Development of channel restoration strategies in contaminated floodplain environments

Dynamic rivers that are bounded by geochemically degraded floodplains pose unique challenges in the development of channel rehabilitation strategies. Channel restoration in such environments is largely controlled by the appro ach taken to tailings treatments, which may include complete removal, parti al removal, or in-situ treatment applications. Where tailings are to be rem oved and the channel/floodplain configuration is to be entirely reconstruct ed, opportunities exist for the creation of a dynamically stable channel ba sed on geomorphic design criteria and the application of deformable bank pr otection. Where tailings are to remain or will be treated in-situ, geomorph ically based restoration strategies can be developed which integrate fluvia l processes and tailings distributions such that the risk of tailings entra inment can be minimized.