Understanding Your Remarkable Riparian Area by Nueces River Authority

Understanding Your Remarkable Riparian Area

Catching the water

Storing the water in the land

An Overlooked Opportunity

Some function and

some not

Which side of this creek would you like to own?

A

B

Myths About Creeks and Rivers

1. Floods are bad

2. Droughts are bad

3. Streams should be wide and straight

4. Large wood clogs creeks and should be removed

5. Removal of riparian vegetation increases stream flow

6. Cut-banks are bad

7. People have to fix them

What is a Riparian Area?

Soil Water Vegetation

Soil

Water Vegetation

Gears of a finely tuned machine

ID Values

What are the values you appreciate about healthy creeks and riparian areas?

Different People have

different values

Clean WaterReliable Supply of Water Abundant Livestock ForageFish and Aquatic HabitatWildlife HabitatNatural Beauty/Recreation

Some recognized values

How and why does a creek operate and function the way it does?

What is a Properly Functioning Riparian Area?

Properly Functioning Riparian Area

• Dissipate stream energy

• Stabilize banks

• Reduce erosion

• Trap sediment

• Build / enlarge floodplain

• Store water

• Floodwater retention

• Groundwater recharge

• Sustain baseflow

• Water quality

• Water quantity

• Forage

• Aquatic habitat

• Wildlife habitat

• Recreational value

• Aesthetic beauty

Adequate vegetation, landform or large woody material to:

Physical Function Values

Soil

Water Vegetation

Soil and Water

Energy

Channels Collect Raindrops

Base Flow

Bankfull Flow 1 – 2 Year Flood

Channels come in all degrees of

crooked

Crooked river

Walla Walla River, 1964

Why Rivers Bend

Active Floodplain

High velocity water

Low velocity water

Floodplains Dissipate Energy and Trap Sediment

Floodplain

Water Table

Flooding Recharges Water Tables

Excessive Energy (Erosion) Enlarges the Channel

Lane’s Relationship, 1950 without vegetation

Enlarged channel

Down-cutting Drains the Water Table

Bankfull flow well below floodplain

Down-cutting: Loose Access to Floodplain

Loss of floodplain

Water Table Riparian Sponge

Rock Layer

Where does flow come from during

dry times?

Headwater

Stream

The Water Table Sustains Base Flow

Riparian Sponge

Loss of sponge in headwater

streams means reduced base flows

Overly Wide Channels Reduce Sediment Transport Ability

Sediment can not be efficiently

transport

Natural Channel Restoration

Degraded and eroded channels can be restored

Dissipating Energy and Catching Sediment

Function will return

at a new elevation.

Recovery can start with one

plant!

Riparian Sponge

Vegetation is the Key

to Healthy /

Functional Creeks and

Riparian Areas

Lane’s Balance Buffered by Vegetation

Dissipate EnergyReduce ErosionTrap SedimentHelp Create / Enlarge Riparian Sponge

Slow Down the Water

The Role of Riparian Vegetation:

Burro Creek1981

Burro Creek2000

Bear Creek, Oregon Aug 1977Bear Creek, Oregon Aug 1977

Bear

Creek

1977

Bear

Creek

1996

Riparian

Recovery

1976

to1994

Colonizers

Stabilizers

A Strong Riparian Plant Community is Essential

Flooding is Essentialif the plants are there

20072008

2011

Drought is Essential

Woody Plants are Essential in many streams

Little walnut Gravel bar StabilizerFAC; SR: 6 / 7

Vigor of Woody Plants

Dead Wood is Essential

Vegetation tells the Riparian Story

How to Protect and ManageRiparian Areas:

• Creeks / Riparian Areas are special places; they deserve preferential treatment

• Remove the hindrances that inhibit natural restoration

Hindrances to Healthy / Functional Riparian Areas:

• Farming too close to the bank

• Mowing, spraying close to the creek

• Manicured or highly altered landscapes next to the creek

• Grazing concentrations in creek areas

• Excessive deer, exotics, hogs in creek areas

• Burning in riparian area

• Removal of large dead wood

• Artificial manipulation of banks / sediment

• Excessive vehicle traffic in creek area

• Low water dams

• Poorly designed road crossings / bridges

• Excessive recreational foot traffic in creek area

• Excessive alluvial pumping or other withdrawals

• Excessive populations or monocultures of invasive plants

Its really about people

Sky Jones-Lewey

Nueces River Authority

[email protected]

830-278-6810

Coming Soon:

www.remarkable riparian.org