riparian buffers for water and stream protection hal o. liechty arkansas forest resources center...
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Riparian Buffers for Water and Stream
Protection
Riparian Buffers for Water and Stream
ProtectionHal O. Liechty
Arkansas Forest Resources CenterSchool of Forest Resources, UAM
Hal O. LiechtyArkansas Forest Resources CenterSchool of Forest Resources, UAM
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?