Riparian ecosystems are driven by complex interactions between the physical environment and the plant and animal species. Accordingly, restoration and management of these systems is inherently a multi-disciplinary challenge. Headwaters embraces this reality and our staff actively engage in cross-disciplinary training and expertise. This allows us to avoid the technical siloing that often plagues restoration and management projects. 

Feature projects:

• PRRIP sediment augmentation
• PRRIP wet meadows project
• PRRIP least tern and piping plover paired habitat experiment
• PRRIP whooping crane habitat experiment

Our core competencies include:

• 1D and 2D numerical modeling (river hydraulics, sediment transport) in support of channel restoration and management design
• Surface and groundwater hydrology monitoring and modeling

• Physical monitoring (discharge, sediment, vegetation, and water quality)
• Wildlife and vegetation monitoring
• Channel restoration design, construction oversight and monitoring
• Vegetation community restoration design, oversight and monitoring
• Design, construction and monitoring of endangered species habitat
• Management of riverine, riparian forest, wet meadow, palustrine wetland, and grassland vegetation communities including use of prescribed fire and livestock as management tools
• Oversight of agricultural operations including livestock grazing and row crop production
• Design and implementation and assessment of adaptive management experiments
• Integration of physical process, vegetation, and species monitoring and modeling to assess effectiveness of restoration and management actions