United States Department of Agriculture 580-CPS-1

NRCS, NHCP

October 2020

NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To obtain the current 

version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources Conservation Service State office or 

visit the Field Office Technical Guide online by going to the NRCS website at 

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ and type FOTG in the search field. 

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Natural Resources Conservation Service 

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD 

STREAMBANK AND SHORELINE PROTECTION 

CODE 580 

(ft)

DEFINITION 

Treatment(s) used to stabilize and protect banks of streams or constructed channels and shorelines of

lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. 

PURPOSE 

This practice is used to accomplish one or more of the following purposes: 

• Prevent the loss of land or damage to land uses or facilities adjacent to the banks of streams or

constructed channels and shorelines of lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. This includes the protection

of known historical, archaeological, and traditional cultural properties. 

• Maintain the flow capacity of streams or channels. 

• Reduce the offsite or downstream effects of sediment resulting from bank erosion. 

• Improve or enhance the stream corridor or shoreline for fish and wildlife habitat, aesthetics, or

recreation. 

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES 

This practice applies to streambanks of natural or constructed channels and shorelines of lakes,

reservoirs, or estuaries susceptible to erosion. It does not apply to erosion problems on main ocean fronts,

beaches, or similar areas of complexity. 

CRITERIA 

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes 

Plan, design, and construct this practice to comply with all Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and

regulations. The landowner must obtain all necessary permissions from regulatory agencies, or document

that no permits are required. The landowner and/or contractor is responsible for locating all buried utilities

in the project area, including drainage tile and other structural measures. 

Assess unstable streambank or shoreline sites in enough detail to identify the causes contributing to the

instability. The assessment should provide details necessary for design of the treatments and convey

reasonable confidence that the treatments will perform adequately for the design life of the measure. If the

failure mechanism for a streambank is a result of the degradation or removal of riparian vegetation, if

possible, implement stream corridor restoration, along with bank treatment. 

Causes of instability include— 

• Livestock access; 

• Watershed alterations resulting in significant modifications of discharge or sediment production; 

• In-channel modifications such as gravel mining; 
• Head cutting; 

• Water level fluctuations; and 

• Boat-generated waves. 

Design streambank and shoreline treatments that are compatible with— 

• Existing bank or shoreline materials; 

• Planned improvements or improvements installed by others; 

• Water chemistry; 

• Channel or lake hydraulics; and 

• Slope characteristics above and below the water line. 

Avoid adverse effects on— 

• Endangered, threatened, and candidate species and their habitats; 

• Archaeological, historical, structural, and traditional cultural properties; and 

• Existing wetland functions and values. 

Design treatments that result in stable slopes based on the bank or shoreline materials and the type of

measure proposed. Account for anticipated ice action, wave action, and fluctuating water levels. Ensure

that installations are protected from overbank flows from upslope runoff and flooding. Include internal

drainage where bank seepage is a problem. Use geotextiles, designed filters, or bedding to prevent piping

or erosion of material from behind the treatment. Anchor end sections into existing treatments or existing

stable areas. 

Revegetate all areas disturbed during construction in accordance with NRCS Conservation Practice

Standard (CPS) Critical Area Planting (Code 342). If climatic conditions preclude the use of vegetation,

use NRCS CPS Mulching (Code 484) to install inorganic cover materials such as gravel. Protect the area

from livestock and human traffic until the site is fully stabilized. 

Additional Criteria for Streambanks 

Classify stream segments requiring protection according to a system deemed appropriate by the State.

Evaluate incised segments or segments that contain the 5-year return period (20 percent probability) or

greater flows for further degradation or aggradation. 

Do not realign the channel without an assessment of upstream and downstream fluvial geomorphology

that evaluates the impacts of the proposed alignment. Determine the current and future dischargesediment regime using an assessment of the watershed upstream of the proposed channel alignment. 

Do not install bank protection treatment in channel systems undergoing rapid and extensive changes in

bottom grade and/or alignment unless designing the treatments to control or accommodate the changes.

Construct bank treatment to a depth at or below the anticipated lowest depth of streambed scour. 

Stabilize toe erosion by treatments that redirect the stream flow away from the toe or by structural

treatments that armor the toe. Where toe protection alone is inadequate to stabilize the bank, shape the

upper bank to a stable slope and establish vegetation, or stabilize with structural or soil bioengineering

treatments. 

 To the extent possible, retain or replace habitat-forming elements that provide cover, food, pools, and

water turbulence. This includes stumps, fallen trees, debris, and sediment bars. Only remove these

stream habitat elements when they cause unacceptable bank erosion, flow restriction, or damage to

structures. 

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Design treatments to remain functional and stable for the design flow and sustainable for higher flow

conditions. Evaluate the effects of changes to flow levels compared with the preinstallation flow levels, for

low and high flow conditions. Ensure treatments do not limit stream flow access to the floodplain. Do not

design treatments that result in negative offsite impacts such as increased channel or bank erosion

downstream. 

