These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution

Welcome

eXtension is an interactive learning environment delivering the best, most researched knowledge from the smartest land-grant university minds across America.

Find a U.S. Institution

eXtension: more mind reach

Have a question? Try asking one of our Experts

Riparian Health - Understanding How Uplands Contribute to Riparian Health

Last Updated: August 16, 2011

View as web page

Uplands and Riparian Areas Are Related

Roads can be a major contributor of excess sediment in riparian areas.

A riparian area and the stream that flows through it is the drainage point for the watershed they inhabit. Therefore, the condition of the uplands is going to influence the condition of the riparian area. When a riparian area undergoes a sudden change in its ability to function, the source of the problem could lie in the uplands, where an important change in sediment or water supply has caused riparian degradation.

If there has been a change in the water or sediment being supplied to a riparian-wetland area without any obvious changes occurring in the riparian area, the uplands should be investigated for possible causes. These could include road construction, fire, logging, urbanization, woodland expansion, and mudslides, as well as anything else that might alter the sediment or water that is delivered to the stream.

Warning Signs

Some warning signs to look for that may be indicative of problems related to uplands include:

An Excess of Sediment in the System. This could be manifested through:

Braiding
Mid-channel Bars
Overloading of Point Bars
Fan Deposits that Alter Sinuosity
Cementing of a Stream's Substrate

References

Surber, G., B. Ehrhart. 1998. Stream and Riparian Areas Management: A Home Study Course for Managers. Montana State Extension Service. Information also available at http://www.animalrangeextension.montana.edu/riparianmgt/index.htm

USDI Bureau of Land Management. 1998. Riparian Area Management: A User Guide to Assessing Proper Functioning Condition and the Supporting Science for Lotic Areas. Technical Reference TR 1737-15. 124 pp. More Information available at: http://www.blm.gov/or/programs/nrst/index.php

Browse related Articles by tag: rangelands, rangeland water

Have a specific question? Try asking one of our Experts

Unlike most other resources on the web, we have experts from Universities around the country ready to answer your questions.

These resources are brought to you by the Cooperative Extension System and your Local Institution. eXtension provides objective and research-based information and learning opportunities that help people improve their lives. eXtension is an educational partnership of 74 universities in the United States.