We live in a land where precipitation
varies greatly around an annual
average; unfortunately we can't count
on the average every year. Although
we can't change how much rain or
snow falls, we can influence how
much stays, to fuel plant growth, to
feed livestock and wildlife and to
provide flow in streams and rivers.

Stream valleys store water during
floods and rainstorms, like a "sponge".
How much they store and how quickly
the underground reservoirs empty
can depend on how we treat riparian
areas.

Streams and rivers are the sum of many
tributaries including dozens, sometimes
hundreds of smaller streams, channels
and drainages that collectively are known
as the watershed. Watersheds, in simple
terms, shed water. They collect and
deliver the water received as rain or
snow. The physical characteristics of the
watershed, the abundance, diversity and
health of vegetation plus how we've
treated areas within it reflect the pattern
of runoff

Alteration and loss of vegetation cover
can cause runoff to occur over a shorter
time period as well as produce higher
peak flows. That translates into more
stream horsepower to do damage plus
less retention time for water to soak into
the soil and underlying substrate.

Flooding is one way of putting water
in the bank, figuratively and literally;
that is allowing water to saturate the
floodplain and raise the water table.
Most floods in Alberta occur during
spring and early summer.

In years without overbank flooding, water
enters the floodplain through the bottom
and sides of the stream channel, adding to
ground water. Stream channel meanders
and a well-vegetated riparian area slow
water down allowing it to seep into
storage underground.