Additional Criteria for Shorelines 

For the design of structural treatments, evaluate the site characteristics below the waterline for a minimum

of 50 feet horizontally from the shoreline measured at the design water surface. Base the height of the

protection on the design water surface plus the computed wave height and freeboard. Use mean high tide

as the design water surface in tidal areas. Limit revetments, bulkheads, or groins to no higher than 3 feet

above mean high tide, or mean high water in nontidal areas. Key-in structural shoreline protective

treatments to a depth that prevents scour during low water. 

When using vegetation as the protective treatment, include a temporary breakwater during establishment

when wave run-up could damage the vegetation. 

Additional Criteria for Stream Corridor Improvement 

Establish stream corridor vegetative components as necessary for ecosystem function and stability. The

appropriate composition of vegetative components is a key element in preventing excess long-term

channel migration in reestablished stream corridors. Establish vegetation on channel banks and

associated areas according to NRCS CPS Critical Area Planting (Code 342). 

Design treatments to achieve habitat and population objectives for fish and wildlife species or

communities of concern as determined by a site-specific assessment or management plan. Establish

objectives on the survival and reproductive needs of populations and communities, including habitat

diversity, habitat linkages, daily and seasonal habitat ranges, limiting factors, and native plant

communities. Develop the requirements for the type, amount, and distribution of vegetation using the

requirements of the fish and wildlife species or communities of concern. 

Design treatments to meet aesthetic objectives as determined by a site-specific assessment or

management plan. Establish aesthetic objectives based on human needs, including visual quality, noise

control, and microclimate control. Use construction materials, grading practices, and other site

development elements compatible with adjacent land uses. 

CONSIDERATIONS 

When designing protective treatments, consider changes that may occur in the watershed hydrology and

sedimentation over the design life of the treatments. 

Incorporate debris removed from the channel or streambank into the treatment design when it is

compatible with the intended purpose to improve benefits for fish, wildlife, and aquatic systems. 

Use construction materials, grading practices, vegetation, and other site development elements that

minimize visual impacts and maintain or complement existing landscape uses such as pedestrian paths,

climate controls, buffers, etc. Avoid excessive disturbance and compaction of the site during installation. 

Use vegetative species that are native and/or compatible with local ecosystems. Avoid introduced species

that could become nuisances. Consider species that have multiple values such as those suited for

biomass, nuts, fruit, browse, nesting, aesthetics, and tolerance to locally used herbicides. Avoid species

that may be alternate hosts to disease or undesirable pests. Consider species diversity to avoid loss of

function due to species-specific pests. 

Select plant materials that provide habitat requirements for desirable wildlife and pollinators. The addition

of native forbs and legumes to grass mixes will increase the value of plantings for both wildlife and

pollinators. Consider and refer to NRCS CPS Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management (Code 644). 

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Use treatments that promote beneficial sediment deposition and the filtering of sediment and sedimentattached and dissolved substances. 

Maintain or improve fish and wildlife habitat by including treatments that provide aquatic habitat in the

treatment design and that may lower or moderate water temperature and improve water quality. 

Stabilize side channel inlets and outlets, and outlets of tributary streams from erosion. 

Maximize adjacent wetland functions and values with the project design to the extent practicable. 

To maintain plant community integrity, exclude livestock during establishment of vegetative treatments and

apply appropriate grazing practices after establishment. 

Control wildlife during establishment of vegetative treatments. Use temporary and local population control

methods with caution and within applicable regulations. 

When appropriate, consider establishing a buffer strip and/or diversion at the top of the bank or shoreline

protection zone to help maintain and protect installed treatments, improve their function, filter out

sediments, nutrients, and pollutants from runoff, and provide additional wildlife habitat. 

Consider safety hazards to boaters, swimmers, or people using the shoreline or streambank when

designing treatments. Place warning signs as necessary. 

Consider installing self-sustaining or minimal maintenance treatments. 

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS 

Prepare plans and specifications that describe the requirements for applying the practice according to this

standard. Include provisions to minimize erosion and sediment production during construction and

provisions necessary to comply with conditions of any environmental agreements, biological opinions, or

other terms of applicable permits. At a minimum, include— 

• A plan view of the layout of the streambank and shoreline protection. 

• Typical profiles and cross sections of the streambank and shoreline protection. 

• Structural drawings adequate to describe the construction requirements. 

• Requirements for vegetative establishment and mulching, as needed. 

• Safety features. 

• Site-specific construction and material requirements. 

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE 

Prepare an operation and maintenance plan for the operator. 

At a minimum, include— 

• Instructions for operating and maintaining the system to ensure it functions properly. 

• Periodic inspections and prompt repair or replacement of damaged components. 

• Periodic inspections and prompt repair of erosion. 

• Instructions for maintaining healthy vegetation, when required. 

• Instructions for controlling undesirable vegetation. 

REFERENCES 

USDA NRCS. 1996. National Engineering Handbook (Title 210), Part 650, Chapter 16, Streambank and

Shoreline Protection. Washington, D.C. https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/

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USDA NRCS. 2008. National Engineering Handbook (Title 210), Part 654, Stream Restoration Design.

Washington, D.C. https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/

USDA NRCS. 2010. National Engineering Handbook (Title 210), Part 653, Stream Corridor Restoration:

Principles, Processes, and Practices. Washington, D.C. https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/

USDA NRCS. 2017. National Engineering Manual (Title 210). Washington, D.C.

https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/

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October 2020