Publication

In the tension between land and water, water always wins. Healthy, well vegetated riparian areas slow the rate of erosion and balance erosion in one spot with bank or shoreline increases through deposition elsewhere. It is extremely difficult to solve erosion problems overnight but once the threat of erosion becomes obvious we tend to want a quick fix. Regaining streambank and shoreline stability may require the temporary use of erosion control structures, especially where insufficient riparian vegetation exists. Solutions may also require a watershed view to see all of the things that contribute to instability.