Stream

Corridor

Restoration:

Principles,

Processes,

and Practices

Introduction 

There is a phenomenal resiliency

in the mechanisms of the earth.

A river or lake is almost never

dead. If you give it the slightest

chance...then nature usually

comes back. 

— Rene Dubos 1981

Fig. I.1: Stream corridor in the

Midwest. Stream corridors have

great economic, social, cultural,

and environmental values.

Why Is Stream Corridor Restoration

Important?

The United States has more than 3.5 million

miles of rivers and streams that, along with

closely associated floodplain and upland areas,

comprise corridors of great economic, social,

cultural, and environmental value. These corridors are complex ecosystems that include the

land, plants, animals, and network of streams

within them. They perform a number of ecological functions such as modulating streamflow, storing water, removing harmful materials

from water, and providing habitat for aquatic

and terrestrial plants and animals. Stream corridors also have vegetation and soil characteristics distinctly different from surrounding

uplands and support higher levels of species 

diversity, species densities, and rates of biological productivity than most other landscape 

elements.

Streams and stream corridors evolve in concert

with and in response to surrounding ecosystems.

Changes within a surrounding ecosystem (e.g.,

watershed) will impact the physical, chemical,

and biological processes occurring within a

stream corridor. Stream systems normally function within natural ranges of flow, sediment

movement, temperature, and other variables, in

what is termed “dynamic equilibrium.” When

changes in these variables go beyond their natural ranges, dynamic equilibrium may be lost,

often resulting in adjustments in the ecosystem

that might conflict with societal needs. In some

circumstances, a new dynamic equilibrium may
I–2 Introduction

eventually develop, but the time frames

in which this happens can be lengthy,

and the changes necessary to achieve this

new balance significant. 

Over the years, human activities have

contributed to changes in the dynamic

equilibrium of stream systems across

the nation. These activities center on

manipulating stream corridor systems

for a wide variety of purposes, including domestic and industrial water supplies, irrigation, transportation,

hydropower, waste disposal, mining,

flood control, timber management,

recreation, aesthetics, and more recently, fish and wildlife habitat. Increases in human population and

industrial, commercial, and residential

development place heavy demands on

this country’s stream corridors.

The cumulative effects of these activities

result in significant changes, not only to

stream corridors, but also to the ecosystems of which they are a part. These

changes include degradation of water

quality, decreased water storage and

conveyance capacity, loss of habitat for

fish and wildlife, and decreased recreational and aesthetic values (National

Research Council 1992). According to

the 1994 National Water Quality Inventory of 617,806 miles of rivers and

streams, only 56 percent fully supported multiple uses, including drinking water supply, fish and wildlife

habitat, recreation, and agriculture, as

well as flood prevention and erosion

control. Sedimentation and excess nutrients were the most significant causes

of degradation (USEPA 1997) in the remaining 44 percent.

Given these statistics, the potential for

restoring the conditions in our nation’s rivers and streams and protecting them from further damage is

almost boundless.

What Is Meant by Restoration?

Restoration is a complex endeavor that

begins by recognizing natural or

human-induced disturbances that are

damaging the structure and functions of

the ecosystem or preventing its recovery

to a sustainable condition (Pacific

Rivers Council 1996). It requires an understanding of the structure and functions of stream corridor ecosystems and

Fig. I.2: Concrete-lined channel. Stream systems

across the nation have been altered for a wide

variety of purposes.

Human activity has profoundly

affected rivers and streams in all

parts of the world, to such an

extent that it is now extremely

difficult to find any stream

which has not been in some way

altered, and probably quite

impossible to find any such river.

— H.B.N. Hynes 1970
What Is Meant by Restoration? I–3

the physical, chemical, and biological

processes that shape them (Dunster and

Dunster 1996).

