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Picture an idyllic lake setting. The sun glimmering on clear, clean water. Children wading along the shore. A fisherman casting for elusive bass. A lushly vegetated shoreline that blends into the surrounding landscape. The interrelationship between a lake and its shoreline is important.
The shoreline, or riparian zone, is the last line of defense against
forces that may otherwise pollute a healthy lake. A naturally-vegetated
shoreline Unfortunately, as watershed landscapes are developed, natural lake shorelines often are damaged. In urban and rural environments alike, for instance, cutting, mowing, or removing vegetation can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, degraded aquatic habitat, impaired aesthetics, and a reduction in property values. The Buffer Concept Ecologists, water quality specialists, land planners and lake managers all agree that a naturally-vegetated buffer strip along the edge of a lake (or a stream or wetland) is critical to maintaining the health of a water body. The buffer concept is fairly simple: A riparian buffer should ideally be comprised of a mixture of trees, shrubs or grasses that naturally exist in an area. Buffers usually require little maintenance, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides is strongly discouraged. Buffer strip characteristics such as the type of plants or size may vary depending on the lake setting. A buffer may be twenty-five feet wide around a small urban pond, or hundreds of feet wide along a pristine rural lake. Intrusions into the buffer may be strictly controlled, or flexible to allow for user access. |
filters
runoff generated by surrounding land uses in the watershed, removing
harmful chemicals and nutrients. At the same time, plant roots bind
to the soil helping to keep it in place and prevent soil erosion. The
riparian zone also provides critical habitat for aquatic insects, microorganisms,
fish and other animals. As you can see, riparian zones are unique areas,
linking the land with the water.