60 Ways Farmers Can Protect Surface Water, #25 Avoid Channelization of Streams and Creeks

From the 1920s through the 60s, it wasn't unusual for landowners to channelize, or straighten, the streams meandering through their land. But as many discovered, channelization often makes things worse in the long run, causing problems such as increased water velocity, increased streambank erosion, and increased flooding downstream.