Start › Field support › Restoration › Component – stones and boulders › Handling soil cover material and/or widening the stream

Handling soil cover material and/or widening the stream

Find the natural width of the stream section to be restored by surveying both sides of the watercourse and identifying where cleared material is located. It is often overgrown, which can make it difficult to detect.
Clear the area up to the natural width to get an idea of how much and the quality of the cleared boulders.
Dress the surrounding terrain with the cleared material. Be sure to lay it low and not leave it in piles, as this is aesthetically unpleasing and can obstruct the water from reaching its floodplains.

Leave the soil cover as shown in the image below

Forest view with flattened material on the ground. — The image shows soil cover that has been flattened to resemble natural terrain.

Do not leave soil cover as shown in the image below

Soil cover in a large pile by the stream. With an excavator in the background. — The image shows soil cover that has been piled up and can prevent the natural movement of water out over the floodplain.

Widening of the watercourse

A watercourse that is very cleared of stones and boulders. An excavator is visible closest in the image. — Widening of the watercourse, note how narrow the cleared channel is.

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