Texas Creek
Project Goals and Objectives
In the last decade, Texas Creek has suffered severe impacts from nearby wildfires, including vegetation loss, and severe incision. This fire-related degradation is compounded by a long history of human and livestock impacts on the creek. As a result, the creek has become incredibly, straight, narrow, and fast-moving and in most places, it is unable to access its floodplain, even during high flows. Our goal for Texas Creek was to correct incision to improve riparian habitat and reconnect the creek to its floodplain.
Structure Construction Elements
To accomplish this goal, we focused on adding woody structure back into the creek to help slow water and capture sediment to start building the creek back towards its floodplain. We installed woody structure in the form of 32 post-assisted structures and 22 postless wood jams. Materials were sourced locally from nearby forest thinning projects. In May of 2023, we planted nearly 500 willow stakes to further support riparian restoration.
Project Photos
Cover Photo
2024-05-09
MOBP staff plant willow stakes near the creek.
2023-05-10
Joe setting up the RTK base station to complete detailed monitoring of the changes to the stream bed.
2023-05-11
Woody structure helps to lower stream power in the straight, incised channel.
2024-05-29
Willow plantings thrive in the increased water above a BDA.