1) Mowing/removing riparian vegetation
Grass alone provides little streambank protection, and does not provide any habitat or much overland stormwater filtration
2) Rip-rap
Referred to as “rip-rap,” rocks and concrete not only transfer the destructive energy of fast-moving water to another location, but also eventually get undermined, and are only a short term solution.
3) Cows/livestock in the creek
Besides loading the stream with fecal material, hooves destroy stream banks and in-stream habitat
4) Dredging the creek with a backhoe
“Straightening” or “ditching” streams increases sediment in the stream and destroys habitat for fish, salamanders, and stream insects.