Linking Theory and Practice for Restoration of Step-Pool Streams Anne Chin Æ Shannah Anderson Æ Andrew Collison Æ Barbara J. Ellis-Sugai Æ Jeffrey P. Haltiner Æ Johan B. Hogervorst Æ G. Mathias Kondolf Æ Linda S. O’Hirok Æ Alison H. Purcell Æ Ann L. Riley Æ Ellen Wohl Received: 28 February 2008 / Accepted: 24 May 2008 / Published online: 29 July 2008 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008 Abstract Step-pools sequences are increasingly used to restore stream channels. This increase corresponds to sig- nificant advances in theory for step-pools in recent years. The need for step-pools in stream restoration arises as urban development encroaches into steep terrain in response to population pressures, as stream channels in lower-gradient areas require stabilization due to hydro- logical alterations associated with land-use changes, and as step-pools are recognized for their potential to enhance stream habitats. Despite an increasingly voluminous liter- ature and great demand for restoration using step-pool sequences, however, the link between theory and practice is limited. In this article, we present four unique cases of stream restoration using step-pools, including the evolution of the approaches, the project designs, and adjustments in the system following restoration. Baxter Creek in El Cer- rito, California demonstrates an early application of artificial step-pools in which natural adjustments occurred toward geomorphic stability and ecological improvement. Restoration of East Alamo Creek in a large residential development near San Ramon, California illustrates an example of step-pools increasingly used in locations where such a channel form would not naturally occur. Construc- tion of a step-pool channel in Karnowsky Creek within the Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon overcame constraints posed by access and the type and availability of materials; the placement of logs allowed natural scouring below steps. Dry Canyon Creek on the property of the Mountains Restoration Trust in Calabasas, California afforded a somewhat experimental approach to designing step-pools, allowing observation and learning in the future. These cases demonstrate how theories and relationships devel- oped for step-pool sequences over the past two decades have been applied in real-world settings. The lessons from A. Chin (&) Department of Geography, College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA e-mail: chin@tamu.edu S. Anderson  G. M. Kondolf Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA A. Collison  J. P. Haltiner Philip Williams & Associates, Ltd., 550 Kearny Street, Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA B. J. Ellis-Sugai Siuslaw National Forest, United States Forest Service, 4077 S.W. Research Way, Corvallis, OR 97339, USA J. B. Hogervorst Willamette National Forest, United States Forest Service, 211 E. 7th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401, USA L. S. O’Hirok Department of Geography and Urban Analysis, California State University, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA A. H. Purcell Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA 95521, USA A. L. Riley Waterways Restoration Institute, 1250 Addison Street #107, Berkeley, CA 94702, USA E. Wohl Department of Geosciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA 123 Environmental Management (2009) 43:645–661 DOI 10.1007/s00267-008-9171-x