Channel aggradation by beaver dams on a small agricultural stream in Eastern Nebraska

M.C. McCullough; J.L. Harper; D.E. Eisenhauer; M.G. Dosskey

Treesearch

Channel aggradation by beaver dams on a small agricultural stream in Eastern Nebraska

Informally Refereed

Authors:

M.C. McCullough, J.L. Harper, D.E. Eisenhauer, M.G. Dosskey

Year:

2004

Type:

Miscellaneous Publication

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

In: Proceedings of the 12-15 September 2004 Conferene: Self-sustaining solutions for streams, wetlands, and watersheds: 264-369

Download (PDF 936 KB)

Download (PDF 936 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/23951.pdf

Abstract

We assessed the effect of beaver dams on channel gradation of an incised stream in an agricultural area of eastern Nebraska. A topographic survey was conducted of a reach of Little Muddy Creek where beaver are known to have been building dams for twelve years. Results indicating that over this time period the thalweg elevation has aggraded an average of 0.65 m by trapping 1730 t of sediment in the pools behind dams. Beaver may provide a feasible solution to channel degradation problems in this region.

Keywords

beaver dams, channel aggradation, sediment, agricultural watershed

Citation

McCullough, M.C.; Harper, J.L.; Eisenhauer, D.E.; Dosskey, M.G. 2004. Channel aggradation by beaver dams on a small agricultural stream in Eastern Nebraska. In: Proceedings of the 12-15 September 2004 Conferene: Self-sustaining solutions for streams, wetlands, and watersheds: 264-369