Restoration, as defined in this document, includes a broad range of actions

and measures designed to enable

stream corridors to recover dynamic

equilibrium and function at a selfsustaining level. The first and most 

critical step in implementing restoration is to, where possible, halt disturbance activities causing degradation or

preventing recovery of the ecosystem

(Kauffman et al. 1993). Restoration actions may range from passive approaches that involve removal or

attenuation of chronic disturbance activities to active restoration that involves intervention and installation of

measures to repair damages to the

structure of stream corridors.

Restoration practitioners involved with

stream corridors take one of three basic

approaches to restoration:

■ Nonintervention and undisturbed recovery: where the stream corridor is

recovering rapidly, and active restoration is unnecessary and even detrimental.

■ Partial intervention for assisted recovery:

where a stream corridor is attempting

to recover, but is doing so slowly or

uncertainly. In such a case, action

may facilitate natural processes

already occurring.

■ Substantial intervention for managed

recovery: where recovery of desired

functions is beyond the repair capacity of the ecosystem and active

restoration measures are needed.

The specific goals of any particular

restoration should be defined within

the context of the current conditions

and disturbances in the watershed, 

Restoration, Rehabilitation, and Reclamation

• Restoration is reestablishment of the structure and function of ecosystems (National Research

Council, 1992). Ecological restoration is the process of returning an ecosystem as closely as possible

to predisturbance conditions and functions. Implicit in this definition is that ecosystems are naturally

dynamic. It is therefore not possible to recreate a system exactly. The restoration process reestablishes

the general structure, function, and dynamic but self-sustaining behavior of the ecosystem.

• Rehabilitation is making the land useful again after a disturbance. It involves the recovery of ecosystem functions and processes in a degraded habitat (Dunster and Dunster 1996). Rehabilitation

does not necessarily reestablish the predisturbance condition, but does involve establishing geological

and hydrologically stable landscapes that support the natural ecosystem mosaic.

• Reclamation is a series of activities intended to change the biophysical capacity of an ecosystem.

The resulting ecosystem is different from the ecosystem existing prior to recovery (Dunster and Dunster

1996). The term has implied the process of adapting wild or natural resources to serve a utilitarian

human purpose such as the conversion of riparian or wetland ecosystems to agricultural, industrial, or

urban uses. 

Restoration differs from rehabilitation and reclamation in that restoration is a holistic process not

achieved through the isolated manipulation of individual elements. While restoration aims to return

an ecosystem to a former natural condition, rehabilitation and reclamation imply putting a landscape

to a new or altered use to serve a particular human purpose (National Research Council 1992).
I–4 Introduction

corridor, and stream. In all likelihood,

restoration will not involve returning a

system to its pristine or original condition. The goal should be to establish

self-sustaining stream functions. 

Because this document may be a primary reference on ecological restoration

for many users, it is appropriate that

more than one definition of restoration

be included. The following definition of

restoration has been adopted by the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER).

“Ecological restoration is the process of

assisting the recovery and management

of ecological integrity. Ecological integrity includes a critical range of variability in biodiversity, ecological

processes, and structures, regional and

historical context, and sustainable cultural practices.”

Why Is a Stream Corridor

Restoration Document Needed?

Interest in restoring stream corridor

ecosystems is expanding nationally and

internationally. Research is under way

and guidelines are being developed for

stream corridor restoration in both the

public and private sectors. The number

of case studies, published papers, technology exchanges, research projects,

and symposia on both the technical

and process aspects of stream corridor

restoration is increasing. 

Over the years, many federal agencies

have contributed to this growing body of

knowledge and have issued manuals and

handbooks pertaining in some way to

stream restoration. Much of this older

literature, however, is significantly different from this document in terms of philosophy and technique. Narrow in

scope and focusing on only specific aspects, regions, objectives, or treatments,

it may be outdated and not reflective of

new restoration techniques and philosophies. The result has been confusion

and concern among both government

agencies and the public on how to evaluate the need for development and implementation of restoration initiatives. 

In response, this document represents

an unprecedented cooperative effort by

the participating federal agencies to

produce a common technical reference

on stream corridor restoration. 

