Little Campbell Creek Watershed Issues

Below are photographs of problematic areas within the watershed:

Natural Course/Straightened Channel

Channel straightening replaces a winding stream with a shorter, straighter channel. The new channel has a steeper slope because water makes the same elevation drop over a shorter distance. After straightening the stream, the stream must adjust to these abrupt elevation changes. Water begins to flow faster causing the banks and bottom to erode. The stream bottom erodes upstream while deposition occurs downstream.

natural course	straightened channel

Appropriate buffer/Inadequate Buffer

A stream buffer is an area designated along a stream that is used to protect the stream from encroachment. Buffers help sustain ecosystem health and help prevent damage during flooding.

appropriate buffer	inadequate buffer

Healthy Riparian Area/Degraded Riparian Area

A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to waterbodies. When healthy riparian areas filter runoff to help improve water quality, provide habitat and food for fish and wildlife, and reduce the chance of flood damage.

healthy riparian area	degraded riparian area

Natural/Urbanized

natural	urbanized