Ripshin Project
Ashe County, NC
The Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE) Department of the North Carolina State University is working with the North Carolina Ecosystem Enhancement Program (NCEEP) to conduct a research and monitoring program for stream, wetland, and buffer restoration at the Ripshin project in Ashe County, North Carolina. The purposes of the research and monitoring program are to: evaluate the short and long-term success of restoration projects, recommend maintenance actions to improve success, and conduct research pertinent to the success of future restoration projects.
Project Timetable
- June 2006 - December 2008: pre-construction monitoring
- January - December 2009: construction of stream and wetland restoration projects
- January 2010 - December 2014: post-construction monitoring
Research Questions
- To what extent are the streambank and streambed physically degrading prior to restoration?
- How does the restored stream channel physically react to the chosen restoration approaches?
- How are groundwater and surface water quality related to cattle removal and subsequent stream and wetland restoration?
- How does the channel substrate respond over time to stream restoration?
- Does recolonization of the shredder community at the project site reflect the incorporation of organic material into the restored stream?
- Can macroinvertebrate data be used to suggest "success" criteria for mountain stream systems, particularly for the New River Basin?
- Can macroinvertebrate data be used to suggest the use of indicator taxa in assessment protocols (e.g., Tallaperla)?
- Does the macroinvertebrate data result in a >75% Dominant in Common Taxa richness in the restored reach of this stream?
The above research questions represent current topics of interest among stream and wetland restoration professionals. They have guided the preparation of the subsequent monitoring goals and methods for the Ripshin project.