Recognizing that no two stream corridors and no two restoration initiatives

are identical, this technical document

broadly addresses the elements of

restoration that apply in the majority of

situations encountered. The document

Streams Have the Capability to

Restore Themselves—We must be

able to recognize these situations.

“Each stream,” says Christopher Hunter, “is a whole

greater than the sum of its geologic, climatic, hydrologic,

and biologic parts.” Those who would save rivers must

first see each river whole, as a separate, vital, and

unique group of elements and energies that constantly

seeks its own dynamic equilibrium (from Nick Lyons,

Foreword to Better Trout Habitat: A Guide to

Stream Restoration and Management; Hunter 1991).

It is this almost living quality of streams, along with the

capability to repair and sustain themselves with the

removal of disturbances, that this document must convey to the reader. This document addresses the need

within agencies for a comprehensive restoration context,

an appreciation of the importance of removing key disturbances to allow streams to restore themselves, and

to better determine those circumstances when active

intervention in the restoration process is the preferred

alternative. 
What Does the Document Cover? I–5

is not a set of guidelines that cover every

possible restoration situation, but it does

provide a framework in which to plan

restoration actions and alternatives.

What Does the Document Cover?

This document takes a more encompassing approach to restoration than

most other texts and manuals. It provides broadly applicable guidance for

common elements of the restoration

process, but also provides alternatives,

and references to alternatives, which

may be appropriate for site-specific

restoration activities. Moreover, the document incorporates and reflects the experiences of the collaborating agencies

and provides a common technical reference that can be used to restore systems

based on experiences and basic scientific knowledge. 

As a general goal, this document promotes the use of ecological processes

(physical, chemical, and biological) and

minimally intrusive solutions to restore

self-sustaining stream corridor funcFig. I.3: Stream corridor restoration can be

applied in both (a) urban and (b) rural settings.

No matter the setting, vegetation and soil

characteristics in the corridor differ distinctly

from the surrounding uplands.

(a)

(b)

It is axiomatic that no restoration can ever be perfect; it is

impossible to replicate the biogeochemical and climatological

sequence of events over geological time that led to the creation

and placement of even one particle of soil, much less to exactly

reproduce an entire ecosystem.

Therefore, all restorations are

exercises in approximation and

in the reconstruction of naturalistic rather than natural assemblages of plants and animals

with their physical environments. 

— Berger 1990
tions. It provides information necessary

to develop and select appropriate alternatives and solutions, and to make informed management decisions

regarding valuable stream corridors and

their watersheds. In addition, the document recognizes the complexity of most

stream restoration work and promotes

an integrated approach to restoration. It

supports close cooperation among all

participants in order to achieve a common set of objectives. 

The guidance contained in this document is applicable nationwide in both

urban and rural settings. The material

presented applies to a range of stream

types, including intermittent and perennial streams of all sizes, and rivers too

small to be navigable by barges. It offers

a scientific perspective on restoration

work ranging from simple to complex,

with the level of detail increasing as the

scale moves from the landscape to the

stream reach. 

Note that there are several things that

this document is not intended to be. 

■ It is not a cookbook containing prescribed “recipes” or step-by-step

instructions on how to restore a

stream corridor.

■ While this document refers to issues

such as nonpoint source pollution

and best management practices, wetlands restoration and delineation,

lake and reservoir restoration, and

water quality monitoring, it is not

meant to focus on these subjects.

■ It is not a policy-setting document.

No contributing federal agency is

strictly bound by its contents. Rather,

it suggests and promotes a set of

approaches, methods, and techniques

applicable to most stream corridor

restoration initiatives encountered by

agencies and practitioners.

■ It is not intended to be an exhaustive

research document on the subject of

stream corridor restoration. It does

provide, however, many references

for those desiring a deeper understanding of the principles and theories underlying techniques and issues

discussed in general terms.

Who Is the Intended Audience? 

