The dwarf bulrush (Typha minima Hoppe) is a pioneer, light demanding species colonizing riparian flood plains of temperate mountain streams. Its number declined by more 80% over the European Alps and its larger remaining populations are located in French alpine rivers. T. minima populations are regularly impacted by river management, including flood control works. As a protected species, impacts on its populations have to be compensated by different methods including the restoration of viable populations. In order to find relevant restoration methods, our first objective was to define the ecological niche of this species. Medium-scale hydrogeomorphological parameters, as well as small-scale abiotic and biotic parameters were measured inside and outside T. minima presence areas. Surprisingly, we found only some small-scale abiotic parameters to significantly have an effect on T. minima presence: elevation from the mean water level. Our second objective was to determine the best methods to restore viable populations. Some T. minima clones were collected in wild populations and grew in nursery. They were then transplanted according to three methods: bare roots, small containers (9 cm diameter) and large containers (33 cm diameter). We monitored these restoration experiment implemented along the river Isère between 2013 and 2016 by measuring shoot frequency, rhizome growth and patch expansion. Our results show that the more biomass is provided during the transplantation, the more rapid is the colonization. More research is therefore needed 1-on its niche to understand the spatial dynamics of its population and why our hydrogeomorphological parameters had no effect on T. minima distribution and 2-on the restoration method, to reduce the costs (financial and environmental) and ensure lasting viable populations.