Channel Sediment Changes during a Stream Restoration Project

Elaine Langone Center, Terrace Room

Streams and rivers with compromised riparian zone, especially those along agricultural landscapes, are particularly susceptible to an increased buildup of stream bottom sediment. An abundance of fine sediment within a stream system can congest the water, potentially smothering fish species, aquatic insects and oxygen producing plants. The Chesapeake Conservancy developed a stream restoration prioritization tool to identify properties based on lack of riparian forests, neighboring land use, and hydrologic flow paths. This tool was used to select sites for stream restorations. We are monitoring these sites and others to build a reference profile of the grain size characteristics of streams that are pristine trout streams to agriculturally impaired stream bottoms. We will compare the grain size statistics from before restoration projects are implemented with samples collected after the restoration. We hope to also analyze the relationships between stream bottom sediment characteristics and biological monitoring to determine if there are relationships between good stream habitat and its sediment profiles.