Riparian vegetation cover increased in riverbanks and banks in the post-dam period.
Riparian patches downstream of dams were larger, but with lower spatial complexity.
Riparian cover at the two reservoir rivers was greater than at the run-of-river setting.
Riparian vegetation had different growth trajectories depending on type of dam-induced hydrologic alterations.
Riparian changes were driven by LULC change and hydrology with complex interactions.