate the latest scientific methods for the computation of flood frequency and hydraulic modeling (both one and two dimensional models) at bridge sites.

The structural and economic design of proposed highway bridges and/or culverts and adjacent road embankments requires knowledge of the flood characteristics of a stream in the vicinity of the construction location. Reliable estimates of peak discharge, discharge distribution, stage, velocity, velocity distribution, and stream angularity are needed to properly design a bridge or culvert that will perform with the best hydraulic efficiency at an optimum cost.

In addition, the USGS is assisting ALDOT with scour assessments of selected bridge sites in Alabama.

Publications

Publications
Water-Resources Investigations Report 2002-4258 Simulations of Flooding on the Pea River and Whitewater Creek in the Vicinity of the Proposed Elba Bypass at Elba, Alabama, by T.S. Hedgecock
Water-Resources Investigations Report 2001-4114 Simulations of Flooding on the Tennessee River in the Vicinity of U.S. Highway 231 near Huntsville, Alabama, by T.S. Hedgecock
Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4040-A Simulations of the effects of U.S. Highway 231 and the proposed Montgomery outer loop on flooding in the Catoma Creek and Little Catoma Creek Basins near Montgomery, Alabama, by T.S. Hedgecock