Short-Term Stream and Riparian Responses to Beaver Dam Analogs on a Low-Gradient Channel Lacking Woody Riparian Vegetation

Orr, Matthew R.; Weber, Nicholas; Noone, Wesley N.; Mooney, Megan G.; Oakes, Taiontorake M.; Broughton, Heather M.

doi:10.3955/046.093.0302

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Our multivariate mixed model indicated that fluctuations in the riparian water table can be predicted by the height of stream ponding, at least at the one BDA we studied. The rises in the riparian water table we observed post‐BDA installation were also found for BDAs installed by Bouwes et al (2016) and Orr et al (2020), but our values are on average 0.10 and 0.11 m greater than they reported. Our results are not consistent with the observations of Scamardo and Wohl (2020) who noted an absence of water table response to BDA installation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…Surface water ponding upstream is one of the well‐recognised functions of natural beaver dams and has been frequently reported (e.g., Pollock et al, 2014; Puttock et al, 2017; Stout et al, 2017). Rarely though is BDA‐induced ponding investigated (Bouwes et al, 2016; Orr et al, 2020; Scamardo & Wohl, 2020). We found that all three BDA configurations created upstream ponds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…BDAs are deployed in a variety of configurations, ranging from one individual structure to multiple structures installed in sequence. For example, Orr et al (2020) used five individual structures dispersed over a small scale restoration reach of 2.25 km, and Bouwes et al (2016) installed 100+ BDAs on the large scale restoration of Bridge Creek, in Oregon, USA. The BDA configuration is flexible and should depend on the hydrogeomorphic and ecologic settings (Pilliod et al, 2018) and also on the restoration project goal(s) (Pollock et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beaver dam analogue configurations influence stream and riparian water table dynamics of a degraded spring‐fed creek in the Canadian Rockies

Munir

Westbrook

2020

River Research & Apps

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Beaver dam analogues (BDAs) are intended to simulate natural beaver dam ecohydrological functions including modifying stream hydrology and enhancing stream‐riparian hydrological connectivity. River restoration practitioners are proactively deploying BDAs in thousands of degraded streams. How various BDAs or their configurations impact stream hydrology and the riparian water table remains poorly understood. We investigated three types of BDA configurations (single, double and triple) in a spring‐fed Canadian Rocky Mountain stream over three study seasons (April–October; 2017–2019). All three BDA configurations significantly elevated the upstream stage. The deepest pools occurred upstream of the triple‐configuration BDAs (0.46 m) and the shallowest pools occurred upstream of the single‐configuration (0.36 m). Further, the single‐BDA configuration lowered stream stage and flow peaks below it but raised low flows. The double‐BDA configuration modulated flow peaks but had little influence on low flows. Unexpectedly, higher flow peaks and low flows were recorded below the triple‐BDA configuration, owing to groundwater seep. Similar to the natural beaver dam function, we observed an immediate water table rise in the riparian area after installation of the BDAs. The water table rise was greatest 2 m from the stream (0.14 m) and diminished with increasing lateral distance from the stream. Also noted was a reversal in the direction of flow between the stream and riparian area after BDA installation. Future research should further explore the dynamics of stream‐riparian hydrological connections under various BDA configurations and spacings, with the goal of identifying best practices for simulating the ecohydrological functions of natural beaver dams.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beaver dam analogue configurations influence stream and riparian water table dynamics of a degraded spring‐fed creek in the Canadian Rockies

Munir

Westbrook

2020

River Research & Apps

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“…The physical form of the constructed riffle structures used in this study is quite different from that of structures made of woven willow between wooden posts with mud and rock at the base of the dam more commonly used for beaver mimicry restoration (Castro et al, 2015). Differences in materials used for mimicry structures may produce changes to in-stream discharge and thermal regimes that alter resource pathways for consumers (Burchsted et al, 2010) with potential consequences to terrestrial ecosystems via resource subsidies (Baxter et al, 2005) or riparian vegetation communities (Orr et al, 2020). A comparison across structure types could be an area for future research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of biomimicry structures on ecosystem function in a Rocky Mountain incised stream

2022

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Rising levels of stream degradation have motivated a boom in restoration projects across the globe. However, postrestoration monitoring is still frequently lacking and does not always incorporate biotic responses to changes in the physical template. Beaver mimicry structures (BMSs) are becoming a popular tool to restore degraded streams throughout the American West, but relatively little is known about how these installations influence both biotic and abiotic factors, with consequences for ecosystem functioning. We monitored basal resources, organic and inorganic material standing stocks, and macroinvertebrate density, biomass, and production to quantify functional responses to BMS installation. We compared conditions at BMS sites to naturally occurring beaver dam and reference riffle sites in a low-gradient stream in southwest Montana. Thermal ranges were contracted, and daily maximum temperatures were higher, in the BMS treatment compared to the reference riffle treatment. Fine sediment standing stock and basal resources were similar in Beaver and BMS treatments, and both treatments were higher than reference riffles. All treatments differed in macroinvertebrate density, which was highest in the Beaver treatment, followed by Mimic and then Reference treatment. Biomass and secondary production were

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“…Unlike beaver dams, which have been well‐studied in the Mountain West, scientific evaluations of existing BDA projects are still in early stages (Bouwes et al, 2016; Pilliod et al, 2018; Vanderhoof & Burt, 2018; Silverman et al, 2019; Munir & Westbrook, 2020; Orr et al, 2020; Scamardo & Wohl, 2020; Wade et al, 2020). While theoretical models of beaver‐ and BDA‐mediated channel evolution and stream restoration predict timelines of geomorphic change, field data corroborating these models are particularly limited for BDAs (Pollock et al, 2014; Scamardo & Wohl, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the geomorphic channel response to beaver dam analog installation using unoccupied aerial vehicles

Davis

Lautz

Kelleher

et al. 2021

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Beaver dam analogs (BDAs) are a stream restoration technique that is rapidly gaining popularity in the western United States. These low-cost, stream-spanning structures, designed after natural beaver dams, are being installed to confer the ecologic, hydrologic, and geomorphic benefits of beaver dams in streams that are often too degraded to provide suitable beaver habitat. BDAs are intended to slow streamflow, reduce the erosive power of the stream, and promote aggradation, making them attractive restoration tools in incised channels. Despite increasing adoption of BDAs, few studies to date have monitored the impacts of BDAs on channel form. Here, we

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Short-Term Stream and Riparian Responses to Beaver Dam Analogs on a Low-Gradient Channel Lacking Woody Riparian Vegetation

Cited by 14 publications

References 26 publications

Beaver dam analogue configurations influence stream and riparian water table dynamics of a degraded spring‐fed creek in the Canadian Rockies

Beaver dam analogue configurations influence stream and riparian water table dynamics of a degraded spring‐fed creek in the Canadian Rockies

Influence of biomimicry structures on ecosystem function in a Rocky Mountain incised stream

Evaluating the geomorphic channel response to beaver dam analog installation using unoccupied aerial vehicles

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