To what extent has invasive riparian vegetation (IRV) treatment reversed channel narrowing and reduced dynamism trends? Paired treated and untreated reaches at 15 sites along 13 rivers were compared before and after treatment using repeat aerial imagery to assess long-term (~10 year) channel change due to treatment on a regional scale across the Southwest U.S. Wieting et al. found that IRV treatment significantly increased channel width and floodplain destruction. They argue that geomorphic processes should be considered in restoration planning according to the restoration goal because they drive aquatic habitat and vegetation dynamics, and because of the potential for damage to downstream infrastructure.
Wieting, C., Friedman, J.M. and Rathburn, S., 2022. River channel response to invasive plant treatment across the American Southwest. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.