Restoring streams post-fire with low-tech structures in Idaho

Conservation professionals turned a negative into a positive in the aftermath of the 65,000-acre Sharps wildfire on Baugh Creek in the Little Wood watershed in Central Idaho. A major partnership project led by the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission led to the installation of more than 120 beaver dam-type low-tech structures along Baugh Creek and two other tributaries to help restore the streams in a post-fire environment. The beaver dam analogs and other woody in-stream structures slow down the water flow, increase meanders and store water high in the watershed for the benefit of fish, wildlife and livestock.
The project was made possible by two private landowners in the area that wanted to restore the streams and improve wildlife habitat. Partners included Idaho Fish and Game, Trout Unlimited, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wood River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Anabranch Solutions, Utah State University, and more.

[@darrellschulte3868]

Prison inmates in Idaho get no credit for all the wildfires they fight, and do rehab work on those same fires.

[@PhongNguyen-nz9kz]

Thanks prisoners.

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

Thanks prisoners for giving paying your debts back.

[@TheAcenightcreeper]

Some of them started them

[@Sksk27547]

Some should get credit

[@VIGOUROSO2024]

It's because you are prisoners.

[@robertcalamusso4218]

What a win.

[@MultiWhyhate]

Might want to just reintroduce beaver and then not trap them into extinction.

[@grantmccoy6739]

It's cool, but beavers would have done it better. It's actually really funny, because they had post pounders and power tools, and it's still not really as good as what a beaver would do. Beavers flood the entire region, they don't just stack logs in a stream. Yeah, the water slows, a little, but it's not really making a pond or lake or anything. I like the idea, especially when beaver are introduced simultaneously, because it basically makes things easier on them. But I'm not sure beaver would want to live in this area, because there's not many trees.

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process.

[@BlackKnight-ll8qh]

How do you afford to buy 5,000 acres??

[@bleo8371]

Yeah you shoud also mention your animals ruined eco system. . where is no wolf there is erosion. .

[@guyh.4553]

Add beaver. And you needed willow plantings. You guys know this. It's in your BMP playbook

[@Tamacoleo]

There’s another video that shows some of these areas where they’ve added some beavers

[@CR-di1lg]

You sure are making it very beaver friendly. Beautiful work and area.

[@tomb816]

Looks more like they were putting the Beavers out of work. Pretty sad 🙁

[@guameldestruir6239]

@@tomb816 Prebuilding BDA's and other analogues like them will actually incentivize beavers to move in since they kickstart the habitat repair. They provide pools and can give willow and other riparian vegetation a head start on the beavers, so when the beavers do move in they will have food and hiding spots pre made. Beavers generally prefer finished habitat and avoid barren streams completely. BDA's are temporary structures and will fail in about 10 years without repair, something beavers will do if they move into the area. 🙂

[@Tamacoleo]

As an ecology scientist this makes me so happy to see this!

[@mazlosoutdooradventures8594]

Beavers do this for fun... And you don't have to pay them.. They could of saved tax payers money and help the environment.... But I'm no scientist

[@russellringland1399]

Now the owners should plant 20,000 trees within 1/4 mile of the stream for the future beavers. I don't see a lot of existing trees for them.

[@inharmonywithearth9982]

My beavers love bamboo.

[@rminhas4549]

You can see the habitat that the water retention in the valley is creating, suitable for more riparian species and eventually beavers. Are there cottonwood (Populus) species in this region other than aspen? You all probably know about deep planting techniques and whip plantings that work for trees in the Salicaceae family. I’d be interested in if there is suitable local eco type species for that type of planting? And what plant species you would like to see more of?

[@Thingsyourollup]

How dare KZbin suggest a video that might restore my faith in our future instead of further eroding it.

[@hexacetat]

Haha same xD

[@wrightgregson9761]

how refreshingly positive this presentation has been!!!!

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Great land owners. Thanks !!

[@derekroe9329]

Well done. I hope we use the same technology in California.

[@mazlosoutdooradventures8594]

They should be. Where they can't keep beavers thieving that is.

[@jaysallinen3788]

They have regulations now that make it nearly impossible to restore streams and creeks anymore. If they can't make money from it it won't happen that's how corrupt our government has became. They can't control the beaver unless they kill them, kinda like us , so good luck getting California to go along with it. It's not an immagration issue or anything to do with gun control...

[@larryjanson4011]

never in ca, as the big water corps own the water and they want it in there privet lakes. as they then sell it to the highest bidders. or gouge the public for it.

[@egidiomerlo7364]

Criticam o Brasil,mas no Brasil a lei obriga ter 30 metros de área de mata nativa ao lado de qualquer nascente ou córrego de água

[@yesthisisdonut]

really cool to see land owners that actually take on their responsability to support wildlife.

[@mech-E]

Where's the beavers?

[@Tugedhel]

I love this project so much. I was feeling down today and saw it come up on my suggestions though I had watched it years ago. I watched it again because it is such a beautiful example of thinking people coming together and doing relatively small interventions in the right way for a huge stack of positive effects. When you draw the essence of this case, you can see how the principles can apply to so many different things. This is not only cool but inspiring and healing just to ponder on.

