riparian buffers for water and stream protection hal o. liechty arkansas forest resources center...

Riparian Buffers for Water and Stream

Protection

Riparian Buffers for Water and Stream

ProtectionHal O. Liechty

Arkansas Forest Resources CenterSchool of Forest Resources, UAM

liechty@uamont.edu

Hal O. LiechtyArkansas Forest Resources CenterSchool of Forest Resources, UAM

liechty@uamont.edu

What is a riparian area?Latin word “riparious”~ belonging to the bank of a river “The riparian corridor encompasses the stream channel and the portion of the terrestrial landscape from the high water mark toward the uplands….. Naiman et al. 1993Stream channel and land that interacts with the stream

What is a riparian area?Area within the channel but also land that is

flooded outside the channel

--Flooded 2 out of 3 years--

--Flooded 1 out of 100 years--

What is a riparian area?

What is a riparian area?

What is a buffer?Buffer “to lesson the shock” &

“something that separates two items”—Webster Dictionary

Vegetation that separates a field, a managed forest, or an urban development from a stream, lake, etc and reduces the impact of the land management on water quality

What is a buffer?

Separates stream from other landuses

Reduces impact of management practices on stream

What is a buffer?

Separates stream from other landuses

Reduces impact of management practices on stream

What is the purpose of a riparian buffer?

Wildlife Habitat

Filter Strip

Food for Aquatic

Organisms

Moderates Stream

Temperature

Purpose: Filter StripRemove nutrients, sediment, chemicals from water before it reaches the stream

Purpose: Filter StripFilters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface

Water

STREAM

BEDROCK

RIPARIAN BUFFER

CROPS

Grass

Subsoil/Bedrock

Water Table

Purpose: Filter StripFilters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface

Water

Purpose: Filter StripFilters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface

Water

Grass buffers somewhat more effective than treesSediment and phosphorus removal 20-85%Wider buffers better

Purpose: Filter StripNutrient and Chemical Uptake Subsurface

Water

STREAM

BEDROCK

RIPARIAN BUFFER

CROPS

Grass

Subsoil/Bedrock

Water Table

Purpose: Filter StripNutrient and Chemical Uptake

Trees and grass can absorbs nutrients & contaminatesLong-term storage in treesImportant uptake for phosphorus and nitrogen

Purpose: Filter StripDegradation and Denitrification

STREAM

BEDROCK

RIPARIAN BUFFER

CROPS

Grass

Subsoil/Bedrock

N2 N2

N03 NH3Org N

Water Table

Purpose: Filter StripDegradation and Denitrification

0

20

40

60

80

100

Nitr

og

en R

emo

val (

%)

Source: Mayer et al. 2005, EPA

Purpose: Riparian Protection

Vegetation stabilizes bank maintains stream depth and width

Bank Stabilization

Purpose: Riparian Protection

Removal of vegetation from banks increases sediment in stream and width of stream

Bank Stabilization

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate

Removal of vegetation can increase maximum water temperatures 12o

F. Retention buffer alters temperature <2o F

Shading of Stream Reduces Temperature

Corbett et al. 1978

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate

15

19

14

21

25

18

21

25

1816

19

15

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Str

eam

Tem

pera

ture

Co

Uncut Forest Clearcut Herbaceous Tree Buffer

Mean Max. Weekly Max. Weekly Mean Weekly

Lee and Samuel 1976

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate- - Aquatic Organism

Water Temperature

(F)

Solubility of O2 (mg/L)

41 12.8

50 11.3

68 9.0

77 8.2

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate- - Aquatic Organism

Warm water fish (smallmouth bass, crappie etc.) need temperatures from 65-85o F --DO needs

Growth of juvenile smallmouth bass decline at temperatures>86o FGrowth of mature smallmouth bass decline at temperatures >88.7o F

Cold water fish (trout) need temperatures from 45-65o F -- high DO needs.

Purpose: Aquatic Organism Habitat

Benthic Invertebrates-Aquatic organisms without backbones

Live the majority of their life as larvae and nymphs in the water and only emerge as adults to mate outside the stream (flying stage)

Bottom of aquatic food chain

Purpose: Aquatic Organism HabitatFood and Energy for Macroinvertebrates

Leaves and other organic matter source of food for macroinvertebrates:

1) Shredders

2) Filter feeders

Purpose: Aquatic Organism HabitatFood and Energy for Macroinvertebrates

• 20 to 75% of leaf weight lost in 116 days following input of foliage to stream

• Rapid colonization of the leaves by organisms within 21 days of input to stream

Petty and Brown 1982

Illinois River

Purpose: Aquatic Organism Habitat

Large Woody Debris

•Macroinvertebrates cling to large woody debris for protection and stability

Purpose: Aquatic Organism Habitat

Large Woody Debris

•Macroinvertebrates to cling to large woody debris for protection and stability

•Provides diversity in bed structure and stream flow

Purpose: Aquatic Organism Habitat

Large Woody Debris

•Macroinvertebrates to cling to large woody debris for protection and stability

•Provides diversity in bed structure and stream flow

•Cover from predators

Purpose: Aquatic Organism HabitatLarge Woody Debris

Deflects water and creates slack water

Dissipates stream energy protecting stream banks

Purpose: Wildlife Habitat

http://www.sotir.com/publications/retrofit.html

Types of BuffersForest Buffer

Use native trees with multiple values.

Typical buffer in managed forests

Types of BuffersTypes of BuffersGrass BufferGrass Buffer

Efficient Filter Strip

Utilize Native Grass

Can Benefit Wildlife

Efficient Filter Strip

Utilize Native Grass

Can Benefit Wildlife

Types of BuffersThree Zone Buffer

http://www.cayugawatershed.org/Cayuga%20Lake/RPP/caywetrip.htm

Types of BuffersThree Zone Buffer

Grass

Undisturbed Forest

Managed Forest

http://www.ieaconline.org/

Types of BuffersWildlife Buffer

Wildlife CorridorWildlife Corridor

Plant Species Plant Species Beneficial to WildlifeBeneficial to Wildlife

Wider BufferWider Buffer

Types of BuffersUrban Buffer http://www.crjc.org/riparianbuffers.htm

Aesthetics

Recreation

Greenway

Questions?