Dooley Creek at Fetzer Vineyards, 1994, one year before construction of the project. With no riparian vegetation to hold the soil in place, the streambank was retreating toward the entrance road to Fetzer’s Valley Oaks Visitor Center.

This project was constructed in the summer of 1995. The two photographs above were taken just prior to construction.

Large quantities of gravel were moved from the middle of the channel to rebuild the stream banks to a gentle slope, leaving plenty or room for winter flows.

After the initial shaping, a backhoe digs a toe trench and Fetzer crews smooth the slope by hand in preparation for installing the Live Willow Brush Mattress.

The project was constructed over a three year period. The photograph above was taken just after the construction and following the year’s first major storm. All of the newly constructed works remained in place.

The first years growth of the mattress near the downstream end of the project.

Five years after construction, the live willow mattress has become young riparian forest.

2000: The view downstream from the upstream end. The channel, having a stable bank to work against, has been able to narrow and deepen.

The channel has begun to establish a healthy diversity. Here we see a riffle section, needed by spawning salmonids.

8 years after project construction.

This photograph was taken in 2005, 10 years after construction of the project. Streambank stability has increased as a result of the project, allowing the riparian plants to grow in height and density. The stream meander has carved out pools and riffles. With stable streambanks, the riparian and riverine complexity will increase over time.