STREAM BANKS

THE VALUE OF BANKS

Stream banks direct the water downstream.
Stream banks need living vegetation.

Stream banks confine a stream and direct which way a stream flows. It is important to ensure that the banks of a stream are stable and have rooted vegetation growing from them. This will help ensure that the soil and dirt stays in the banks and out of the streams. If there is little or no vegetation, steep stream banks will erode and get washed into the stream causing siltation, making it difficult for fish to see, breathe, and spawn. Click on the picture at right to get more information on water cleanliness.

BEYOND THE STREAM BANKS: OFF-CHANNEL HABITAT

Fish may live anywhere there is water,
even if it is just a puddle beside a stream.

In addition to the obvious stream channel within the stream banks, fish habitat can also exist in secondary channels and low areas near the main channel. Often, fish can only get to these when extremely high flood waters allow the fish to swim over the normal banks into these areas, known as off-channel habitat. Small fish may get trapped in these areas for months, or until another flood comes along with high enough water for them to escape. This off-channel habitat is very useful because it provide young vulnerable salmon with very good shelter, lots of food, and water when the main stream has dried up.