Academic literature on the topic 'Landowners Riparian areas Riparian areas Water quality'

Abstract Vegetative buffer strips are being widely promoted as an effective technique to protect rivers and streams from the negative impacts of adjacent land uses including forestry and agriculture. An extensive review of the literature revealed that despite the intuitive appeal of buffer strips, data demonstrating their efficacy is highly variable and most studies demonstrating significant nutrient removal in buffer zones come from studies undertaken in riparian buffers greater than 30 m wide. These buffers are much wider than what land managers can typically expect farmers to remove from active production in order to protect water quality. Research attempting to demonstrate the efficacy of riparian buffers needs to focus on buffer widths that are within the range that landowners are likely to "give up" in the name of water quality protection. Lack of experimental evidence from buffers in the 1- to 10-m width range typically encountered on farms makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the efficacy of riparian buffers in agricultural areas.

Diffuse nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants, such as sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens, have become the primary cause of water quality impairments in the United States of America. Resource management agencies in the USA are expanding the use of tools for the assessment of ecosystem function in water quality programs to control NPS pollution to meet US Clean Water Act objectives. Assessing the ecosystem function of upland and riparian areas provides the context for monitoring data that can improve the targeting of best management practices for NPS pollution, and be a leading (early) indicator for more timely decisions about aquatic habitat and water quality. Assessment of watershed function can be applied to prioritizing resources, developing indicators, monitoring aquatic habitat and water quality, and implementing adaptive management plans to restore degraded ecosystems that are producing NPS pollution. This paper presents three examples of progress in the institutionalization of this approach to water quality programs for sustainable and healthy watersheds that affect federal, state, tribal, and private landowners. Future work should refine the approach by evaluating the benefits, costs, and effectiveness of the use of watershed function in water quality programs.

Riparian areas in the Canadian boreal forest represent the transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We review factors that influence riparian vegetation communities and the associated interactions with boreal streams. Regional and local drivers (e.g., climate, edaphic factors, and natural disturbances) that affect upland boreal vegetation also operate in riparian areas. However, the proximity of riparian areas to the stream channel not only modifies some of these drivers, but it means that the stream itself becomes a driver of riparian vegetation dynamics. For example, hydrological disturbances like flooding and ice scour affect soil texture and alter successional pathways, sometimes completely denuding streambanks of vegetation. Even in riparian areas unaffected by such catastrophic disturbances, saturated soil conditions can influence riparian forest composition and nutrient cycling. Saturated soils support lower mineralization rates, therefore organic layers store relatively more carbon and nitrogen than adjoining upland soils, and primary productivity is generally lower. Saturated soils also have implications for the ability of the riparian area to “buffer” streams from inputs of water and nutrients. For example, reducing conditions in riparian soils could be the sites for nitrate removal from groundwater by denitrification. Spatial variation in weather, soils, vegetation cover, slope, accumulation of organic matter, geographic location, and relief undoubtedly add to the complexity of understanding the role of riparian systems in Canada’s vast boreal forest. However, the opportunity to identify patterns relating to riparian areas will assist in our understanding and management of these multifaceted systems.

Riparian areas, especially in the Mediterranean, offer many ecosystem services for the welfare of society benefits from their sustainable management. This study presents different tools used to assess riparian areas of Greece and their results. Riparian areas with different land-uses/vegetation covers along streams or torrents were assessed. The assessment tools were visual protocols, bioindicators, geographic information systems (GIS), vegetation indices, and a model. These tools differ in scale, accuracy, and difficulty of implementation. The riparian areas had Low and Moderate quality in Greece because of agricultural activities and hydrologic alterations. Vegetation appeared more important for the integrity of riparian areas than stream flow (perennial or intermittent). In addition, territorial variables (distance from dam and sea) were more influential compared to climatic variables. Visual protocols and GIS were effective for preliminary assessments. GIS can be applied at a greater scale but was less accurate than the protocols. Bioindicators can provide more cost-effective monitoring than physicochemical water variables. Finally, vegetation indices and models can be used for larger spatial and temporal scales, but require specialized personnel. Overall, riparian areas of Greece seem to be degraded, and monitoring would contribute to the development of a database on riparian areas that should form the basis for sustainable management plans in Greece.

