Dredging a stream involves removing large rocks and cobble. In the Wheeling Creek watershed, rocks were dredged from streams to provide fill material during early road and railroad building activities. More recently, dredging occurred in response to flooding of roadways and suburban areas along lower Wheeling Creek.

Large machines in small streams cause obvious disruption of the stream bed and a short-term siltation event that could be harmful to downstream communities. Perhaps, more important, the removal of large rocks and cobble takes away an important habitat for plants and animals. Dredging often leaves a stream bed with small, uniform-size rocks. Some species of fish, amphibians, and insects require areas with large rocks for cover, feeding, and even for the placement of eggs. Left: Fish eggs on the bottom of this rock. Photo: Courtesy of Kenneth E. Rastall

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