Riparian Restoration

WHat are riparian areas?

The term “riparian” comes from the Latin “ripa”, meaning “river bank”. Simply put, a riparian area is a stream or river bank; it is the interface between land and water.

Why must they be restored?

Riparian areas are the transition zones between land and water environments. They protect and preserve our waterways. We work with farmers, ranchers, and landowners to identify ways to manage riparian areas.

What do these projects look like?

Through these projects, we stabilize banks, reduce flooding, improve water quality, and enhance local wildlife habitat. These goals can be accomplished by:

Clearing the site of noxious weeds
Building in-stream structures such as Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) or Post-Assisted Log Structures (PALs) to reduce stream velocity and energy
Planting and establishing native, beneficial plant species to stabilize the banks and reduce erosion

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Downing Creek Riparian

Restoration Project

On a farm, a partially completed lane with fabric roll on the ground, dry grass on the left, and dirt on the right, with farm buildings in the background and cloudy sky.

A river flowing through a lush green landscape with tall trees and rocky hills under a partly cloudy sky.

A rural landscape with grassy fields in the foreground, a hillside with patches of green and brown, scattered trees, and some farmhouses, under a cloudy sky.

Two workers installing protective tree guards in a large, open, grassy field with rolling hills and buildings in the background.

A rural outdoor scene with a grassy trail running through dry, brown vegetation and hills in the background. A small green and red walk-behind tractor is in the foreground on the right side of the trail.

View of a plant with green leaves caught in a white, circular fence on the ground, with dry grass and soil around.

A landscape featuring a river flowing through grassy banks with scattered trees and a hillside with dense vegetation in the background under a partly cloudy sky.