Forested riparian areas are believed to be important for reducing nonpoint source pollutants. These areas along streams, lakes, and wetlands have been reported to trap sediment and nutrients and enhance denitrification. Past research on the effectiveness of riparian areas has been based on existing forests rather than restored areas. An experiment using the paired-watershed design was established in northeastern Connecticut during 1992 to determine the water quality effects of reforestation on a riparian zone currently cropped in maize. Water quality fluxes in precipitation, overland flow, soil solution, groundwater, and streamflow were determined. Results indicate that this 35 m wide riparian zone had little attenuating influence on N concentrations in groundwater based on NO3−N concentrations and NO3−N:C1 ratios. The primary N flux to the stream was in the groundwater. Denitrification did not appear to be a major process operating in this system. Reforestation of this riparian buffer should result in improved surface and groundwater quality.

Abstract Riparian ecosystems in urban environments are usually degraded. Their sustainable management can reduce water pollution, mitigate climate change while providing recreation opportunities. This study assessed the current condition of the streams/torrents and their riparian areas in the city of Drama in Greece. In addition, practices to improve their functionality and enhance community awareness were recommended. A spatial database of the wider urban setting including suburbs and rural areas (weather, land cover, soils, roads, protected areas, riparian areas, etc.) was developed within GIS. The datasets were then inputted in a hydrologic model to simulate the water balance and stream discharge in the main urban streams and torrents. Field measurements of stream water discharge, and vegetation and stream channel conditions were undertaken using two visual protocols. The results of the protocols indicate that most streams/torrents and their riparian areas are of low ecological quality. Nature-based solutions were recommended to improve their ecological quality. In addition, the implementation of Eco-Routes was recommended to enhance the awareness of their importance and to promote their sustainable management. Overall, the urban streams/torrents and riparian ecosystems of Drama are degraded and innovative management practices should be implemented to conserve them and feature their ecosystem services.

AbstractUrban riparian plant communities exist at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and they are rich sources of species biodiversity and ecosystem services. The periodic floods that promote species diversity in riparian plant communities also increase their vulnerability to nonnative plant invasions. Plant invasions are constrained by seed and suitable habitat availability. However, how seed dispersal and establishment limitations interact to shape nonnative plant invasions in riparian communities is poorly understood. We use Stream Visual Assessment Protocol data to evaluate the hydrological and geomorphological parameters that influence the seeding and establishment of six common nonnative species in urban riparian habitats: garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, reed canarygrass, common reed, Japanese knotweed, and multiflora rose. To address this objective, we analyzed stream reach data collected during a basin-wide environmental assessment of the extensively urbanized upper Niagara River watershed. We found limited support for our prediction that propagule limitation constrains the distribution of nonnative riparian species, likely because these species are well established in the study area. Instead, we found that opportune stream reach characteristics better predict the distribution of the common invasive riparian species—most notably open tree canopy. Given that there is widespread investment in urban riparian forest restoration to improve water quality, increase stream-bank stability, enhance wildlife habitat and promote recreation, our data suggest that riparian forests may provide the additional benefit of reducing the abundance of some, but not all, invasive plants.

River margins are valued for agriculture in the western Amazon because of their fertile soils and level surfaces. Riparian forests along river margins also provide valuable ecosystem services by protecting water quality and providing resources to aquatic organisms. Because inhabitants of the region rely on these aquatic resources, riparian deforestation may have unintended negative feedbacks on the health and well-being of rural communities. A survey of 79 households of mixed cultural background investigated how riparian environments were used, what mechanisms were in place for their conservation, and how local people valued them. Corn, beans and peanuts were cultivated preferentially in riparian areas, complementing the manioc and plantains grown on upland soils. People valued riparian areas for their ecosystem services and generally left a protective buffer of forest along rivers. Both the agricultural and ecological values of riparian areas may be preserved through proper management.