[@cautionunderpressure.5562]

I really wanna see how it's doing spring 2022.

[@chucktaylor4958]

Are native grasses sown on the burn sites? Other species?

[@swoop01g91]

The world needs more of this

[@andriesliebenberg4734]

Foresters in South Africa been doing similar for years

[@janosik150]

I wonder why there is no trees on these mountains, looks like plenty of water and no trees... it is crazy

[@adamhess7788]

it's shrub-steppe. too dry and arid.

[@KirkMaxson]

can you go back here and show how it's changed.

[@belesariius]

if water retention in the landscape is one of the key issues, why is there no water harvesting at elevation - alongside the river restoration ?

[@whitefishhire4598]

i agree

[@stewartjones2173]

More and more of humanity is scaling Maslow's pyramid.

[@daniadejonghe4980]

thank you... I believe that many small actions like this together are what can save our beautiful land and curb the worst effect of global heating in the long run.

[@dombaker8790]

Super interesting and well produced.

[@shinaskitchenfs344]

is there an update on wild life increase?

[@sherrycochrane1947]

Excellent

[@tss9886]

Those beavers will make lots of babies who will move in if you let them.

[@PacoOtis]

Beavers were not invited? WTF? It sometimes appears that we people of Idaho try very hard to appear more ignorant than the people of Mississippi and Missouri! Why is this?? It does appear we are quite good at it!! Best of luck to all of us!

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process. They talked about this in the video saying that beavers from nearby intact areas (not degraded) should move in as the conditions in the project area improved.

[@leroybabcock6652]

bdas pre fire might minimze riparian impact in the event of a fire incident

[@gup8175]

Think Global, Act Local

[@canopysun-yourinformationp2382]

...team work to make the dream work

[@robinstevenson6690]

YOU ARE HEROES!

[@johnadams5245]

fantastic! bravo

[@williamrobinson4265]

great work with universal applicability around the globe - here the quality is in the documentation of the efficacy of such primitive and even ancient methods

[@iandemontfort4276]

Just use Beavers

[@TheVideoful100]

You have only bare hills now. Any chance to reforest them?

[@idahoconservationcommissio7335]

This was not a heavily forested area pre-fire. The land is continuing to recover at a much better rate than it would have without the jump start.

[@jamesringler987]

@@idahoconservationcommissio7335 what about adding beavers????

[@robertjones-vm7qu]

In Nevada they are using this technology The N.R.C.S has been very successful with this. We have been involve with them over the last 4 years.Nothing but success. Lots of duck nesting and wilife along with improved grazing.

[@swimbait1]

This is awesome. Low expense, low impact. The only concern I can see is perhaps fish passage for some fish. Bank storage may be improved by flooding.

[@itsrachelfish]

Actually beavers and salmon have a symbiotic relationship! Salmon are very adept at jumping over beaver dams, they have been evolving together for millions of years. The beaver ponds create ideal spawning habitat by lowering stream temperatures and reducing water speed. Often times there are also small channels around the beaver dams that fish can use to get upstream. This is one of the key differences between beaver dams and the large concrete dams often made by humans for hydropower and drinking water.

[@QuiChiYang2]

Sage grouse love ticks. This should prove thru time & permaculture design 2b a gr8 area for cattle & chickens to grass feed.

[@gjmob]

The us is a strange country. These people are creating beaver dams and other youtube videos people are blowing up beaver dams with explosives.

[@uggali]

Should've just reintroduced actual beavers, but neat alright

[@alainanorzagaray5266]

Great presentation of the info!

[@orly2663]

ex-STREAM-ly happy with the project

[@bmunday]

wow. still cow-towing to cattle. congrats that they selfishly helped and gave access.

[@charlesward8196]

Great opportunity to re-connect the stream to the flood plain.

[@cracktmonkey3472]

Have you looked into reintroduction of beavers?

[@kaywhy245]

Why not introduce beavers?

[@MiguelRodriguez-bk8ek]

What is it like now? Any update videos?

[@robinstevenson6690]

you guys are really inspiring! 🦁🐯🐅🐆🐴🐎🦄🦓🦌🐑🐏🐗🐖🐄🐫🦣🦏🐼🐨🐻🐿🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦫🦒🦒🦒

[@starseoltd.4927]

how about puting in beavers and fish

[@ianswayne7296]

What awesome land owners

[@lorettarussell3235]

Yes wish we had a lot more like them

[@releventhurt]

5000@cers is a ton of land

[@ziaarastu7519]

great work!!

[@jackprier7727]

"Emerald islands in a vast cheatgrass sea"-

[@Jordanehart]

Great effort and cooperation.

[@jamesstepp1925]

Instead of building beaver dam analogs why not just allow beaver dams to be built again? Cheaper, easier, more efficient and better for humans and wildlife.

