Silver Creek Riparian Restoration
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Project Goals and Objectives
The project aims to increase aquatic and riparian habitat along Silver Creek and Greens Gulch in the Black Hills National Forest through the installation of beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and willow planting in conjunction with ongoing riparian grazing management. Historically beaver have been present in this area and without the presence of beaver in this stream reach there is an increased chance of stream incision and loss of wetland habitat. By mimicking beaver and repairing old beaver dam structures with BDAs we hope to stabilize this system to halt incision and increase stream connectivity to the adjacent floodplain.
Structure Construction Elements
The reach is approximately 1.5 miles long with the installation of 75 small BDA structures along this reach. BDAs will be built by driving untreated wooden posts to create structure support, weaving willows onto the posts, and then adding cobble and sod mats creating a semi-permeable structure. Riparian planting of willows would accompany each BDA in order to improve stabilization of banks and provide riparian habitat. Installation would occur in the late summer and fall of 2023 and maintained for the life of the structures (estimated at 5 years) or until beaver establish in the drainage.
Project Photos
Cover Photo
2023-10-12
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2023-10-12
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