Riparian zones represent areas of strong biological, physical and chemical interaction between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These areas are usually typified by high diversity of fauna, flora and environmental processes. The present study evaluates the littoral habitat structure and its fish fauna related to associations between presence and absence of natural riparian vegetal cover, in a reservoir in northeastern Brazil. Sampling was performed on marginal areas where riparian vegetation was present and where it had been removed for the plantation of sugar cane. For each type of marginal area three replicate sites were sampled during the wet season. Data on the habitat structure (submerged elements and substrate composition), fish and water quality were collected. The data was analyzed using Shannon-Wiener's diversity index and Pielou's equitability. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and the Multi-Response Permutation Procedure were used to evaluate similarities between sites. The structure of the habitat was more diverse in sites were natural riparian vegetation was still present. Muddy substrate was more abundant in areas with riparian vegetation whereas sandy substrate was more abundant in areas where riparian vegetation had been removed. Measured physico-chemical parameters and nutrients remained nearly constant across all sites. Metynnis lippincottianus and Crenicichla menezesi were more associated with the habitat in areas where riparian vegetation was removed, whereas Cichlasoma orientale and Cichla ocellaris were strongly correlated to forested areas.

The riparian buffer width on watersheds has been modified over the last decades. The human settlements heavily used and have significantly altered those areas, for farming, urbanization, recreation and other functions. In order to protect freshwater ecosystems, riparian areas have recently assumed world recognition and considered valuable areas for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, protected by forest laws and policies as permanent preservation areas. The objective of this work was to compare parameters from riparian areas related to a natural watercourse less than 10 m wide, for specific purposes in Law No. 4761/65, now revoked and replaced by Law No. 12651/12, known as the New Forest Code. The effects of 15, 30 and 50 m wide riparian forest in water and soil of three headwater catchments used for sugar cane production were analyzed. The catchments are located in the Environmental Protection Area of Uberaba River Basin (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil), legally protected for conservation of water resources and native vegetation. A field survey was carried out in the catchments for verification of land uses, while periodical campaigns were conducted for monthly water sampling and seasonal soil sampling within the studied riparian buffers. The physico-chemical parameters of water were handled by ANOVA (Tukey’s mean test) for recognition of differences among catchments, while thematic maps were elaborated in a geographic information system for illustration purposes. The results suggested that the 10, 30 or even 50 m wide riparian buffers are not able to fulfill the environmental function of preserving water resources, and therefore are incapable to ensure the well-being of human populations. Therefore, the limits imposed by the actual Brazilian Forest Code should be enlarged substantially.

