Taking Care of Streams

What is a riparian area?
A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland . Most healthy riparian areas have moist, fertile soils that support many types of moisture-loving plants. These plants provide food and shelter to numerous fish and wildlife.

Why do riparian areas matter?
Plants in healthy riparian areas:

Provide wood to streams, creating fish habitat and slowing the stream flow after storms.
Shade streams in the summer. Cool water is healthier for many native fish species.
Help prevent erosion by holding soil in place with their roots.
Filter sediment out of muddy runoff, keeping sediment from smothering fish habitat.
Allow heavy winter rains to soak into the soil instead of running into the stream. This allows water to be released slowly to the stream during the dry season.
Filter out pollutants, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and animal wastes.
Provide important food sources, homes, shelter, and travel corridors for wildlife, fish, and other aquatic organisms.

Healthy riparian areas:
• Reduce the chance of flooding
• Improve water quality
• Provide habitat for fish and wildlife

WHAT CAN YOU DO ?

How do people change riparian areas?
Removing or damaging plants through livestock grazing, timber harvest, construction, and landscaping practices, especially in the riparian area, can harm streams. Plants, particularly trees and shrubs near stream banks, provide shade and cool water essential for many fish species. They also can catch rainfall and allow it to soak slowly into the ground instead of running quickly into streams. Plants also help prevent the formation of gullies that can result when water flows across bare soils. When water runoff from storms reaches streams too quickly, more erosion and flooding occur downstream. More rainwater, pesticides, fertilizers and sediment reach the stream in areas without riparian plants to slow and filter water.

Things you can do around the house.

Don’t pour soapy water, automobile oil, paint, household chemicals, or pesticides down the storm drain. Drains are often connected directly to streams.
Direct gutters away from streams, pavement, and septic drain fields and into where water can seep slowly into the soil.
Keep livestock, cars, and trees, away from your septic tank and septic fields.
Inspect your septic system annually, and pump the tank as necessary. Keep pet waste away from streams, and riparian areas. Put pet waste in a bag and place it in the trash.
Use less toxic or nontoxic household cleaners.
Design, construct, and maintain access roads and stream crossings to minimize erosion.

* Streamside plants help stabilize streambanks, moderate stream temperature, and provide habitat for fish and other wildlife.

All information on this page is produced by Rogue Valley Council of Governments. Information based on OSU Extension's taking Care of Streams brochure series.

For more information:

Click on the links below

Stream and Wetland Enhancement Guide. Rogue Valley Council of Governments/Clean Water Services.

Oregon State University of fish and Wildlife Habitat Programs.

Bear Creek Riparian planting Plan.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Programs.

Oregon Department of State Lands.
Responsible for regulating wetlands.

For more information on developing for a management plan:

Applegate River Watershed Council. 6941 Upper Applegate Road.
Jacksonville, OR (541) 899-9982

Jackson County Soil & Water Conservation District
541-423-6159

Jackson County Development Services
(541) 774-6900

Rogue Valley Council of Governments, Natural Resources Department
541-423-6158