Watershed Restoration
At Ridge to River we specialize in conservation and restoration of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Our goal is to return the site to historic ecological conditions, minimize interim ecological damage, and provide robust and economical design strategies.
Our watersheds are generally well-forested yet suffer some of the most rapid erosion rates on the globe. The products of accelerated watershed erosion collect in streambeds and have severely inhibited salmonid production. Our watershed services couple solutions that address fish, plants, and wildlife, while balancing human concerns.
Bioengineered streambank restoration is our preferred method for instream erosion issues. This technique involves specific design structures of vegetation, rock, and wood to rebuild and strengthen natural stream features. Through the use of native materials this method focuses on restoring aquatic and riparian habitat while armoring eroding banks and gullies.
Terrestrial habitat restoration may be implemented for a variety of purposes including mine reclamation, burned area rehabilitation, revegetation, and erosion control. In our restoration we use native species and incorporate concepts such as infiltration basins and hydrologic invisibility.
At V. Sattui Vineyards we employed bioengineering techniques on the eroding bank (above left) to prevent further degradation and restore salmonid and riparian habitat. We installed a live willow brush mattress, siltation baffles, and a porous woven willow wall using locally harvested willow (above right). If left unprotected, streambanks like these are vulnerable to powerfully erosive winter storms, potentially resulting in the loss of valuable acreage.