The occupation of forest ecosystems in mountainous region of the Rio Grande do Sul state occurred with the establishment of agriculture and livestock at small family production units (FPU). Qualitatively and quantitatively scarcity of land has led farmers to explore agricultural areas with no suitability for farming by intensive practices, these areas should be intended to permanent preservation. The present study aims to: a) analyze the agroenvironmental conflicts in agroecosystems of tobacco production arising from inappropriate use of soils, especially in areas of permanent preservation (APP) of riparian forests; b) analyze the importance and limits of the use of environmental legislation instruments (Forest Code) and land classification system for agricultural suitability of soils in agroenvironmental planning as methods for reducing the contamination of water in small FPU; and c) verify the effectiveness of riparian forests in containing the pollution of superficial waters of three landscape units in the Arroio Lino Watershed (ALW). The study area is located in the municipality of Agudo, RS, and covers an area of 480.7 ha, which are subdivided into 36 FPU. The main features of the landscape and land uses were described, quantified and spatialized for the whole ALW and for each of the FPU. The map of APP was obtained by following the orientation of the Brazilian Forest Code. The map of land use conflicts was generated by crossing the layers of current land use, APP and land suitability for agriculture. To evaluate the ability of riparian forests to tamponate the water pollution, samples of water and sediment were collected at different landscape units with a variety of land use and occupation. Samples were taken inside and outside the limits of APP. The results of layers intersection showed that 44% of the ALW have some sort of environmental conflict as a result of inappropriate land use. The conflicts that deserve more attention refer to the occurrence of crops on land unsuitable for agricultural and those located in APP. These sites cover 6.7% of the watershed and constitute the main sources of pollution of surface waters, especially with tobacco being cultivated in the conventional system. Even if cultivating areas are restricted to only 25% of the watershed, an inadequate arrangement of the agricultural plots in the landscape contributes to an increase in up to ten times in water pollution by sediment and phosphorus. Thus, the distribution of land use in the landscape is just as, or even more important than the percentage occupied by each of these uses. Although more than half of ALW area is covered with native forests, the absence of forest cover in the APP, mainly at the edges of streams and water springs, has promoted the transfer of large amounts of sediment and nutrients to the waterways due to erosion by occasion of rain. Even though riparian forests did prove to be effective in containing surface runoff, they are not enough if the adjacent and higher areas of the landscape, such as APP at the top and steep slopes of the hills with soils of low agriculture suitability, are being used intensively. Under the conditions of ALW in which there are strong environmental restrictions and limited arable land, the unrestricted application of environmental legislation, especially of the Forest Code, may result in severe restrictions to several FPU. In a result of this, for the agroenvironmental planning it will be necessary to analyze the characteristics of each FPU in particular and how it integrates with the watershed landscape. A replanning of these FPU is critical to ensure the continuity of agriculture in these environments, while minimizing impacts on water resources. However, it is considered to be unsuitable to preservation and improvement of quality of natural resources, particularly superficial water, the current tobacco production and its technological arrangement. The transition to an agriculture of ecological bases could be the way to overcome the agroenvironmental conflicts in these regions which have strong limitations imposed by the agricultural suitability of land and by environmental legislation.<br>A ocupação dos ecossistemas de floresta das regiões serranas do Rio Grande do Sul se deu com o estabelecimento da agricultura e pecuária em pequenas unidades de produção familiares (UPF). A escassez de terras em quantidade e qualidade tem levado os agricultores a usar intensamente glebas sem aptidão agrícola que deveriam ser destinadas à preservação permanente. O presente estudo tem por objetivos: a) analisar os conflitos agroambientais em agroecossistemas de produção de fumo, decorrentes do uso inadequado dos solos, especialmente em áreas de preservação permanente (APP) de matas ciliares; b) analisar a importância e os limites do uso dos instrumentos da legislação ambiental (Código Florestal) e do sistema de classificação de aptidão de uso agrícola das terras no planejamento agroambiental, como forma de diminuir a poluição das águas em pequenas UPF; e c) verificar a eficiência das matas ciliares na contenção da poluição das águas superficiais de três unidades paisagísticas da Microbacia Hidrográfica do Arroio Lino (MBHAL). Essa unidade de estudo está localizada no município de Agudo, RS, e abrange uma área de 480,7 ha, que se encontra subdividida em 36 UPF. As principais características da paisagem e os usos dos solos foram descritos, quantificados e espacializados para toda a MBHAL e para cada uma das UPF. O mapa das APP foi obtido seguindo os dispositivos do Código Florestal Brasileiro. O mapa de conflitos de uso dos solos foi gerado pelo cruzamento dos planos de informação do uso atual dos solos, das APP e da aptidão agrícola das terras. Para verificar a influência das matas ciliares no tamponamento da poluição das águas foram coletadas e analisadas amostras de água e de sedimentos em unidades paisagísticas com diferentes intensidades de uso e ocupação dos solos, tanto dentro quanto fora dos limites das APP. Os resultados do cruzamento dos planos de informações evidenciam que 44% da superfície da MBHAL apresentam algum tipo de conflito ambiental em decorrência do uso inadequado dos solos. Os conflitos que merecem maior atenção se referem à ocorrência de lavouras sobre solos não aptos para uso agrícola e localizados em APP. Esses locais abrangem 6,7% da área da MBHAL e se constituem nas principais fontes de poluição das águas superficiais, especialmente por serem cultivadas com fumo em sistema convencional. Mesmo que as áreas de cultivo estejam restritas a apenas 25% da superfície da MBHAL, a má disposição das glebas na paisagem contribui para o aumento de até dez vezes a poluição da água com sedimentos e fósforo. Assim, a distribuição do uso dos solos na paisagem é tão ou mais importante do que o percentual ocupado por cada um destes usos. Embora que, mais da metade da área da MBHAL esteja coberta com florestas nativas, a ausência de cobertura florestal nas APP, principalmente nas margens de cursos d água e nascentes, tem promovido a transferência de grandes quantidades de sedimentos e nutrientes aos cursos d água por erosão durante as chuvas. Embora as matas ciliares tenham se mostrado eficientes em conter o deflúvio superficial, não são suficientes se as áreas adjacentes e mais elevadas da paisagem, como as APP de encostas e topo de morro com solos de baixa aptidão agrícola, estiverem sendo usadas intensivamente com cultivos agrícolas. Nas condições da MBHAL, em que há fortes restrições ambientais e limitada área agricultável, a aplicação irrestrita da legislação ambiental, especialmente do Código Florestal Brasileiro, poderá resultar em inviabilidade de várias UPF. Desse modo, para o planejamento agroambiental será necessário analisar as particularidades de cada UPF e como ela se integra à paisagem da microbacia hidrográfica. O redesenho dessas UPF é fundamental para garantir a permanência da agricultura nesses ambientes, minimizando os impactos nos recursos hídricos. No entanto, considera-se incompatível a preservação e melhoria da qualidade dos recursos naturais, especificamente das águas superficiais, com a manutenção do sistema de produção de fumo e do pacote tecnológico fornecido pelas empresas. A transição para agriculturas de base ecológica poderá ser o caminho para a superação de conflitos agroambientais nestas regiões com fortes limitações impostas pela aptidão agrícola das terras e pela legislação ambiental.

