PARENT SESSION
Oral Session #82: Urban Ecology.
Presiding: M. Cadenasso
Thursday, August 8. 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Grand Ballroom East, Radisson.
Evaluation of channel and riparian restoration in an urban stream.
Jack, Jeffrey*,1, Parola, Art1, Wood, Anna1, 1 University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
ABSTRACT- Stream restoration has become an important management tool in many watersheds but relatively few restoration projects have been evaluated as to their success or failure. Winding Falls in Louisville, Kentucky (USA) is an urban stream in which the channel and riparian zone were restored using a control reach as a model. In-stream meanders, root-wads and native plantings were used to try to establish a more natural stream form and better biological habitat. Stream geomorphology and biological communities have been compared to the control reach for the last three years. Stream channel structure is still evolving, but preliminary analyses indicate that most substrate is being transported through the restored reach during high flow events leading to poor riffle formation. Restored banks show significant groundwater piping and damage to riparian vegetation from debris transported during high water. There were fewer EPT taxa and higher chlorophyll and AFDM levels on substrate in the restored area compared to the control reach. Riparian zone plantings of woody native species had varied success, with mortality rates from 15% to 100%. This study indicates the importance of monitoring as a way of incorporating "lessons learned" into the theory and practice of stream restoration.
KEY WORDS: restoration, stream, riparian, urban