APPROACH
This photo shows a degraded stream prior to restoration
This shows the same stream five years after restoration
Depending on the nature of the problem, our restoration approach usually begins (and ends) with fish population surveys. Fisheries information enables the entire restoration process from pre-restoration baseline through to post-restoraton recovery phases. In addition to fish populations and macro-invertebrates, we assess land use (e.g., past timber harvest, riparian grazing, irrigation and dewatering), apply bankfull theory, measure reference reaches in order to tailor specific assessments methods to the individual stream environment.
Using this approach, pre-treatment data collections help identify limiting factors within a context of the existing condition and the reference reach. This information helps 1) identify design targets, 2) facilitates agency permitting, 3) offers a baseline for post-restoration monitoring, and 4) enable adaptive management. Our science-based approach follows a natural channel design philosophy, and applies proven restoration techniques that are both biologically and physically appropriate to the specific stream environment. See the below photo points, our Report Section (reports) and Photo Gallery for details and feel free to contact us with any questions.
Damaged and Restored Streams
This project, located on a small, high-gradient stream in western Montana, required full channel renaturalization, which included wood-formed plunge pools and scour holes along with instream flow enhancement and revegetation. Note the unstable vertical banks on the photo on the left compared to more natural step-pool channel morphology on the right. The photo on the right shows the project immediatley after construction. Bull trout are now using the new channel for spawning and rearing.
This project involved the placement of large instream wood to restore pool features and diversity trout habitat. The project survived a 50-year flood and improved fish popution abundance over the long-term. The work is published in the reports section.
These photos from western Montana show a channel remnant (left), along with a fully restored alluvial channel (right). This project included full channel reconstruction, suberged toe-wood, instream flow enhancement and irrigation upgrades to enhance late season flows. The photo on the right was taken two years post-restoration. Spawning conditions have improved dramatically. Fish population monitoring is ongoing.
This project, located in central Idaho, involved sediment removal and spawning habitat enhancement. Development of alternative upstream grazing practices and irrigation system upgrades were also essential project elements. The diversity of native fish species and abundance of wild trout has increased dramatically in this stream. The results of this project are in published section.
This project, also located in central Idaho, included full channel restoration to optimize trout habitat. Enhanced instream flows, grazing managment, wetland restoration and revegetation were additional project elements. The diversity and abundance of trout have increased dramatically in this stream.
This photoset from western Montana shows the planned channel realighment (left), as well as a fully restored stream six years post-treatment (right). The project reestablished a migration corridor for westslope cutthroat trout while improving overall habitat condtiions.
This photo set from western Montana shows a degraded and dewatered spring creek (left) as well as a newly restored stream (right). In addition to channel restoration, the project included instream flow enhancement, grazing managment changes, fish passage improvement and wetland restoration. Migratory westlope cutthroat are now reestablished in this stream system.