&lt;em&gt;Abstract&lt;/em&gt;.—The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has initiated an innovative approach to fish and wildlife conservation in Texas. By working with alliances of landowners, we provide a holistic approach to technical guidance and help to secure funding for restoration and conservation actions throughout targeted watersheds. Although we have projects in many locations in the state, our most successful utilizes the state fish of Texas as an iconic symbol that provides a positive, high-profile image depicting the need for, and benefits of, watershed conservation. We chose the Llano River Watershed to begin implementation of the Guadalupe Bass Restoration Initiative and, to date, have 17 conservation and restoration initiatives in the watershed that encompass 21,370 ha and 56 km of rivers and streams. Projects focus on actions that restore riparian areas, reduce soil erosion and runoff, increase infiltration and aquifer recharge, improve water quality, and enhance habitat for both aquatic and terrestrial species. Through the initiative, we promote awareness and stewardship of fish and wildlife habitats, share best management practices, organize community involvement in local habitat conservation projects, provide technical guidance and planning assistance, and help leverage available resources. Additionally, in 2011 and 2012, we stocked more than 280,000 genetically pure Guadalupe Bass &lt;em&gt;Micropterus treculii &lt;/em&gt;in the South Llano River to reverse the trend of hybridization with the nonnative Smallmouth Bass &lt;em&gt;M. dolomieu&lt;/em&gt;. We also supported studies on fish community and habitat analysis in the Llano River Watershed and partnered with private landowners to develop a watershed conservation plan. We are now in the process of developing a habitat conservation demonstration area (CDA) that extends over a 7-km segment of the Llano River. The CDA will provide fishing, paddling and hiking opportunities, promote sustainable public use of the river, and highlight restoration actions through educational kiosks placed along paddling and upland hiking trails.

