Very little is known about the structure and functions of small foothills streams and their adjacent riparian areas. This knowledge is required because small streams represent 80% of the watercourses on the landscape. A portion of these streams provides habitat for bull trout and Athabasca rainbow trout and all of these streams, deliver water, sediment and nutrients to downstream areas.

Land managers frequently encounter small streams and they lack the knowledge to establish appropriate levels of protection. This project will document key processes that involve sediment and woody debris and also determine the thresholds along the stream continuum where channel development and stream flow become sufficient to provide fish habitat.