Natural Resources Conservation Service

Conservation Practice Standard

Stream Habitat IMPROVEMENT AND management

(Ac.)

Code 395

# DEFINITION

Maintain, improve or restore physical, chemical and biological functions
of a stream, and its associated riparian zone, necessary for meeting the
life history requirements of desired aquatic species.

# PURPOSE

1.  Provide suitable habitat for desired aquatic species.

2.  Provide stream channel and associated riparian conditions that
    maintain ecological processes and connections of diverse stream
    habitat types important to aquatic species.

# CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES

All streams and their adjoining backwaters, floodplains, associated
wetlands, and riparian areas where geomorphic conditions or habitat
deficiencies limit reproduction, growth, survival and diversity of
aquatic species.

# CRITERIA

Planned stream habitat improvements will

-   address the aquatic species and life history stages for which the
    stream is being managed,

-   be based on a site-specific assessment of local hydrology, channel
    morphology, geomorphic setting, aquatic species, riparian and
    floodplain conditions, and any habitat limitations including water
    quantity and quality, food supply, and restriction of upstream and
    downstream movement of aquatic species using the NRCS Stream Visual
    Assessment Protocol or comparable evaluation tool.

-   when applied, result in a conservation system that meets or exceeds
    the minimum quality criteria for stream habitat established in
    Section III of the FOTG.

Manage adjoining riparian areas to support diverse natural vegetation
suitable for the site conditions and desired ecological benefits. Such
benefits include stream temperature moderation, recruitment of instream
large wood and fine organic matter, input of riparian nutrients and
terrestrial insects, streambank stability, and filtration of
contaminants from surface runoff.

Design in-stream structures that are compatible with the dynamic nature
of streams and rivers, encourage natural geomorphic recovery when
possible and minimize disruption of recreational and other traditional
uses of the stream corridor.

Structures installed for the purposes of this standard will not

-   impede or prevent passage of fish and other aquatic organisms at any
    time;

-   cause excessive bank erosion;

-   cause unintentional lateral migration, aggradation or degradation of
    the channel;

-   hinder channel-floodplain interactions.

    Where practical, restore or maintain stream habitat and channel
    forming processes such as natural flow regime, meander migration,
    sediment transport, recruitment and storage of large wood, and
    floodplain interactions with the stream.

All stream and riparian activities will occur within state and federal
guidelines with regard to timing of spawning, incubation, and rearing of
aquatic organisms, and breeding and nesting of terrestrial organisms.

Manage livestock to sustain a healthy stream corridor and associated
habitats.

# CONSIDERATIONS

Any stream habitat management project is most effective when applied
within the context of overall watershed conditions and with clear
objectives for stream management goals. Stream habitat management
provisions should be planned in relation to other land uses that may
affect stream corridors.

Before designing and implementing stream habitat improvements, consider
the known or expected concerns within the watershed, such as: point and
non-point source pollution, water diversions, and land management
activities likely to influence stream habitat conditions. Additional
measures that should be taken singularly or in combination to improve
stream habitat include:

1.  Complete a general assessment of watershed conditions that are
    likely to affect the functions of the stream and its riparian area.

2.  Incorporate stream habitat improvements into a conservation plan
    that addresses soil quality, nutrient management, pest management
    and other management practices for reducing non-point sources of
    pollution.

3.  Provide fish passage upstream and downstream and allow movement of
    other aquatic species and organic matter to the extent possible and
    when compatible with state and federal fish management objectives
    (see Code 396 -- Fish Passage).

4.  Reduce or manage excessive runoff due to watershed development,
    roads or land-use activities.

5.  Restore or protect riparian and floodplain vegetation and associated
    riverine wetlands.

6.  Maintain adequate in-stream flows to sustain diverse habitats for
    aquatic species, especially during critical life history stages of
    spawning, incubation and rearing.

7.  Provide heterogeneous and complex physical habitat components
    consistent with the physiographic setting and important to aquatic
    species in the watershed. These include suitable spawning
    substrates, structural elements such as boulders and/or large wood
    where appropriate, resting pools, overhead cover, and riparian
    vegetation.

8.  Provide barriers to exclude aquatic nuisance species from stream
    habitats where prescribed by the appropriate state and federal fish
    management agencies.

9.  Provide screens on water pumps, diversion ditches, or any area where
    unintentional entrapment of aquatic species is likely to occur

10. Improve floodplain-to-channel connectivity for development of
    seasonal or permanent backwater, wetland and off-channel habitats
    consistent with the local climate and hydrology of the stream.

11. Maintain natural surface water and ground water interactions to the
    extent possible.

12. Control spread of exotic plant and animal species.

13. Manage recreational and other land use activities to minimize
    impacts on stream banks, riparian vegetation and water quality.

# PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Plans and specifications shall be developed for each site where
management and improvement actions are to be implemented.

The plan will include a detailed site description, the sequence in which
improvements or management actions will be completed, a vegetation
planting plan and maintenance requirements.

Specifications shall include:

\(a\) Location and extent of modification of the stream reach to
accomplish the planned purpose;

\(b\) Riparian plant species and stocking rates if needed to accomplish
the planned purpose;

\(c\) Planting dates, care and handling of seed or planted materials to
ensure an acceptable rate of survival;

\(d\) Site protection and preparation requirements for establishment or
recruitment of riparian vegetation if needed.

\(e\) Drawings to illustrate installation or implementation
requirements.

# OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

A detailed operation and maintenance plan shall be developed for all
applications. The plan shall provide for periodic inspection and prompt
repair or modification of any structures that are found to cause
excessive streambank or streambed instability. All structural measures
shall be evaluated on an annual basis. Any repair actions, if needed,
shall comply with state and federal guidelines for protecting spawning,
incubation and rearing times of aquatic species and breeding and nesting
times of terrestrial species.

# References

Bureau of Land Management. 1998. Riparian Area Management: A User Guide
to Assessing Proper Functioning Condition and the Supporting Science for
Lotic Areas. TR-1737-15.

Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group (FISRWG). 1998.
NEH-653 --Stream Corridor Restoration: Principles, Processes and
Practices.

NRCS. 1998. Tech. Note 99-1: Stream Visual Assessment Protocol.

NRCS. 1998. [The Practical Streambank Bioengineering
Guide](http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/idpmcpustguid.pdf).

NRCS. 2002. [Streambank Soil Bioengineering Field Guide for Low
Precipitation
Areas](https://webmail-west.one.usda.gov/exchange/Kathryn.Boyer/Sent Items/pubs/idpmcpussbfglpa.pdf).

NRCS. 2005. National Biology Handbook, Aquatic and Terrestrial Habitat
Resources.

NRCS. 2006. NEH-654 -- Stream Restoration Design Handbook.