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process. If the landscape was left alone, eventually beavers would move back in after the vegetation had come back naturally. But it could take a very long time depending on the level of degradation. We can help get things moving and shave off decades of recovery time and BDA's are cheap to install.

[@johnbuhrman9799]

Just add beavers and you'er done!

[@mssn3166]

Beavers are climate and ecosystem savers.

[@jeffg6900]

Re introduce beavers and then protect them. They will do the work for you!

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process.

[@ryanscott642]

bring the beavers back

[@mazlosoutdooradventures8594]

They should have just brought in about 6 or 8 beavers they wouldn't of costed but what they paid one of them engineers for a day... And they would of done it twice as fast and provided lots more food for predators for years to come

[@novampires223]

What would the beaver eat? Have to have the trees first right?

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process.

[@garybarr2023]

Brilliant 👏 well done guys and girls.

[@lancerudy9934]

Great video ❤😊

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

Awesome work! Thanks 🙏

[@robinstevenson6690]

excellent work! ! !

[@knotweedkninja8539]

How do the fish get through the dams?

[@jonathanbaker7756]

Jump. Just like any other obstacle.

[@itsrachelfish]

Salmon are very adept at jumping over beaver dams, they have been evolving together for millions of years. The beaver ponds create ideal spawning habitat by lowering stream temperatures and reducing water speed. Often times there are also small channels around the beaver dams that fish can use to get upstream.

[@robertcalamusso4218]

Great

[@releventhurt]

Great work guys

[@beaverdam1990]

Beautiful view

[@DeliveryBryan]

Nice work everyone !! These bring a smile to my face !

[@mathbrown9099]

As a landowner, I’d just be overjoyed to have someone ask me a question about how the BDA’s worked for my family. It looks like environmentalists have their way, as everywhere. I may have worked the land my entire life, slaving and saving to keep the land family-owned. Without a voice in this conversation, and at any tables where this plan was discussed, I would be just like every other western landowner: out in the gov’t agent never land with no voice nor recourse.

[@itsrachelfish]

I'm confused, what are you trying to say? I'm assuming you are a rancher, in which case BDAs will be greatly beneficial for you by raising the water table and significantly increasing the amount of grass that is able to grow around the stream. By giving up a small percentage of your land to increase water storage capacity you will exponentially increase grass yield

[@PelvainDhanda]

As a GIS Student this makes me so happy to see this!

[@northwoodsdad7506]

Why not return beaver to the area? There's a thought. Let nature do the work it is meant to do. The "stream owners" and government don't actually want to restore the area. They just want pasture.

[@TheKingdied]

Totally agree with you In my area every beaver is killed

[@darongw]

I've worked on beaver relocation projects. You can't just toss them into a degraded landscape. All that happens is a happy predator gets an easy meal or the beavers leave the area. Using beaver dam analogs helps reconnect the river to the surrounding floodplain which results in willows and other similar woody plants coming in. The analogs also create pools that beavers can use. Then beavers can come in and continue the work. The analogs are just jump starting the natural process. This was all talked about in the video and is what they are planning for.

[@WWDTruth]

Let's get this straight. You killed all the beavers that do this to survive, but think you do it better? Bring back beaver and let nature do it's part as well.

[@jamesellis2784]

That's somewhere around twin falls the tomato growers choice.

[@Sksk27547]

I lived in Idaho when I was age 8. I was born in Europe. Idaho at the time was a very dry place. Some people thought it would become worse than arizona, hilarious 😂. You guys should try to be stronger men, and use 100 pound rocks and mud to make water-falls. I did this at a local park, and many people were trying to stop me. The rocks weren't 100 pounds, they were less than 50.

[@chuckcrunch1]

it was good up until you put cows on the land and basically undid everything lol

[@chadmasters3935]

HAHA !!! Rich couple buy 5k acres and has the state and federal government make all the improvements to make their land more valuable.......rich keep getting richer.

[@blanksender7808]

So why the fuck aren't we just letting beavers do what beavers do naturally?

[@kevinferris1589]

Fixing post-wildfire creek damage sounds like a growth industry.

[@dougismakis4828]

why not use umm beavers lol.

[@CR-di1lg]

As they say the habitat was destroyed during the fire and not enough vegetation for the beaver to easily establish. Not like you just throw some beavers in a stream and the build all of this in a week. However what they have done here enable the beaver to move in much faster.

[@larryjanson4011]

how much of that money was stolen from the tax payers. and how much was there OWN money? sure great to save the land for the critters. but if it has ANY tax moneys involved it must never be behind a LOCKED gate. it should be open to the public as PUBLIC land. NOT privet cattle grazing land.

[@bagermaster-club]

Small rivers can be cleaned from bottom sediments using a motor pump for dirty water and a suction nozzle Bagermaster. A mini dredger consisting of a motor pump and a suction nozzle allows you to deepen small rivers by removing sediment from sand and silt

[@synappticuser7296]

It's fantastic to see communities rebuilding the natural environment after the wild fire. I can't tell you what joy I feel seeing you do this. It's just great - thank you guys, thank you! 🌤️🏞️🤸😊