The document is intended primarily for

interdisciplinary technical and managerial teams and individuals responsible

for planning, designing, and implementing stream corridor restoration initiatives. The document may also be

useful to others who are working in

stream corridors, including contractors,

landowners, volunteers, agency staff,

and other practitioners.

How Is the Document Organized?

The document is organized to provide

an overview of stream corridors, steps in

restoration plan development, and

guidelines for implementing restoration. 

I–6 Introduction

Fig. I.4: A stream corridor. The document provides an overview of stream corridor structure

and functions. 

The document 

s intended 

primarily for 

nterdisciplinary

technical and

managerial

teams and individuals responsible for planning,

designing, and

mplementing

stream corridor

restoration 

nitiatives.
How Is the Document Intended to Be Used? I–7

The document has been divided into

three principal parts. Part I provides

background on the fundamental concepts of stream corridor structure,

processes, functions, and the effects of

disturbance. Part II focuses on a general restoration plan development

process comprised of several fundamental steps. Part III examines the information presented in Parts I and II to

consider how it can be applied in a

restoration initiative.

Because of the size and complexity of

the document, two features are used to

assist the reader to maintain a clear orientation within the document. These

features will allow the reader to more

easily apply the information to specific

aspects of a stream corridor restoration

initiative. These features are:

■ Chapter dividers that include major

chapter sections and reader preview

and review questions for each chapter. Table I.1 presents a summary of

these questions by chapter.

■ Short chapter summaries included at

the beginning and end of each chapter that explain where the readers have

been, where they are in the document,

and where they are going.

A special emphasis has been placed on

document orientation due to the special

mission that the document has to fulfill. The document audience will include readers from many different

technical backgrounds and with various

levels of training. The orientation features have been included to reinforce

the comprehensive and interdisciplinary perspective of stream corridor

restoration. 

How Is the Document Intended to

Be Used?

Use of the document mostly depends

on the goals of the reader. To begin

with, a quick overview of the material is

suggested prior to more thorough reading. A reader seeking only a general understanding of the principles of stream

restoration may skip over some of the

technical details in the body of the document. Use of document sections,

chapters, and headings allows each

reader to readily identify whether furAgencies Contributing to This

Document

■ United States Department of Agriculture:

– Agricultural Research Service

– Cooperative State Research, Education, and

Extension Service

– Forest Service

– Natural Resources Conservation Service

■ United States Department of Commerce:

– National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

– National Marine Fisheries Service

■ United States Department of Defense:

– Army Corps of Engineers

■ United States Department of Housing and Urban

Development

■ United States Department of the Interior:

– Bureau of Land Management

– Bureau of Reclamation

– Fish and Wildlife Service

– United States Geological Survey

– National Park Service

■ United States Environmental Protection Agency

■ Federal Emergency Management Agency

■ Tennessee Valley Authority
I–8 Introduction

ther, more detailed reading on a subject

will serve his or her purposes. 

The reader is urged to recognize the interdisciplinary and technical nature of

stream restoration. While some technical material may, on the surface, appear

irrelevant, it may in fact be highly relevant to a specific part of the process of

restoring a stream corridor.

Stream corridor restoration technologies

and methodologies are evolving rapidly.

Readers are encouraged to add their own

notes on restoration and to make the

document more relevant to local needs

(e.g., a list of suitable native plant

species for streambank revegetation).

This document is being published in a

notebook form to allow insertion of:

• Updated material that will be made

available at the Internet sites printed

in the Preface.

• Addition of regional or locally relevant materials collected by the reader.

A Note About Units of Measurement 

Metric units are commonly used throughout the world,

but most data published in the United States are in

English units. Although adoption of the metric system

is on the increase in the United States—and for many

federal agencies this conversion is mandated and being

planned for—restorers of stream corridors will continue

to use data that are in either metric or English units.

Appendix B contains a table of metric to English unit

conversion factors, in case a unit conversion is needed.

