Stream channel erosion and change resulting from riparian forests

Forested stream banks, compared to grassed ones, can destabilize stream channels by promoting erosion. Four reaches of Coon Creek, Wisconsin, each with long-term grassed and forested subreaches were examined. Grassed reaches were narrower and had smaller channels (bankfull cross sections) than fores...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geology (Boulder) 1997-05, Vol.25 (5), p.467-469
Main Author: Trimble, Stanley W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
channels
Coon Creek
erosion
field studies
fluvial environment
fluvial features
forests
Freshwater
Geology
Geomorphology
Hydrogeology
hydrology
La Crosse County Wisconsin
riparian environment
Rivers
rivers and streams
Soil erosion
southwestern Wisconsin
streams
United States
vegetation
water erosion
Wisconsin
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Summary:Forested stream banks, compared to grassed ones, can destabilize stream channels by promoting erosion. Four reaches of Coon Creek, Wisconsin, each with long-term grassed and forested subreaches were examined. Grassed reaches were narrower and had smaller channels (bankfull cross sections) than forested reaches, suggesting that grassed channel reaches stored about 2100 to 8800 m3 more sediment per kilometre than forested reaches. Available evidence suggests that conversion of riparian forests to grass would allow storage of sediment along channels, possibly decreasing downstream sediment yields. These findings are important as many grassed riparian corridors are rapidly reverting to forest because of economic conditions and governmental policies.
ISSN:0091-7613
1943-2682
DOI:10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0467:SCEACR>2.3.CO;2