Stream banks need living vegetation.
Stream banks confine a stream and direct which way a stream flows.
It is important to ensure that the banks of a stream are stable and have rooted vegetation growing from them. This will help ensure that the soil and dirt stays in the banks and out of the streams. If there is little or no vegetation, steep stream banks will erode and get washed into the stream causing siltation , making it difficult for fish to see, breathe, and spawn. Click on the picture at right to get more information on water cleanliness . In addition to the obvious stream channel within the stream banks, fish habitat can also exist in secondary channels and low areas near the main channel.