The goal of this workshop is to present the science
of
fluvial geomorphology
and
aquatic ecology
such that local and state officials, planners, watershed
groups, recreational fish organizations, and practitioners
of stream restoration may be in tune with the complex
dynamics of natural rivers.
A number of criteria must be considered when assessing the
need for stream restoration and designing or installing
habitat improvement structures. In most drainage basins,
changes in hydrology and sediment loads due to historical
land use changes and/or major flood events in the watershed
affects downstream reaches over very long periods of time,
often decades to even centuries. As a result, many channels
remain in a protracted phase of morphologic adjustment,
making restorative efforts ineffective or requiring high
maintenance.
