We analyzed the effect of changing water level and turbidity on plants that serve to maintain slope stability on levees. In this experiment, soil collected from upstream of Imha Dam was placed in a water tank and planted with river plants of the Salix species: Salix gracilistyla, S. koreensis, and S. glanduosa. Plant regrowth was analyzed stage-by-stage during a recovery period. In addition, we assessed the tolerance of the plants to concentrated torrential rainfall and examined their recovery rates. The results indicate that in the case of these three Salix species, which are the most prevalent river plants in Korea, stem growth is arrested following serious damage and high turbidity. The possibility of regrowth was very low during the 20-day non-submerged recovery period. Although the number of leaves initially decreased during this period, subsequent regrowth was reasonably high: recovery in S. gracilistyla, S. koreensis, and S. glanduosa was up to 59.3%, 251.3%, and 148.4% respectively, compared with the initial condition.