Uofw will evaluate how beaver DAM analogs (bdas) function as cost-effective, nature-based tools for reducing salinity, selenium and mercury contamination in aquatic ecosystems and compare results to…

Uofw will evaluate how beaver DAM analogs (bdas) function as cost-effective, nature-based tools for reducing salinity, selenium and mercury contamination in aquatic ecosystems and compare results to natural beaver dams. Our study is located in muddy creek in south-central wyoming, a region historically impacted by natural geologic sources of salinity and heavy metals, making IT an ideal setting to evaluate stream restoration outcomes. We will conduct seasonal sampling of water, sediment, and the food web (fish, aquatic invertebrates and plants) across four experimental stream conditions: a reference reach (no bdas or beavers), BDA-only reach, a beaver-only reach, and a reach where beaver added to bdas (beaver-enhanced). Sampling will capture spatial and temporal variability to understand how these structures influence hydrology, sediment dynamics, and food web interactions. Our study will measure where bdas and beaver-enhanced reaches function along a gradient between our reference and beaver reaches.