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You've heard the terms “riparian” and “watershed,” but what do they really mean?
Riparian areas are basically those between land and water where the soil is wet. A healthy riparian zone can provide habitat for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, produce organic matter for aquatic habitats and provide erosion control. These areas can be as small as a foot wide or as large as hundreds of feet wide, depending on the size of the aquatic system they border. Riparian areas are important for recreation, as well as timber and forage production.
These areas provide food, water, breeding and rearing areas, and cover from predators to fish and wildlife species. Trees and other plants stabilize banks and help keep water cool. Woody debris in the water provides cover for fish while logs on land offer shelter to wildlife. Both deciduous and evergreen plants and trees may occupy a riparian habitat. Plant roots hold soil in place, reducing erosion. Vegetation also intercepts precipitation, allowing water to soak into soil and be released slowly instead of running off quickly into the stream.
Water quality is influenced in several ways. A healthy riparian zone can slow floodwaters and create areas for sediment to be deposited during high flows. Riparian vegetation creates shade that cools water temperatures. Riparian areas also filter pollutants (fertilizers, pesticides, and animal wastes), and in some cases, prevent those pollutants from entering the aquatic system.
Riparian areas are found within watersheds. A watershed can be defined as an area of land that collects rain and snow then discharges it to a body of water, like a stream or river. Watersheds can experience changes through both natural and human means. Examples of natural agents of change include flooding, landslides, drought, fire and climate change, as well as erosion and sediment deposition. Human-made changes include dams, agriculture, forestry, recreation, mining, roads, fishing, and urbanization.
Like most other ecological systems, riparian zones are constantly changing. Vegetation loss is among the most serious problems in a riparian area. Human-related activities should be planned to minimize impacts on fish, wildlife, and overall riparian health. An important goal in managing riparian areas is to maintain the habitat, if it is fully functioning, or improve it when the system is damaged. Management includes vegetation maintenance, bank stabilization, water quality maintenance, and preservation of fish and wildlife habitat. If you are doing riparian restoration activities, then only plant native species should be used.
Douglas County OSU Extension will be hosting the Master Watershed Stewardship program this fall. To learn more, contact the office at 672-4461 or send e-mail to holly.burton@oregonstate.edu.
Raini Rippy is an Extension forester for OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at raini.rippy@oregonstate.edu or at 672-4461.
Riparian areas are basically those between land and water where the soil is wet. A healthy riparian zone can provide habitat for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, produce organic matter for aquatic habitats and provide erosion control. These areas can be as small as a foot wide or as large as hundreds of feet wide, depending on the size of the aquatic system they border. Riparian areas are important for recreation, as well as timber and forage production.
These areas provide food, water, breeding and rearing areas, and cover from predators to fish and wildlife species. Trees and other plants stabilize banks and help keep water cool. Woody debris in the water provides cover for fish while logs on land offer shelter to wildlife. Both deciduous and evergreen plants and trees may occupy a riparian habitat. Plant roots hold soil in place, reducing erosion. Vegetation also intercepts precipitation, allowing water to soak into soil and be released slowly instead of running off quickly into the stream.
Water quality is influenced in several ways. A healthy riparian zone can slow floodwaters and create areas for sediment to be deposited during high flows. Riparian vegetation creates shade that cools water temperatures. Riparian areas also filter pollutants (fertilizers, pesticides, and animal wastes), and in some cases, prevent those pollutants from entering the aquatic system.
Riparian areas are found within watersheds. A watershed can be defined as an area of land that collects rain and snow then discharges it to a body of water, like a stream or river. Watersheds can experience changes through both natural and human means. Examples of natural agents of change include flooding, landslides, drought, fire and climate change, as well as erosion and sediment deposition. Human-made changes include dams, agriculture, forestry, recreation, mining, roads, fishing, and urbanization.
Like most other ecological systems, riparian zones are constantly changing. Vegetation loss is among the most serious problems in a riparian area. Human-related activities should be planned to minimize impacts on fish, wildlife, and overall riparian health. An important goal in managing riparian areas is to maintain the habitat, if it is fully functioning, or improve it when the system is damaged. Management includes vegetation maintenance, bank stabilization, water quality maintenance, and preservation of fish and wildlife habitat. If you are doing riparian restoration activities, then only plant native species should be used.
Douglas County OSU Extension will be hosting the Master Watershed Stewardship program this fall. To learn more, contact the office at 672-4461 or send e-mail to holly.burton@oregonstate.edu.
Raini Rippy is an Extension forester for OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at raini.rippy@oregonstate.edu or at 672-4461.
