Stream Care Strategies for Your Horse Property

 between your fence and the stream. Their roots will hold the bank together, reducing land lost to erosion, keeping your stream from changing its path, and mitigating flooding by slowing the flow of water toward the stream. If your stream flows so quickly that it might wash away your plantings, with a permit you can lay riprap (large rock pieces) in lines across the streambed to slow it down.

If you use the stream for watering your horses, a healthy riparian area will also filter inflowing contaminants, especially if your upstream neighbours aren’t as diligent. And as an added bonus, these plants will offer habitat for native wildlife (including ones that eat insects and rodents) and shade the water from the hot summer sun, cooling it and making it more suitable for fish, too. 

To allow your horses (and yourself) access to pasture or buildings on the other side of the stream, you need a good crossing. Before starting construction, make sure you’ve informed or requested approval from all necessary governmental bodies such as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Canada, and your provincial ministry of the environment. The key features of a stream crossing that will protect your horses and your waterway for years are:

• Free span: This means there are no supporting structures in the water. The bridge only stands on footings on the banks. By contrast, culverts are liable to clogging or even washing out and can be a major barrier to fish. Old semi-truck beds make an excellent strong and affordable deck.
• Clear of flood levels: Be sure your bridge would still be there after the highest level of water you’ve had in the last five years. Build it solidly so rushing spring run-off or debris won’t wash away its supports on the bank.
• Prudent In-Stream crossing: If an in-stream crossing turns out to be the only option for you (for example, if the slope of the stream banks is too shallow), be aware that this will require the most oversight from authorities. Be sure to lay down gravel to prevent erosion, and to continue your riparian fencing across the stream so your horses can still only access it at the crossing.
• Manage the flow of water and run-off that already happens on your property. Manure piles should be covered throughout the rainy season to prevent your stream from becoming contaminated with nitrogen and pathogens. Permeable paving materials like gravel can help reduce the amount of run-off, and run-off from roofs can be diverted away from high traffic areas. Create landscape features, such as rainwater gardens, planted channels, or shallow ponds, in strategic locations to slow the flow of surface water.