The unregulated use of watersheds for agriculture negatively impacts the quality of river basins. In particular, the reduced quality of surface-waters, have been attributed to absence or poorly-decided riparian-buffer specifications in environmental laws. To demonstrate suitable buffer-width for protection of surface water, sediment and benthic fish populations, five riparian areas with different vegetation richness and buffer-width were selected within an organochlorine pesticide (OCP)-impacted watershed using the Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) and multiple buffer analysis respectively. Mean OCP levels in surface water, sediment and fish sampled at each riparian stations showed site-specific differences with markedly higher levels of α-BHC, β-BHC, δ-BHC, p,p′-DDD and total pesticide residues at stations with least riparian cover. The principal component analysis further revealed more OCPs associating with sediment and fish from stations having smaller buffer-width and sparse riparian vegetation. Stations with wider buffer-width of at least 120 m provided greater protection to adjacent surface water and benthic fish populations. While this study recommends riparian buffer-widths for a typical tropical environment, further research which assesses other contaminant types in aquatic matrices adjacent to different riparian environments would be valuable and informative for regulatory guidance and strategic protection of ecosystem services.

The riparian zone plays a crucial role in the development and transformation of cities. This zone dramatically changes cities both ecologically and economically and is one of the cornerstones of the future scenarios of the city. These areas constitute significant emphasis throughout the city by providing wildlife, improving the water quality, reducing flood areas, and creating social activity areas in the city. Besides, it influences land use, transportation, energy efficiency, social life. The riparian zones are one of the most significant components of the cities that mitigate the climate change effects. Because, the existence of water creates microclimatic conditions around the cities and this conserves the heat island effect, greenhouse effect, and also air pollution. The deterioration of the sustainability of this important backbone throughout the city causes an important loss in terms of urban ecosystems. Because it is an important connection of natural life and urban life, and any deterioration causes two important characters to be separated from one another. In this regard, ensuring water management in the city is a crucial issue in terms of urban habitat. In the scope of this study, research was conducted on the contribution of riparian zone to the urban ecosystem and also how the presence of this backbone system in the city transforms the urban areas was discussed.

The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network (HTLN) is a component of the National Park Service’s (NPS) strategy to improve park management through greater reliance on scientific information. The purposes of this program are to design and implement long-term ecological monitoring and provide information for park managers to evaluate the integrity of park ecosystems and better understand ecosystem processes. Concerns over declining surface water quality have led to the development of various monitoring approaches to assess stream water quality. Freshwater streams in network parks are threatened by numerous stressors, most of which originate outside park boundaries. Stream condition and ecosystem health are dependent on processes occurring in the entire watershed as well as riparian and floodplain areas; therefore, they cannot be manipulated independently of this interrelationship. Land use activities—such as timber management, landfills, grazing, confined animal feeding operations, urbanization, stream channelization, removal of riparian vegetation and gravel, and mineral and metals mining—threaten stream quality. Accordingly, the framework for this aquatic monitoring is directed towards maintaining the ecological integrity of the streams in those parks. Invertebrates are an important tool for understanding and detecting changes in ecosystem integrity, and they can be used to reflect cumulative impacts that cannot otherwise be detected through traditional water quality monitoring. The broad diversity of invertebrate species occurring in aquatic systems similarly demonstrates a broad range of responses to different environmental stressors. Benthic invertebrates are sensitive to the wide variety of impacts that influence Ozark streams. Benthic invertebrate community structure can be quantified to reflect stream integrity in several ways, including the absence of pollution sensitive taxa, dominance by a particular taxon combined with low overall taxa richness, or appreciable shifts in community composition relative to reference condition. Furthermore, changes in the diversity and community structure of benthic invertebrates are relatively simple to communicate to resource managers and the public. To assess the natural and anthropo-genic processes influencing invertebrate communities, this protocol has been designed to incorporate the spatial relationship of benthic invertebrates with their local habitat including substrate size and embeddedness, and water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductance, and turbidity). Rigid quality control and quality assurance are used to ensure maximum data integrity. Detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and supporting information are associated with this protocol.