The fencing decreased the area of available pasture but we think that this loss will be offset in the long run by bank stabilization. Livestock had other sources of water and did not depend on access to the creek. For other ranchers, grazing riparian pastures with careful control of timing and duration, may be a beneficial alternative. We also began to practice rotational grazing to maximize productivity, reduce erosion and allow more water absorption. We found that revegetation was an effective and inexpensive way to stabilize the creek banks.
Roots hold the soil together and prevent it from washing away.
If given a chance, plants readily grow in a riparian corridor where water is most plentiful during the dry months. Willow revetment construction. The structure of the wall stabilizes the bank until the roots of the growing willows incorporate into the soils. Willow revetments are inexpensive to build and the raw material is readily available. We also discovered that ninebark and dogwood will grow from cuttings.