Reintroduction of beavers and the use of beaver mimicry are techniques increasingly being employed to accomplish stream, wetland, and floodplain restoration. By constructing dams that impound water and retain sediment, beaver (or beaver biomimicry projects) substantially alter the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the surrounding river ecosystem. These restored systems create new, more complex habitat in degraded systems and provide greater benefits to plants, fish, and wildlife.