PRESERVING RIPARIAN ZONES: Leaving flood debris along 
river banks improves riparian health…details on Passport 
to Texas.

This is Passport to Texas

Recent statewide flooding events beat up native 
vegetation in riparian zones, leaving behind tangles of 
uprooted trees and shrubs. Landowners’ first instinct is 
to clean up the mess, but is that the best action to take? 

05— One of the most important and critical components of a riparian 
area is fallen vegetation.

Ryan McGillicuddy is a TPW conservation ecologist.

20—As fallen wood—woody debris—start to decompose, they add 
nutrients to the soil. They act as fish and wildlife habitat. They act as 
cages that protect new plants. The next generation of trees. The next 
generation of grasses. It provides a little refuge for those plants to get 
started before they’re browsed on by wildlife or they’re trampled by 
foot traffic.

Despite the unsightly nature of this vagrant vegetation, 
McGillicuddy says it is a critical component of a healthy 
functioning riparian area. Provided it’s not creating a 
safety risk, he says to consider leaving it where it is.

24—Another thing it does is as flood waters do rise up and spill out of 
their banks, that wood can help slow some of that water down, and 
help capture sediment. And, when the sediment falls out of the water, 
it’s actually building the structure of the banks. Adding sediment and 
new layers of soil, as opposed to it being washed away when there’s 
not a diversity of species for something like a mowed lawn. Or an area 
that’s been over-grazed.

TPW has worked with landowners along the flood ravaged 
Blanco River to revegetate with native plants.  

The WSFR program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.




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