![]() Understanding the dynamic nature of streambanks is important to shoreline landowners threatened by retreating banks, water quality managers, and geomorphologists. Successful management of sediment in a watershed requires an understanding of sources and entry pathways. Streambank erosion is natural but can be accelerated by disturbances of changing watershed land use. Sediment can enter a stream through many pathways, but the dominant pathway is often streambank erosion. ![]() It causes widespread degradation of aquatic habitat and reduces suitability for fish and macroinvertebrate communities. Sediment pollution is a major concern for streams throughout the United States. These findings are important to address sources of watershed impairments related to sedimentation, as choosing an applicable technique for individual purposes can help reduce the challenges and costs of a streambank erosion study. We estimate that streambank erosion contributed 28.5% of the creekâs total sediment load. Streambank erosion rates varied throughout the watershed and were influenced by fluvial processes. The laser scanner collected high-resolution data on clear, barren streambanks, but the erosion pin and total station were more representative of complex vegetated banks. Further, the application of each technique should be dependent on site conditions, project goals, desired resolution, and resources. This suggests that the three methods have limited comparability and differences between measurements were largely not systemic. However, we were unable to determine any statistically significant differences between techniques and only observed a correlation between total station and laser scanner. We found large absolute and relative errors between the different measurement techniques. Our objectives were to (1) evaluate and compare three techniques for quantifying streambank erosion: erosion pins, total station, and laser scanning, (2) spatially assess streambank erosion rates in the Indian Mill Creek watershed of Michigan, USA, and (3) relate results with modeling of nonpoint source pollution. Streambank erosion is difficult to quantify models and field methods are needed to assess this important sediment source to streams.
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