Fish require cool, good quality water, year-round pools in which to mature, clean gravel beds for spawning, cover from predators, and a food supply. What we needed, the fish needed. Willow sprig planting. The energy of flood flows dissipates over the flood plain. The sediment deposited fertilizes pastures.
Vegetation stabilizes the stream bank and maintains a high water table.
Floods are largely contained by the channel which must erode to accommodate the force. The water table lowers. The effect of downcutting and widening of a stream channel on flood flows, the water table, and vegetation. A stable, vegetated riparian corridor maintains a higher water table and thus supports more vegetation than an eroding creek that downcuts and widens. Vegetation along a creek does contribute a little bit to flooding by restricting the flow of water.