Station Creek Restoration Project
Justin Kilmer, Andrew Helfrich, Mariah Kromanaker, Mark Devey
Overview
● Terry Westerberg’s Farm● Station Creek
○ Tributary to the Bear River● Recognition of previous success on Birch Creek
Objectives
1. Creation of BDA structures allow the stream to diversify and create heterogeneous geomorphic units for fish habitat (Bouwes et al. 2016).
2. Creation of BDA and woody debris structures cause floodplain connectivity with the creek making the system a self-sustaining, wood-accumulating, complex meadow habitat good for wildlife (Lee 2017).
Challenges
● Potential Threats○ Infrastructure○ Culvert○ Road crossing
● Downstream Neighbor● Beaver establishment
Opportunities
● Good riparian condition● Historic beaver dams● Mr. Westerberg willing to live
with beaver
Photo Credit: Joe Wheaton
Photo Credit: Audree ProvardPhoto Credit: Peter Wilcock
Planning Considerations
Riparian Condition (left)
Potential to Support Beaver
Dam Activity (right)
Planning Considerations
Figure 5. Figure from Bennett et al. (2019), ch. 3. Risk analysis sheet for Station Creek.
Risks● Structures● Ornamental Trees● Culvert● Two-Track Road
Planning Considerations
Postless Or Post Assisted?
Copied from Figure 30 Shahverdian et al. 2019, ch. 4.
Copied from Figure 36 Shahverdian et al. 2019, ch. 4
Design Plan
● Implement 2 complexes ○ Complex 1
■ 1 primary■ 1 secondary■ 1 bank blaster
○ Complex 2■ 1 primary■ 2 secondaries
● Hypotheses○ Primary dams
■ Ponding■ Flood plain
○ Secondary dams■ Slow water■ Some ponding
Implementation
Implementation
● Ponding● Overland Flow/ Floodplain
Connectivity
Photo Credit: Left, Below-Andrew Helfrich, Right-Joe Wheaton
Adaptive Management
● Monitor for beaver activity
● Check for breaches
● Observe desired processes
Adapted from figure 11,
Portugal et al. (2015)
Conclusion
Criteria for Success● 3-5 occupied complexes● Ponding
○ Fish present in ponds● Increase of active floodplain & riparian zone● Multi-threaded channels
Questions?
Sources
● Bouwes, N., Weber, N., Jordan, C. E., Saunders, W. C., Tattam, I. A., Volk, C., ... & Pollock, M. M. (2016). Ecosystem experiment reveals benefits of natural and simulated beaver dams to a threatened population of steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Scientific Reports, 6, 28581.
● Lee, A. A. (2017). Leave it to Beavers: Evaluating the Potential for Incised Stream Restoration using Natural and Analog Beaver Dams.
● Shahverdian, S.M., Wheaton, J.M., Bennett, S.N., Bouwes, N., Camp, R., Jordan, C.E., Portugal, E. and Weber, N., 2019. Chapter 4 – Mimicking and Promoting Wood Accumulation and Beaver Dam Activity with Post-Assisted Log Structures and Beaver Dam Analogues In: J.M. Wheaton, S.N. Bennett, N. Bouwes, J.D. Maestas and S.M. Shahverdian (Editors), Low-Tech Process-Based Restoration of Riverscapes: Design Manual. Utah State University Restoration Consortium, Logan, Utah. 66 pp.