Stream Corridors

Christine Hall

Natural Resources Conservation Service

North Jersey RC&D

Slides 1-12

What I’ll Cover

What are Riparian Corridors Why should we protect these areas Ways to protect them Determining buffer width Land use limitations

What are Riparian Areas?

Natural riparian areas are areas of trees, shrubs or grasses located adjacent to streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands

Riparian Areas in

Hunterdon County

Results of the Riparian Health

Assessment Model

Benefits and Functions

Intercepts sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other materials in surface runoff

Reduces nutrients and other pollutants in shallow sub-surface water flow

Provides food and cover for wildlife Lowers water temperatures by shading Slows out-of-bank flood flows

Benefits and Functions – con’t…

Provides leaf litter and large woody debris needed by aquatic organisms

Trees and shrub roots increase bank and shoreline stability

Why should we protect these areas Protect Drinking Water

– Water Supply Intakes in Raritan and Delaware River

Economics– Recreational $ spent in county (boating,

fishing, etc) Quality of life for residents Control runoff and flooding

Ways to Protect Stream Corridors

Regulatory Voluntary

Regulatory Approaches

Proposed Stormwater Regulations– 300 foot buffer on C1 waterways– 100% infiltration requirement on new

construction Stream Encroachment

– 50 foot buffer on trout associated waters– 25 foot buffer on nontrout waters

Regulatory Approaches

Freshwater Wetlands Act– 150 foot buffer on Exceptional Resource

Value Wetlands– 50 foot buffer on Intermediate Resource

Value Wetlands Municipal Ordinance

– Stream Corridor, Impervious Cover, Steep Slope, Tree Protection

Voluntary Approaches

Federal Programs– Agricultural Land:

• EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program

• CRP – Conservation Reserve Program

• CREP - Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

– Other Private Land (Non-Federal ownership)• Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Voluntary Approaches

State Programs– 319h Nonpoint Source Pollution grants– Green Acres

Local & Nonprofit Programs– North Jersey RC&D – Local Land Trusts

Grant and Foundation Funding

Voluntary Approaches

Groups who can provide assistance– Trout Unlimited– Youth Corps– Watershed Associations– Boy Scouts– State Tree Nursery

Regulatory VS. Voluntary

Regulatory Generally Rigid More limited funding

for restoration Adversarial Compliance across

board Financial burden

Voluntary More flexible Wide array of

funding sources Builds partnerships

Determining Buffer Width

Value ofthe

Resource

Value ofthe

Resource

Site, Buffer& Watershed

Traits

Site, Buffer& Watershed

Traits

IntensityOf

AdjacentLand Use

IntensityOf

AdjacentLand Use

DesiredBuffer

Functions

DesiredBuffer

Functions

Landowner Objectives/ConstraintsLandowner Objectives/Constraints

RecommendedBuffer Width

RecommendedBuffer Width

Standards Available

US Forest Service 3 Zone Buffer NRCS Technical Standard Chesapeake Bay Riparian Handbook

US Forest Service

NRCS Technical Standard

Width of forested buffer based on width of floodplain

Width of grassed buffer based on steepness of slope

Chesapeake Bay – Buffer Width

Chesapeake Bay – Buffer Value

Land Use Limitations

Limited land area to work with in developed areas

Easier to restore buffers in undeveloped areas. However removing land from agricultural productions costs $$– Need to have financial incentives– Raritan Watershed Agricultural Committee

position paper

Final Thoughts…

Riparian Buffers provide a multitude of benefits

Need to be protected and restored One size does not fit all Upland land uses and necessary BMPs

must be considered Must consider economic impacts of

management recommendations