Riparian Buffers for Water and Stream Protection Hal O. Liechty Arkansas Forest Resources Center School of Forest Resources, UAM Hal O. Liechty Arkansas Forest Resources Center School 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 Stream 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 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 landusesReduces 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 Strip Remove nutrients, sediment, chemicals from water before it reaches the stream

Purpose: Filter Strip Filters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface Water STREAM BEDROCK RIPARIAN BUFFER CROPS Grass Subsoil/Bedrock Water Table

Purpose: Filter Strip Filters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface Water

Purpose: Filter Strip Filters Nutrients and Sediment from Surface Water Grass buffers somewhat more effective than trees Sediment and phosphorus removal 20-85% Wider buffers better

Purpose: Filter Strip Nutrient and Chemical Uptake Subsurface Water STREAM BEDROCK RIPARIAN BUFFER CROPS Grass Subsoil/Bedrock Water Table

Purpose: Filter Strip Nutrient and Chemical Uptake Trees and grass can absorbs nutrients & contaminates Long-term storage in trees Important uptake for phosphorus and nitrogen

Purpose: Filter Strip Degradation and Denitrification STREAM BEDROCK RIPARIAN BUFFER CROPS Grass Subsoil/Bedrock N2N2 N2N2 N0 3 NH 3 Org N Water Table

Purpose: Filter Strip Degradation and Denitrification 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 12 o F. Retention buffer alters temperature <2 o F Shading of Stream Reduces Temperature Corbett et al. 1978

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate Lee and Samuel 1976

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate- - Aquatic Organism Water Temperature (F) Solubility of O 2 (mg/L)

Purpose: Modification of Stream Climate- - Aquatic Organism Warm water fish (smallmouth bass, crappie etc.) need temperatures from o F --DO needs Growth of juvenile smallmouth bass decline at temperatures>86 o F Growth of mature smallmouth bass decline at temperatures >88.7 o F Cold water fish (trout) need temperatures from o 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 Habitat Food and Energy for Macroinvertebrates Leaves and other organic matter source of food for macroinvertebrates: 1)Shredders 2)Filter feeders

Purpose: Aquatic Organism Habitat Food 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 Habitat Large Woody Debris Deflects water and creates slack water Dissipates stream energy protecting stream banks

Purpose: Wildlife Habitat

Types of Buffers Forest Buffer Use native trees with multiple values. Typical buffer in managed forests

Types of Buffers Grass Buffer Efficient Filter Strip Utilize Native Grass Can Benefit Wildlife Efficient Filter Strip Utilize Native Grass Can Benefit Wildlife

Types of Buffers Three Zone Buffer ga%20Lake/RPP/caywetrip.htm

Types of Buffers Three Zone Buffer Grass Undisturbed Forest Managed Forest

Types of Buffers Wildlife Buffer Wildlife Corridor Plant Species Beneficial to Wildlife Wider Buffer

Types of Buffers Urban Buffer Aesthetics Recreation Greenway

Questions?