Building fish habitat is fun. However, creating sustainable fish habitat requires equal parts biology, hydraulics and geomorphology. Luckily, we are skilled in all these areas.

Habitat loss can be a major roadblock to sustaining native fish populations. Deforestation, conversion of land to agriculture, and urbanization can all contribute to degraded aquatic habitat. Even when these impacts have been eliminated or reduced, the ability of rivers and streams to recover may require hundreds of years.

Habitat Solutions

Re-introduction of physical structure: large wood and boulders
Accelerating flow to induce scour: increase water depths and flush out fine sediment
Stabilizing banks to promote re-vegetation
Creating side channels for juvenile rearing habitat
Placing substrate for spawning habitat

Common Habitat Problems

Improper conditions for spawning
Lack of necessary water depth
Insufficient protection from predators
Water velocity too high for young fish
Unstable surfaces for bugs (fish food)

When wood and boulders are not present, water is shallow and habitat for fish is minimal

Boulder steps create pools while wood maintains channel alignment

Wood induces scour to maintain gravel substrate in sandy channels

Boulders can be stable features that create habitat structure

“The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is the loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.”

— E.O. Wilson

Habitat Solutions

Common Habitat Problems

Healthy streams start here