Beneficial Stream Buffers
Do you know why stream buffers are so importantStream buffers, also known as riparian buffers, are bands of vegetation bordering a body of water that play a crucial role in promoting public health by protecting water quality. The type of vegetation in the buffer depends upon the climate and buffers the stream from anything that flows into it – polluted water, eroding soil, or toxic chemicals. Many fish species need cool water, and streamside vegetation provides shade to keep streams cool. Leaves falling into the stream provide food for insects that fish eat as well as places for fish to hide from predators. Roots help to stabilize stream banks and keep dirt from washing into streams. Plants on stream banks also provide shelter for wildlife as they drink from waterways.
Viewer Tip: If a stream flows through your property, try to maintain a healthy growth of native plants along stream banks. Destroying a stream buffer can cause many water quality problems and adversely affect downstream landowners. Check with your local Department of Natural Resources to learn what size stream buffer is required for your stream.
This information was provided by the Georgia Wildlife Federation. For more information about stream buffers, visit www.gwf.org.
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
(Sources: Implications of Changes in Riparian Buffer Protection for Georgia’s Trout Streams, a study by University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology, www.rivercenter.uga.edu/publications.htm; The Scientific Justification for Stream Buffers, Paul Mitchell, University of Georgia Land Use Clinic. Fact sheet from Riverkeepers, www.riverkeepers.org/pdf/riparian_buffers_fact_sheet_pdf)