MSRA Webinar Series - Beaver Dam Analogs as a Stormwater Management Technique for a Flashy, Ephemeral Stream feat. Dr. Siobhan Fathel and Matt Wilson
MSRA is excited to continue our series of webinars featuring leading industry researchers and partners, as we strive to offer opportunities for discussion and promote advancement of the stream restoration science. Visit our website and social media channels for upcoming webinars.
Continuing Education Credits will be offered for the MSRA Webinar Series!
We hope you will join us:
When: Wednesday - March 20th, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: GoToWebinar
Following your registration, and prior to the event, you will receive a webinar link from GoToWebinar which will give you access to the webinar.
Will you be attending?
Register Today! Registration will Close at 3pm Tuesday March 19th.
EVENT DETAILS:
Cost: Free for members, $10 for non-members
Presentation Abstract:
Ephemeral streams are critical conduits connecting watersheds to their receiving waters, yet these systems are typically not prioritized in stream restoration. In addition, these systems provide a great opportunity for testing restoration methods with low risk to aquatic life. In Fall 2023, we installed eight beaver dam analogs (BDAs) along a 200-meter stretch of a deeply incised ephemeral and stormwater-driven stream at Susquehanna University’s field station with the goal of aggrading the channel and reconnecting the stream to its floodplain. To quantify the effectiveness of these structures we completed pre- and post-installation survey transects across the stream and floodplain above and below each dam, along the length of the thalweg, and installed pressure transducers (water depth) and temperature loggers above each dam. Transects 8 months-post install show aggradation above dams up to 50% of the incised area, with decreasing aggradation further downstream. Storm events increased in intensity between January and May 2024, yet the rate of increase in water depth (i.e., flashiness) decreased during this same period. In addition, flashiness decreased by a greater magnitude at further downstream BDAs indicating cumulative benefits of these structures when installed in series. To our knowledge, this experiment marks the first use of BDAs as a stormwater management technique in an ephemeral system and the first BDAs installed in Pennsylvania. This has prompted the creation of a state-wide working group for more broad application of process-based restoration.
Presenter's Abstracts:
Siobhan Fathel, Ph.D.: Siobhan holds a Master’s degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University. She is an Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Susquehanna University, where she teaches courses on Environmental Science, Climate Change, and Sustainability. Her research focuses on the intersection of human-environment systems, with an emphasis on developing sustainable solutions for agriculture, water resources, and ecosystem restoration. Dr. Fathel is actively involved in environmental education and outreach, collaborating with regional partners to support sustainability efforts and bridge the gap between science and real-world decision-making.
Matt Wilson: Matt holds a Master’s in Biology from Bucknell University where he studied aquatic insect communities of the Susquehanna River. Matt is director of the Freshwater Research Institute and Center for Environmental Education and Research at Susquehanna University. He is an ecologist, educator, and restoration practitioner working to better quantify the effectiveness of restoration methods and improve environmental literacy. His research focuses on stream systems and restoration; understanding the processes that drive patterns we see in nature, and how to mimic those processes in restoration. As an educator, he works with students to ask questions on these topics together through research experiences and coursework.
