The Great Basin Ecology Laboratory
Incising Streams and Degraded Riparian Areas
GBEM-Team Leader
EPR-Project Leader
Streams and riparian areas supply most of Nevada’s water and support much of the region’s biodiversity. However, many stream systems are incised (downcut) and the riparian areas are often severely degraded limiting their capacity to supply critical ecosystem services. As part of an interdisciplinary research and management project, we are developing a basic understanding of the causes of stream incision and riparian ecosystem degradation and of current stream and riparian ecosystem functioning. We are examining the effects of climate change and both natural and human-caused disturbances, including roads and overgrazing, on stream and riparian ecosystem integrity and on water quantity and quality. Our collaborative research and management team is developing techniques for restoring and maintaining sustainable streams and riparian ecosystems. These include: (1) a classification of watershed sensitivity to disturbance that can be used for determining appropriate management and restoration activities; (2) tools for preventing future stream incision and increasing stream stability such as grade control structures and armoring; and (3) methods for restoring degraded riparian ecosystems that have crossed recovery thresholds including fire, revegetation and other site manipulations. We have annual field tours of our study watersheds for our stakeholders.