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beaver and woody riparian vegetation often come back. In gully situations, recovery of riparian vegetation may lead to channel aggradation, improved channel morphology, and improved storage capacity. Beaver may in turn help the situation by colonizing when more water and structural material becomes available. Elevated water tables may result in die-offs of pseudo- riparian vegetation and result in a net savings to summer streamflow. As the results from Willow Creek indicate, there may be unguessed-at flow maintenance functions of the riparian zone which may come into play when livestock are removed. Recent development of the "variable source area" concept of stormflow runoff from small basins also suggests mechanisms by which soil compaction and devegetation by livestock grazing streamsides could affect streamflow. According to this concept, small streambottoms represent variable-sized storage areas which expand and contract in response to storm events. True overland runoff, where rainwater flows directly over the land to a stream channel is thought to occur most over these storage areas. Through heavy use and compaction in these areas by livestock, rapid runoff and reduced time for streamside aquifer recharge may be favored. The relationships between streamflow and conditions in small stream- bottoms are complex. The small streambottom may be viewed as a dynamic water storage zone which may be altered by man's activities in ways which can significantly affect both baseflow and stormflow. The potential for increasing summer streamflow may be considerable. Attempts to increase summer flows might seem unimportant and costly in terms of acre-feet of water produced annually. However, small flows, especially in drought years, could be very important to livestock, wildlife, fish, small-scale irriga- tion, and municipal water supply. Through a program combining livestock management, suppression of pseudo- riparian species, and elevation of wate+ tables in small valley bottoms, summer streamflow might be enhanced along many miles of stream. Through encouragement of riparian vegetation, and increasing the number of dams, both fish and wildlife habitat could be improved. Since forage production is generally increased when water tables are raised, and when woody shrubs such as big sagebrush are suppressed, livestock would benefit as well. Demonstration of the effectiveness of such a program could lead to truly viable approaches to resolving some of the livestock/riparian conflicts on small western streams. As riparian losses continue and the water in our streams becomes more important, it becomes increasingly important to refine our knowledge of the complexities of summer streamflow generation and maintenance. Stream- flow research could provide some of the answers needed by a variety of disciplines. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many of the sources of information and the ideas put forth above were developed by Mr. Harold Winegar, recently retired from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Prineville, Oregon. 70