NAACC Culvert Condition Assessment Module - Online Training with Scott Jackson

Scott Jackson, a UMass Extension Professor and one of the leading developers of the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC), led an online training for the Culvert Condition Assessment module on March 11, 2024.
The North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) is a participatory network of practitioners united in their efforts to enhance aquatic connectivity. The NAACC has achieved several milestones, including the development of standardized assessment protocols and a database for road-stream crossings, the initiation of training programs for data accuracy, the establishment of an online repository for crossing assessment data, the creation of web-based tools for prioritizing assessments and upgrades, and the ongoing expansion of assessment modules to include tidal streams, wildlife passability, and culvert condition.
One of the four NAACC road-stream crossing assessment modules is a protocol for rapid, ends-only assessment of culvert condition. The purpose of this assessment is to serve as an initial screening tool for identifying crossings that should be further evaluated for safety and structural integrity by engineers or highway department staff. The assessment covers a variety of structural elements of culverted crossings, such as appurtenances, footings, joints & seams, culvert barrels, and embankments.
People who participated in this training are now certified to perform these assessments and enter data into the NAACC database. Once entered, crossings are scored for structural integrity on a zero (critical) to one (adequate) scale. Condition data and scores can be used in the Stream Crossings Explorer to identify structures as priorities for further action based on a variety of attributes, including culvert condition.
Learn more about the NAACC and access the database and other tools at streamcontinui...
This opportunity for NAACC certification was organized by Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT). This work was made possible by the Berkshire Cold, Clean, Connected (BCCC) partnership, a collaboration of organizations that develop ecological restoration projects in Berkshire rivers and streams that protect cold-water fisheries, remove barriers to aquatic connectivity, and enhance clean, healthy rivers throughout Berkshire County.
Visit www.thebeatnew... to learn more.