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Riparian & Streamside Vegetation 



How We Impact Vegetation 



Overgrazing by livestock or wildlife 



Spraying herbicides 



Operating heavy equipment in riparian areas 



Building roads 



Clearcutting streamside areas 



Farming to the edge of a stream 



Allowing invasion of non-native species 



Removing riparian vegetation 



Effects of Impacting Vegetation 



Increases bank erosion & failure 



Widens channels; decreases depth 



Disrupts streamside plant communities 



Increases invasion of non-native plants 



Lowers water table 



Makes stream banks more susceptible to 



livestock trampling and erosion 



Increases water temperature 



Speeds runoff 



Reduces trapping of sediment and other 



pollutants 



Reduces livestock forage 



Increases bank damage due to icing 



Decreases valuable real estate 



Decreases fish and wildlife cover 



Maintaining healthy vegetation 

 should be your first priority when 

 managing stream and riparian 

 areas. Stream behaviors, such as 

 channel widening and bank 

 erosion, are influenced by the 

 amount and kind of vegetation on 

 stream banks. Healthy stream 

 banks are covered by deep, densely 

 rooted streamside vegetation that 

 binds soils. Streambank vegetation 

 also creates friction that slows 

 stream flows. Removing vegetation, 

 or replacing it with riprap or 

 cement walls, increases stream 

 velocity and sends more erosive 

 stream energy downstream. 



Lessening Our Impact 



• Do not remove riparian 

 vegetation 



• Control noxious plants 



• Manage grazing intensity, vary 

 season of use, and provide 

 sufficient rest to encourage plant 

 vigor and regrowth 



• Ensure sufficient vegetation 

 during spring runoff or peak flow 

 to protect stream banks, dissipate 

 stream energy, and trap sediments 



• Control the timing of grazing to 

 prevent damage to stream banks 

 when they are wet and most 

 susceptible to trampling 



• Re-establish native and 

 appropriate non-native plant 

 species 



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