Trails Skill Library - Drainage Features and Water management

Photo from Bob Marshall

Wilderness Foundation

drainage features & Water management

〰️

drainage features & Water management 〰️

Flathead Trails Association is working to add trail skills into our trainings. In the fall of 2024 we plan to begin offering trainings these trainings will include strategies and lessons from The Trails Skill Project. This competency framework provides a shared language around trail skills and expertise.

Entry Level Performance

• Demonstrate understanding of natural and stormwater induced drainage effects on trails

• Restore the function of existing trail drainage features by re-establishing outslope, de-berming, and clearing organic material and rocks out of drainage features

• Construct all types of drainage features with minimal supervision

• Identify locations and the appropriate drainage feature with supervision

Full Performance Level

• Demonstrate understand the application of different drainage features for managing water volumes and velocities

• Identify locations for appropriate drainage feature independently

• Identify trail drainage features that are not functioning and need restoration independently

• Construct the full suite of drainage features independently

• Oversee a crew that is maintaining and installing drainage features on a trail segment/system.

Expert Level Performance

• Create and/or implement a comprehensive drainage plan for a trail and/or trail system