Many rivers in the United States and the world have gone through some form of modification throughout history. Changing a channel’s course, flow, or moving it to an entirely different location are many ways a stream can be modified. Changing a river channel’s course is meant to avoid constructing infrastructure and mining. It can also help with flood control, land reclamation, and restore rivers. Although there are benefits, it could come with some negative effects. Negative effects such as creating loss of habitat, increased erosion and sediment within the channel, decreases in water quality, vegetation loss, as well as increasing the risk of downstream flooding. This paper looks at the balance between the potential benefits and negative consequences of changing a river’s course based on pre-existing studies and scientific reports of stream changes. Through case studies stream modification have provided answers to different specific needs but have also created costs to the channel and its environment. By replicating a natural channel, it could be able to provide our needs, but also create minimal environmental damage.