Feedback

Readers are encouraged to share their restoration experiences and provide feedback. They can do so by accessing the Stream Corridor Restoration home page on the

Internet address printed in the Preface. Other sources

of information may also be found by exploring the cooperating agencies’ home pages on the Internet.
How Is the Document Intended to Be Used? I–9

Chapter 1: Overview of Stream Corridors

1.A Physical Structure and Time at Multiple Scales

• What are the structural components of a stream corridor?

• Why are stream corridors of special significance, and why should they be

the focus of restoration efforts?

• What is the relationship between stream corridors and other landscape

units at broader and more local scales?

• What scales should be considered for a stream corridor restoration?

1.B A Lateral View Across the Stream Corridor

• How is a stream corridor structured from side to side?

• How do these elements contribute to stream corridor functions?

• What role do these elements play in the life of the stream?

• What do we need to know about the lateral elements of a stream corridor

to adequately characterize a stream corridor for restoration?

• How are the lateral elements of a stream corridor used to define flow patterns of a stream?

1.C A Longitudinal View Along the Stream Corridor

• What are the longitudinal structural elements of a stream corridor?

• How are these elements used to characterize a stream corridor?

• What are some of the basic ecological concepts that can be applied to

streams to understand their function and characteristics on a longitudinal

scale?

• What do we need to know about the longitudinal elements that are

important to stream corridor restoration?

Chapter 2: Stream Corridor Processes, Characteristics, and Functions

2.A Hydrologic and Hydraulic Processes

• Where does stream flow come from?

• What processes affect or are involved with stream flow?

• How fast, how much, how deep, how often, and when does water flow?

• How is hydrology different in urban stream corridors?

2.B Geomorphic Processes

• What factors affect the channel cross section and channel profile?

• How are water and sediment related?

• Where does sediment come from and how is it transported downstream?

• What is an equilibrium channel?

• What should a channel look like in cross section and in profile?

• How do channel adjustments occur?

• What is a floodplain?

• Is there an important relationship between a stream and its floodplain?

2.C Physical and Chemical Characteristics

• What are the major chemical constituents of water?

• What are some important relationships between physical habitat and key

chemical parameters?

• How are the chemical and physical parameters critical to the aquatic life in

a stream corridor?

• What are the natural chemical processes in a stream corridor and water

column?

• How do disturbances in the stream corridor affect the chemical characteristics of stream water?

Table I.1
I–10 Introduction

2.D Biological Community Characteristics

• What are the important biological components of a stream corridor?

• What biological activities and organisms can be found within a stream 

corridor?

• How does the structure of stream corridors support various populations of

organisms?

• What are the structural features of aquatic systems that contribute to the

biological diversity of stream corridors?

• What are some important biological processes that occur within a stream

corridor?

• What role do fish have in stream corridor restoration?

2.E Functions and Dynamic Equilibrium

• What are the major ecological functions of stream corridors?

• How are these ecological functions maintained over time?

• Is a stream corridor stable?

• Are these functions related?

• How does a stream corridor respond to all the natural forces acting on it (i.e., dynamic equilibrium)?

Chapter 3: Disturbance Affecting Stream Corridors

3.A Natural Disturbances

• How does natural disturbance contribute to shaping a local ecology?

• Are natural disturbances bad?

• How do you describe or define the frequency and magnitude of natural

disturbance?

• How does an ecosystem respond to natural disturbances?

• What are some types of natural disturbances you should anticipate in a

stream corridor restoration?

3.B Human-Induced Disturbances

• What are some examples of human-induced disturbances at several landscape scales?

• What are the effects of some common human-induced disturbances such

as dams, channelization, and the introduction of exotic species?

• What are some of the effects of land use activities such as agriculture,

forestry, mining, grazing, recreation, and urbanization?

Chapter 4: Getting Organized and Identifying Problems and

Opportunities

4.A Getting Organized

• Why is planning important?

• Is an Advisory Group needed?

• How is an Advisory Group formed?

• Who should be on an Advisory Group?

• How can funding be identified and acquired?

• How are technical teams established and what are their roles?

• What procedures should an Advisory Group follow?

