Ferry CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Kettle River Riparian Stabilization
Over the past 75+ years, the riparian area along this reach of the Kettle River has suffered serious degradation. Crumbling high banks contribute to increased sediment loads. The river banks are stripped of vegetation. This contributes to high water temperatures. A poorly defined stream channel made the property prone to spring flooding. The landowners requested our assistance, and, using funds from a Washington Department of Ecology water quality grant, the Ferry Conservation District (FCD) stepped in to help restore the riparian buffer.
Project Summary and Results
We convened our area management team to brainstorm the project area’s needs. Then we hired an engineering firm to design a project that could stabilize the river bank, reestablish the riparian buffer, and still allow the landowners access for recreation. We installed large woody debris to diffuse the force of the river’s current. The bank was re-sloped to a more gentle, less erodible 3/1 pitch. The biggest challenge was reestablishing the riparian buffer.
Key Partners
Washington Department of Ecology; Washington State Conservation Commission; Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers