Watershed Symposium 2018

Beaver Dam Analogues: Implementation and Monitoring

Stream restoration using beaver dam analogues is popular because it’s affordable and effective. Yet, monitoring is often not conducted. Wild Utah Project and partners have been using the Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessment (RSRA) protocol to assess stream condition. RSRA provides a time and cost efficient means to monitor restoration projects.

Full Abstract
The environmental benefits of beaver and beaver dams are many and well documented: beaver create aquatic and riparian habitats, provide hydrological connectivity, reduce erosion, control sediments, and reduce runoff and floods. Beaver recolonization has been used as a stream restoration tool for decades. However, beaver recolonization may not be successful everywhere; some seriously degraded systems may not be able to initially sustain beaver or reintroduction of beaver may not be feasible. The concept of man-made beaver dams (“beaver dam analogues”) began as a means to support the potential colonization of beavers and/or achieve the environmental benefits of beaver dams. The utilization of beaver dam analogues for restoration has become popular because it is affordable and effective. In light of the popularity of beaver dam analogues, there has been a call for more data and monitoring on their effectiveness. Given the limited funding and resources for restoration projects, it is beneficial for monitoring programs to be appropriate scaled to the restoration effort. Since 2013, Wild Utah Project and our agency and non-profit partners have been using the Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessment (RSRA) method to efficiently assess the condition of a stream before and after beaver dam analogues are installed. RSRA utilizes qualitative and quantitative data collected in a stream to generate a score for water quality, hydrogeomorpohology, fish and aquatic habitat, riparian vegetation, and terrestrial wildlife habitat. RSRA provides a time and cost efficient means for land managers and conservationists to monitor the results of their restoration projects.