TOP FIVE BENEFITS OF STREAMBED ENHANCEMENT
[While these benefits are listed individually, no doubt improving one will have a beneficial effect on everything else!]
As a ranch broker for over 16 years, I am often asked “What should we build, remodel, or add, to increase the value of our property?” Some of the more popular answers include; updating your kitchen, applying a fresh coat of paint, building a barn, and adding some landscaping.
However, quite possibly the highest return on investment in your property is maximizing the quality and quantity of your water resources.
As Sporting Property specialists, we can not stress the importance of how valuable your recreational resources are. Whether it be hunting, fishing, equestrian, snow sports, or just the immeasurable value that wild places and spaces provide, it’s our job to find buyers who see the value in all of it. That being said, if there is one property attribute that buyers desire more than any other, it’s live water, i.e. rivers, streams, and ponds.
INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE
Taking the time and effort to maximize the water dynamics on your property brings as much added value and enjoyment as anything else you can do property-wide. Luckily, streams and ponds can be readily improved through the combination of physical, scientific, and monetary efforts. The economic and intrinsic values that a productive, healthy, and diverse, river and/or lake provides will undoubtedly set your property apart from all others.
According to a NOAA report, recreational fishing sales exceeded $98 Billion in 2020, and the number of people that participated in fly-fishing in particular tip the scales at 7.6 million people in 2022. So there is no question that there are a lot of people who see A LOT of value in the fish that inhabit our rivers. Simply put, improving the fishery on your property will help it stand out to at least 7.6 million people!
EROSION CONTROL
It seems like in the past decade our western states have seen just about every extreme that Mother Nature can throw at us: floods, droughts, wildfires, and record temperatures to name a few. Implementing a streambed enhancement plan will help strengthen river banks, increase vegetation and root structure, create additional channels in the river system, and actively prevent the build-up of silt and other unwanted deposits. All of which will increase your water quality and water flow.
INCREASE IN DESIRED BIODIVERSITY
Similar to soil and forest management, rivers and ponds require the creation and implementation of a plan. I heard a good saying recently that goes something like “In today’s world, if you’re not managing your river (property) with a goal, then you’re managing it for invasive species.” Being intentional about what grows in and around your live water will positively affect every other aspect we discuss here. In general, the more diverse your ecosystem is, the better the fishery will be. However, that is easier said than done. It takes a trained and experienced eye to know what should be added, and what should be removed, to create the ideal habitat for your unique fishery.
CLEANER WATER, AND MORE OF IT
Unless you are in the business of raising mosquitoes, the more movement (flow) you have in your water source, the healthier it is. Moving water helps immensely in solving two of the most vitally important water quality issues: Oxygen levels and Water Temperature.
While much more subtle, but equally important, is the nutrient sources that are entering your live water sources. Excessive nutrients, especially phosphates can cause algal blooms, especially during the spring if bright sunshine is combined with low flows. Spring algal growth can suppress the growth of other valuable water plants, which support invertebrates including the blue-winged olive, caddis, and mayflies, all of which are vital food for trout.
BIGGER FISH, AND MORE OF THEM
If you are a fisherman, then you have seen firsthand what successful river management will do for the trout size and population. Without exception, productive streambed enhancement will be aimed at diversifying the dynamics (topography & flow) of the river. This includes, but is not limited to, preventing bank erosion, deepening pools, creating weirs and barriers, and ensuring a diversified mix of riffles, runs, pools, and eddies. Doing this creates opportunities for spawning, winter survival, invertebrate growth, and temperature/oxygen regulation.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
As you have probably caught on to by now, diversity in a river is a good thing, which also holds true when it comes to the physical characteristics in and around the river/pond. This includes the ideal combination of riffles, deep pools, eddies, weirs, channels, and pocket water. Each one of these parts of the river serve their own purpose to the health of the river as well as the trout and invertebrates that inhabit it. It takes a skilled and experienced eye to plan, design, and execute the perfect mix of these attributes. A fisheries specialist will take into consideration both your current, and desired, water flows, graduation, native plant life, invertebrates, and water quality, and trout populations. They will use everything from computers to excavators to make your river/pond the healthiest and productive it can be. I can tell you from personal experience, spending the time and effort to transform and enhance your river is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding improvements you can do on your ranch.
I’M SOLD! WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Effective and lasting river restoration is surprisingly nuanced and scientific. I encourage you to reach out to your local St. James Sporting Properties broker. Not only do we have an active list of potential buyers for your unique property, but we can help guide you to a reputable and reliable team of experts who can design and implement your streambed enhancement plan.
Mike Callan is a licensed broker in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. He can be reached at mike@sjsportingproperties.com , or 970.407.8335.
