Using geographic information systems (GIS) to aid in watershed management and stream restoration: Steamboat Creek, Nevada

Watershed and stream channel analysis devote a great deal of time and energy to data collection. GIS applications are designed to extract useful data and model hydrologic processes in an effective timely manner. This thesis is partitioned into three chapters describing (1) collection of a comprehensive watershed database for use by an urban stream restoration effort, (2) assessment of the accuracy and efficiency of the GIS/hydraulic model interface AVRas, and (3) the use of GIS data and empirical relationships to design several stream restoration scenarios. Five incipient motion methodologies were applied using modeling outputs to calculate effective grain sizes for restoration designs. The interface proved unsuccessful in the extraction of stream channel transects for hydraulic modeling but quite useful in the generation of plan view model inputs and creation of a geographically referenced model. An automated methodology to gain preliminary insight into restoration design provides an invaluable assessment tool for restoration specialists.