Klamath River Riparian Habitat Restoration 2016

The project restored 14 acres of riparian habitat along lower Seiad Creek. Planting occurred following a large scale floodplain restoration project where flood levees were removed, new side channels were constructed. Immediately following construction grass seed was spread over the entire disturbed area along with straw and mulch. Trees and shrubs were planted in the winter and spring months following construction. Follow up monitoring occurred in 2018 and 2019 to determine is addition planting was needed. All trees and shrubs were protected by fencing and enhanced by a temporary irrigation system that will be continue to be maintained during 2019 and into 2020.

The project benefits includes replanting and establishing a riparian forest on roughly 14 acres of disturbed land within the foot print of a large scale channel re-construction project in lower Seiad Creek. The project will establish native plants and trees along the both sides of the stream channel and cover all disturbed ground. Providing shade for the stream and future woody structure for channel maintenance are the primary project benefits. Stream bank stabilization is another primary benefit of riparian planting. Other benefits include; beaver habitat enhancement by adding plant forage to their food supply and dam building materials. The landowner reported that beaver dams were common on the property prior to the channel being degraded by floods in 1997. The establishment of a healthy, self-sustaining native vegetative community throughout the project site is vital to the success of a stream habitat enhancement project. Such communities promote short-term and long-term bank stabilization, shade for cooler water, protective cover for fish, and habitat for terrestrial wildlife (birds, mammals, amphibians and macroinvertebrates). Additionally a functional riparian zone will provide woody debris recruitment in the future. A robust riparian plant community also provides greater protective cover, food sources, habitat complexity and diversity, and migration continuity for the larger ecosystem.