Area	General
Topic	Vegetation: Riparian Change, 1948-1997

 

Caption:  This bar chart shows changes in riparian characteristics along Redwood Creek between 1948 and 1997. Since 1948, there has been a dramatic decrease in uncut conifer riparian zones along Redwood Creek. In recent years some cover is returning to the channel's edge, but it is dominated by hardwoods, mostly alder, instead of redwood and Douglas fir. For example, in 1997 more than one half of Redwood Creek's riparian zone was dominated by hardwoods. The percentage of streambank that was classified as having sparse riparian cover was highest after the 1955 and 1964 floods. The lack of old-growth Douglas fir and redwood along much of the length of Redwood Creek has resulted in less shade along the channel, and on-going stream temperature studies in Redwood Creek show a concomitant increase in water temperature after disturbance, with a slight cooling trend as riparian vegetation becomes reestablished (USGS and NPS, unpublished data). The potential for recruitment of large woody debris to the stream channel is presently much less than in 1948 because of the removal of the large streamside conifers. See Info Links for more information.

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