Because of the abundance of watercourses in Washington State, and the legacy of highway placement along and across their corridors, stabilization of part of the river cross section or alignment is often necessary to protect transportation investments. New roadways and other infrastructure must be placed to minimize interaction with or effects on water bodies, avoiding them altogether if possible. This section discusses the options available for those cases where action must be taken and provides a subset of techniques and associated technical references to be used for those techniques. This is not a comprehensive guide, and as new techniques arise, all should be considered (in coordination with State Hydraulics Office) for their cost-benefit in addressing interactions with water bodies.
