EVALUATING STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTS

River and stream restoration projects are increasingly numerous but ra rely subjected to systematic postproject evaluation. Without conductin g such evaluation and widely disseminating the results, lessons will n ot be learned from successes and failures, and the field of river rest oration cannot advance. Postproject evaluation must be incorporated in to the initial design of each project, with the choice of evaluation t echnique based directly upon the specific project goals against which performance will be evaluated. We emphasize measurement of geomorphic characteristics, as these constitute the physical framework supporting riparian and aquatic ecosystems. Techniques for evaluating other comp onents are briefly discussed, especially as they relate to geomorphic variables. Where possible, geomorphic, hydrologic, and ecological vari ables should be measured along the same transects. In general, postpro ject monitoring should continue for at least a decade, with surveys co nducted after each flood above a predetermined threshold. Project desi gn should be preceded by a historical study documenting former channel conditions to provide insights into the processes responsible for the present channel condition and to suggest earlier, potentially stable channel configurations as possible design models.