Recreating a headwater stream system on a valley fill in appalachia, USA

Between 60% and 80% of the cumulative channel length in mountainous areas, such as eastern Kentucky, comprises headwater streams (Shreve 1969). These headwater streams are vital components of the landscape and to the overall function of aquatic ecosystems. Headwater streams serve as the primary pathways for water, sediment, and organic matter transport to higher-order stream systems (May and Gresswell 2003). Gomi et al. (2002) noted that headwater regions receive and mediate the majority of surface runoff in mountainous watersheds, thereby serving as regulators of flow intensity (e.g., flooding) for lower gradient regions. Additionally, headwater streams support large populations of macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and fish thus effectively increasing biodiversity as well as providing habitat for rare and endangered species (Petranka and Murray 2001; Lowe and Likens 2005; Meyer et al. 2007; Clark et al.