Services

Woody Debris Management

Large Woody Debris or LWD is common in almost all every waterway. It is a healthy and natural part of the riparian and aquatic world. But LWD needs managed to prevent damage to infrastructure, reduce erosion, mitigate flooding, increase recreator safety, and for the overall health of the environment. For all of the many benefits of LWD, it can cause problems as well.

Bank Stabilization

Healthy waterways will naturally experience erosion. However, some waterways experience significant erosion due to additional factors such as unseasonable weather, logjams, dam releases, etc. In many cases, erosion. needs to be reduced or eliminated to protect fields, infrastructure, or property. LWD can be used in many cases to aid in stabilization. For more permanent or significant projects, vegetated walls are our preferred method.

Tires and Trash

Tires and trash are an unfortunate reality in our waterways. Every year thousands of volunteers assist in the removal of debris that does not belong. Volunteers can only do so much, so tire recyclers are often called to remove large deposits. Unfortunately, many of these dump grounds are in deep ravines, wetlands, or other hidden or protected areas. When the dump is too hard to get to, or will cause damage to the area, many sites are simply ignored or classified as “impossible.” That is where we come in. We have developed a low impact method to extract any number of tires without the need for heavy equipment or damage to the area.

Hazard Reporting

Hazards exist throughout many waterways. Our goal is to provide a uniform way to report hazards on the water at any time. Through our online reporting system and our network of volunteers and supporters, we have launched a real-time hazard map where anyone can submit new hazards to share with others. Click the Report Hazard button at the top of any page or click Here to learn more.

Community Education

While there are many people who love the waterways and will help to protect them for future generations, there is a growing disconnect between book knowledge and hands-on experience. We work to bring the classroom outside and to help the community learn how to choose proper gear, equipment, access points, and other aspects to recreation and conservation. Additionally, we work with community leaders to understand the value, purpose and role of LWD, bank stabilization, and waterway management for conservation and economic development purposes.

Scouting and Consulting

The biggest issue in many waterways is often well known. Sometimes, the problem is more subtle. Either way, River Rangers is willing and able to scout your waterway issue to help determine a course of action and next steps to address the problem.