Surface Water Management Division

Landowner Guides to Streamside Living

Working in Streams

You wouldn’t start building a house without first gaining some knowledge of home construction. Likewise, it doesn’t make sense to work in your stream without some basic knowledge of how streams work. Instead of framing, wiring, plumbing and carpentry, you’ll need to acquire some knowledge of hydrology, geomorphology, ecology, and biology.

Sound a little scary? It should. A stream project gone wrong can increase flooding (for you and your neighbors), create severe erosion, damage fish and wildlife habitat, kill fill, and degrade water quality. You may be held liable for property damage resulting from your project.

 On the other hand, a well done stream project can meet your personal needs, improve property values (for you and your neighbors), reduce downstream flooding, improve water quality and fish habitat, and be a joy for future generations.

The point, here, is not to talk you out of your project, but to help you understand the potential impacts of your activities so you can address them before they become problems.

There are 36,000 streamside properties in Snohomish County. The average person’s activities along a stream may not seem to have much impact. Collectively, however, the activities of all those landowners have an enormous impact on our streams and rivers. For example, clearing streamside trees and shrubs frequently causes erosion and damage to neighboring properties, and sand and silt from streamside activities frequently buries salmon spawning beds.

These problems are costly to repair. Some cannot be repaired. By preventing damage in the first place, we can reduce our impacts and leave a legacy, not a burden, for future generations.

The Law - What you can and can't do (and why)

Common Questions about Stream Projects

Realistic Expectations

When to Call a Professional

How to Know When You're in Over Your Head

Workshops for Streamside Landowners

How to Get Help