• How is communication facilitated among affected stakeholders?

Table I.1 (continued)
How Is the Document Intended to Be Used? I–11

4.B Problem and Opportunity Identification

• Why is it important to spend resources on the problem (“When everyone

already knows what the problem is”)?

• How can the anthropogenic changes that caused the need for the restoration initiative be altered or removed?

• How are data collection and analysis procedures organized?

• How are problems affecting the stream corridor identified?

• How are reference conditions for the stream corridor determined?

• Why are reference conditions needed?

• How are existing management activities influencing the stream corridor?

• How are problems affecting the stream corridor described?

Chapter 5: Developing Goals, Objectives, and Restoration Alternatives

5.A Developing Restoration Goals and Objectives

• How are restoration goals and objectives defined?

• How do you describe desired future conditions for the stream corridor and

surrounding natural systems? 

• What is the appropriate spatial scale for the stream corridor restoration?

• What institutional or legal issues are likely to be encountered during a

restoration?

• What are the means to alter or remove the anthropogenic changes that

caused the need for the restoration (i.e., passive restoration)?

5.B Alternative Selection and Design

• How does a restoration effort target solutions to treat causes of impairment and not just symptoms?

• What are important factors to consider when selecting among various

restoration alternatives?

• What role does spatial scale, economics, and risk play in helping to select

the best restoration alternative?

• Who makes the decisions?

• When is active restoration needed?

• When are passive restoration methods appropriate?

Chapter 6: Implement, Monitor, Evaluate, and Adapt

6.A Restoration Implementation

• What are the steps that should be followed for successful implementation?

• How are boundaries for the restoration defined?

• How is adequate funding secured for the duration of the project?

• What tools are useful for facilitating implementation?

• Why and how are changes made in the restoration plan once implementation has begun?

• How are implementation activities organized?

• How are roles and responsibilities distributed among restoration 

participants?

• How is a schedule developed for installation of the restoration measures?

• What permits and regulations will be necessary before moving forward

with restoration measures?

Table I.1 (continued)
I–12 Introduction

6.B Restoration Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adaptive Management

• What is the role of monitoring in stream corridor restoration?

• When should monitoring begin?

• How is a monitoring plan tailored to the specific objectives of a restoration initiative?

• Why and how is the success or failure of a restoration effort evaluated?

• What are some important considerations in developing a monitoring plan

to evaluate the restoration effort?

Chapter 7: Analysis of Corridor Condition

7.A Hydrologic Processes

• How does the stream flow and why is this understanding important? 

• Is streamflow perennial, ephemeral, or intermittent?

• What is the discharge, frequency, and duration of extreme high and low

flows?

• How often does the stream flood?

• How does roughness affect flow levels?

• What is the discharge most effective in maintaining the stream channel

under equilibrium conditions?

• How does one determine if equilibrium conditions exist?

• What field measurements are necessary?

7.B Geomorphic Processes

• How do I inventory geomorphic information on streams and use it to

understand and develop physically appropriate restoration plans?

• How do I interpret the dominant channel adjustment processes active at

the site?

• How deep and wide should a stream be?

• Is the stream stable?

• Are basin-wide adjustments occurring, or is this a local problem?

• Are channel banks stable, at-risk, or unstable?

• What measurements are necessary?

7.C Chemical Characteristics

• How do you measure the condition of the physical and chemical conditions within a stream corridor?

• Why is quality assurance an important component of stream corridor

analysis activities?

• What are some of the water quality models that can be used to evaluate

water chemistry data?

7.D Biological Characteristics

• What are some important considerations in using biological indicators for

analyzing stream corridor conditions?

• Which indicators have been used successfully?

• What role do habitat surveys play in analyzing the biological condition of

the stream corridor?

• How do you measure biological diversity in a stream corridor?

• What is the role of stream classification systems in analyzing stream corridor conditions?

• How can models be used to evaluate the biological condition of a stream

corridor?

• What are the characteristics of models that have been used to evaluate

stream corridor conditions?

