Sessions
Concurrent Session: Research and monitoring in the Little Plover River watershed: Part 1
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Thu
ORAL PRESENTER
CO-AUTHOR: David Palme, United States Army Corps of Engineers
TITLE: Restoring channel morphology on the Little Plover River and reconnecting its floodplain
ABSTRACT: To address poor channel form, faculty and students at UW-Stevens Point implemented various stream restoration techniques and reconnected a section of the floodplain along the Little Plover River. In 2019, three 600-ft stream reaches were restored along the stream using different techniques along each reach. The following three techniques were used: 1) upper canopy thinning (T); 2) upper canopy thinning plus channel lining with brush bundles(TB) placed along the stream edges to narrow and deepen the channel; and 3) upper canopy thinnging, channel lining with brush bundles, and sod mat placement (TBS) with Carex stricta plugs placed on top of the brush bundles to stabilize the structures. Immediately following restoration and 3 years later, we assessed canopy cover, channel morphology, water velocity, water temperature, and sediments and compared results to reference sections (i.e., sections that still maintain ideal channel form). I will present results comparing these restoration techniques to each other and comparisons between the reference reach. In addition, with the help of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources we restored a wetland within the floodplain of the Little Plover River to better connect the stream to its floodplain. This 1-acre wetland was created by lowering the land elevation in a prime location along the stream and seeding the area with Carex stricta. One major objective of this reconnection was to enhance water storage during storm events. I will present a preliminary hydrologic budget examining water pools and fluxes within the restored floodplain wetland during the 2022 growing season.
BIO: Kyle Herrman is a Professor of Water Resources in the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point. His educational background has focused on stream and wetland ecology, and his current research focuses on restoration and water quality in agricultural watersheds. He teaches courses on wetlands ecology and management, water chemistry, and soil and water resources.