How do you identify a healthy riparian zone?

Answer 1

Surface water, streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes are some of our most precious natural resources. They provide clean water for a variety of human uses, as well as habitat for wildlife and aquatic life.

Riparian areas are the green vegetated areas adjacent to a creeks, streams, rivers or lakes. Riparian areas include streams, streambanks, and wetlands adjacent to streams/lakes. The riparian zone creates well-defined habitats within the drier surrounding landscape. While they make up a small portion of the overall area, riparian zones are generally more productive in plant and animal biomass than the surrounding areas and are high in diversity.

HEALTHY RIPARIANS:

Healthy riparian areas have many different characteristics depending upon location, geology, landscape, and climate. However, all healthy riparian areas have similarities that include:

1) A thick growth of vegetation with diverse species of grasses, forbs (weeds), shrubs, and trees that cover the streambanks and provide shade.
2) Land surrounding streambanks generally remains wet throughout most of the year except where streams cut through rocky terrain.
3) Streambanks are more vertical and steep than flat and rounded.
4) Stream flow levels vary only moderately throughout the year.
5) Streamwater is relatively clear but contains debris from streambanks (leaves, twigs, or logs) that create pools and other habitat for fish and aquatic insects.
6) A diversity of wildlife including fish, aquatic life, mammals, and birds.