Table I.1 (continued)
How Is the Document Intended to Be Used? I–13

Chapter 8: Restoration Design

8.A Valley Form, Connectivity, and Dimension

• How do you incorporate all the spatial dimensions of the landscape into

stream corridor restoration design?

• What criteria can be applied to facilitate good design decisions for stream

corridor restoration?

8.B Soil Properties

• How do soil properties impact the design of restoration activities?

• What are the major functions of soils in the stream corridor?

• How are important soil characteristics, such as soil microfauna and soil

salinity, accounted for in the design process?

8.C Plant Communities

• What is the role of vegetative communities in stream corridor restoration?

• What functions do vegetative communities fulfill in a stream corridor?

• What are some considerations in designing plant community restoration

to ensure that all landscape functions are addressed? 

• What is soil bioengineering and what is its role in stream corridor restoration?

8.D Habitat Measures

• What are some specific tools and techniques that can be used to ensure

recovery of riparian and terrestrial habitat recovery?

8.E Stream Channel Restoration

• When is stream channel reconstruction an appropriate restoration option?

• How do you delineate the stream reach to be reconstructed?

• How is a stream channel designed and reconstructed?

• What are important factors to consider in the design of channel reconstruction (e.g., alignment and average slope, channel dimensions)?

• Are there computer models that can assist with the design of channel

reconstruction?

8.F Streambank Restoration

• When should streambank stabilization be included in a restoration?

• How do you determine the performance criteria for streambank treatment, including the methods and materials to be used?

• What are some streambank stabilization techniques that can be considered for use?

8.G Instream Habitat Recovery

• What are the principal factors controlling the quality of instream habitat?

• How do you determine if an instream habitat structure is needed, and

what type of structure is most appropriate?

• What procedures can be used to restore instream habitat? 

• What are some examples of instream habitat structures?

• What are some important questions to address before designing, selecting, or installing an instream habitat structure?

Table I.1 (continued)
I–14 Introduction

8.H Land Use Scenarios

• What role does land use play in stream corridor degradation and 

restoration?

• What design approaches can be used to address the impacts of various

land uses (e.g., dams, agriculture, forestry, grazing, mining, recreation,

urbanization)?

• What are some disturbances that are often associated with specific land

uses?

• What restoration measures can be used to mitigate the impacts of various

land uses?

• What are the potential effects of the restoration measures?

Chapter 9: Restoration Implementation, Monitoring, and Management

9.A Restoration Implementation

• What are passive forms of restoration and how are they “implemented”?

• What happens after the decision is made to proceed with an active rather

than a passive restoration approach?

• What type of activities are involved when installing restoration measures?

• How can impact on the stream channel and corridor be minimized when

installing restoration measures (e.g., water quality, air quality, cultural

resources, noise)?

• What types of equipment are needed for installing restoration measures?

• What are some important considerations regarding construction activities

in the stream corridor?

• How do you inspect and evaluate the quality and impact of construction

activities in the stream corridor?

• What types of maintenance measures are necessary to ensure the ongoing

success of a restoration?

9.B Monitoring Techniques Appropriate for Evaluating Restoration

• What methods are available for monitoring biological attributes of

streams?

• What can assessment of biological attributes tell you about the status of

the stream restoration?

• What physical parameters should be included in a monitoring management plan?

• How are the physical aspects of the stream corridor evaluated?

• How is a restoration monitoring plan developed, and what issues should

be addressed in the plan?

• What are the sampling plan design issues that must be addressed to adequately detect trends in stream corridor conditions?

• How do you ensure that the monitoring information is properly collected,

analyzed, and assessed (i.e., quality assurance plans)?

9.C Restoration Management

• What are important management priorities with ongoing activities and

resource uses within the stream corridor?

• What are some management decisions that can be made to support

stream restoration?

• What are some example impacts and management options with various

types of resource use within the stream corridor (e.g., forest management,

grazing, mining, fish and wildlife, urbanization)?

• When is restoration complete?