In healthy, well-managed watersheds, stored   groundwater is released back into the   stream and riparian area.		Watersheds with poor groundwater storage   capability may suffer low stream flows as the   limited storage is exhausted. Streams may   become intermittent in flow during crucial   times and water may become unavailable   for livestock, wildlife and fish.

Good mud/bad mud
	Sound planning for water investments starts before the water hits the system. To ensure streams have flow throughout the year the riparian area must not only be recharged each year, it must be in a condition to first hold and then store water to be released later.
	The type and volume of floodplain material - gravel, sand, silt or clay - determines the riparian areas' capability to hold, store and release water. Water moves more slowly through silt or clay than through sand or gravel. During overbank flooding, areas that are well-vegetated catch more fine sediment that areas that are not. Plants return organic matter to the soil which increases the soil's water holding capacity. Organic material can hold nine times its own weight in water.	Plants bind soil in place   and trap moving sediment   - when sediment is captured   and is used to build soil -   that's good mud!
10