Streambank and Shoreline Protection

July 2008 STREAMBANK AND SHORELINE PROTECTION

PRACTICE INTRODUCTION

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service―Practice Code 580

STREAMBANK AND SHORELINE  Improving or enhancing the stream PROTECTION corridor for fish and wildlife habitat, aesthetics, and recreation Streambank and shoreline protection is the stabilization and protection of streambanks, Various materials may be used for protection of constructed channels, and shorelines of lakes, streambanks and shorelines. An extensive site reservoirs, or estuaries. assessment must be conducted to determine, among other factors, if the causes of instability are PRACTICE INFORMATION local or systemic in nature. This information is used in selecting the most appropriate treatment to This practice applies to streambanks of natural or achieve the desired objectives. Treatments must be constructed channels and shorelines of lakes, functional and stable for the design flow and reservoirs, or estuaries where they are susceptible sustainable for higher flow conditions. to erosion. The purpose(s) of this practice include: COMMON ASSOCIATED PRACTICES  Preventing the loss of land or damage to Streambank and Shoreline Protection is commonly land uses or other facilities adjacent to the used in a Conservation Management System with banks various conservation practices including Riparian Forest Buffer (391), Riparian Herbaceous Buffer  Protecting historical, archeological, and (390), Critical Area Planting (342), Fish Passage traditional cultural properties, while (396), Pipeline (516), Fence (382), Use Exclusion accommodating the natural fluvial (472), and Watering Facility (614). processes within the stream segment and shoreline reach Refer to the practice standard in the local Field Office Technical Guide and associated Job Sheets  Maintaining the flow or storage capacity for further information. of the water body  Reducing the offsite or downstream effects of sediment resulting from bank erosion

The following page identifies the effects expected to occur when this practice is applied. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. All appropriate local, State, Tribal, and Federal permits and approvals are the responsibility of the landowner and are presumed to have been obtained. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site. Streambank and Initial setting: Areas of streambanks of Streambank and Shoreline natural or constructed channels and Shoreline Protection Protection (580) shorelines of lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries Start 7/2008 that are susceptible to erosion from the action of water, ice, debris, livestock, pedestrians, or vehicular traffic

1. Stabilization and protection of bank of natural streams, constructed channels, and shorelines of lakes, 1 D.5 (+) Streambank vegetation and root matrix reservoirs, and estuaries D.2 (-) Loss of land or (where vegetative treatment is used or bank damage to adjacent armoring does not restrict plant growth) D.1 (+) Cost of facilities or land uses installation and D.3 (-) Streambank/ D.4 (+) Flow capacity of I.14 (+) Storage maintenance shoreline erosion streams and channels Riparian Forest Buffer (391) of organic matter/ soil carbon I.7 (+/-) Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390) I.2 (-) Annual I.4 (-) Nutrients I.6 (-) Channel/floodplain costs or losses and organics in 2 Sedimentation dynamics I.9 (+/-) Shade to surface water I.15 (+) landowner Soil quality I.16 (-) I.5 (-) I.12 (+) Greenhouse Turbidity I.8 (+/-) Riparian gases I.3 (+) Land Native plant seed (total condition values recruitment C.7 (+) Air suspended quality sediment) I.10 (+/-) Water quantity I.1 (+/-) Net C.2 (+/-) Aquatic and I.13 (-) Invasive/ returns to terrestrial habitat noxious species LEGEND landowner (streambank, shoreline, C.1 (+) Water quality I.11 (+/-) (with vegetation instream, riparian, etc.) Water management) Mitigating practice temperature C.4 (+/-) C.5 (+/-) Income and income C.3 (+/-) Aquatic and terrestrial Associated practice stability (individuals and Recreational populations and diversity C.6 (+/-) Biodiversity community) opportunities #. Created by practice

D. Direct effect Notes: Effects are qualified with a plus (+) or minus (-). These symbols indicate only an increase (+) or a decrease (-) in the effect upon the resource, not whether the effect is beneficial or adverse. I. Indirect effect Projects involving long lengths of bank or shoreline, structural controls, substantial earth moving and/or fill, or sensitive waters may need to be evaluated in a site-specific EA or EIS. C. Cumulative effect 1 Additional information about potential protection measures and their impacts is available in the EIS for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. 2 Conventional bank armoring (e.g., rip rap, gabions) may result in decreased (-) channel/flood plain dynamics, and associated impacts, while other less intrusive methods (e.g., stream barbs, stone toes with sloped, vegetated banks) may result in increased (+) channel/flood plain dynamics. Pathway (+) increase; (-) decrease

The diagram above identifies the effects expected to occur when this practice is applied according to NRCS practice standards and specifications. These effects are subjective and somewhat dependent on variables such as climate, terrain, soil, etc. All appropriate local, State, Tribal, and Federal permits and approvals are the responsibility of the landowner and are presumed to have been obtained. All income changes are partially dependent upon market fluctuations which are independent of the conservation practices. Users are cautioned that these effects are estimates that may or may not apply to a specific site.