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SUSQUEHANNA RIVER TRIBUTARY SEDIMENT RESPONSE TO BEAVER DAM ANALOGS

    Shafer, Sam, Ecology Program, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, shafer@susqu.edu; Ressler, Daniel E., Department of Environmental Science, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, resslerd@susqu.edu; Fathel, Siobhan L., Department of Environmental Science, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave., Selinsgrove, PA 17870, fatel@susqu.edu; Wilson, Matthew J., Department of Environmental Science, Susquehanna University, 514 University Ave., Selinsgrove, PA 17870, wilsonmatt@susqu.edu.

    The American Beaver (Castor canadensis) is a known ecosystem engineer that influences the geomorphology, hydrology, water quality and terrestrial and aquatic vegetation in streams. Historically beavers have been extirpated, thus creating incised streams and bank erosion. Beaver dam analogs (BDA) are anthropogenic structures constructed to mimic the effects that beaver dams have on the ecosystem by using local, natural materials such as, sediment and gravel, wooden stakes, and tree branches. The goal with these artificial structures is for incised streams to become aggregated, by decreasing erosion and increasing deposition rates. This study aims to assess the geomorphometric changes of 8 BDAs in one of the tributaries of the Susquehanna River approximately one year after implementation. Researchers also installed erosion scour chains and bank erosion chains to monitor changes in erosion and deposition, along with pressure transducers, temperature loggers and water level loggers to measure various environmental factors. Profile transects were also taken pre and post installation to monitor changes in the stream profile and thalweg.

    Beaver dam analogs, aggradation, erosion, sediment