Stream Habitat Management

Outline

• Goals of Habitat Management

• Problems and management options

Readings and Assignments

• pp. 249-284

Goals of Stream Habitat Management

1) Protect

2) Restore

3) Enhance

Problems

1) Poor water quality

a) Cause:

i) Industry

ii) Domestic waste

iii) Erosion

iv) Forestry

v) Agriculture

b) Management options:

i) Enforce fines on polluters

ii) Environmentally friendly agriculture practices

iii) Riparian buffer

iv) No till planting

2) Unsuitable flow or temperature regime

a) Cause:

i) Industry

ii) Groundwater mining

iii) Dam retention

b) Management options:

i) Impose regulations

ii) Water conservation programs

iii) Dam removal

iv) Dam management to mimic natural flow regime

3) Blocked migration routes

a) Cause:

i) Dams

ii) Culverts

b) Management options:

i) Dam removal

ii) Fish ways

iii) Low gradient dams

4) Unstable banks and severe erosion

a) Causes:

i) Increased runoff

ii) Riparian vegetation removal

iii) Unnatural channelization

b) Management options:

i) Bank stabilization structures

ii) Protect riparian zones

iii) Re-vegetate banks

iv) Natural channel design

c) What about erosion in braided streams?

5) Stable banks and little erosion (braided streams)

a) Causes:

i) Decreased discharge due to- agricultural draw and water control structures

ii) Exotic riparian plant establishment

b) Management options:

i) Clearing riparian vegetation

ii) Disking riparian areas

6) Elevated sediment input

a) Causes:

i) Erosion

ii) Industrial discharge

iii) Watershed development

b) Management options:

i) Protect riparian zones

ii) Re-vegetate banks

iii) Use sediment traps (silt fences, hay bails)

7) Homogeneous channel form

a) Causes:

i) Channelization

b) Management options:

i) Natural channel design

ii) Habitat enhancement structures