A Good Neighbor to Waterways:
Information for Riparian Property Owners
What is a Riparian Property?
Riparian properties are primarily lands that are adjacent to streams, creeks, rivers, or other bodies of water. These properties have a connected relationship with the waterways and can enhance or degrade the water quality. Riparian property owners can play a critical role in preserving and enhancing riparian areas, leading to the improvement of water quality for human, plant and animal life.
How do Riparian Properties Affect Waterways?
When it rains, stormwater picks up and carries pollution as it runs off of rooftops, parking lots, lawns and other surfaces. Chemicals (such as insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers and oil), pet waste, sand, gravel, soil and litter are all common pollutants that are carried by the water as it flows over land surfaces, and can degrade our waterways. Ultimately, these pollutants can cause loss of aesthetic and true value of properties, and affect natural habitat and fish populations. Since riparian properties reside next to rivers and streams, they can most directly affect water quality.
What are the Characteristics of the Stream Abutting Your Property?
What can Riparian Property Owners do to Help Improve Water Quality?
One effective way for riparian property owners to enhance water quality is to create and maintain a riparian buffer zone, or naturalized areas along stream banks. Naturalized planting areas or riparian buffers along stream banks stabilize and prevent erosion of soils, filter and trap pollutants and provide for improved infiltration of stormwater into the soil. Riparian buffer zones can typically be established and maintained at a low cost while providing significant water quality benefits.
Get Started – Create Your Own Riparian Buffer Zone
- Establish a "no mow" area along your stream bank (ideally 30 feet or wider)
- Plant trees, shrubs and long stem grasses in your buffer zone
- Native plants are best and reduce the need for insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers-–all common stormwater pollutants
- Shrubs grow fast and can help create the buffer zone more quickly
- Native prairie grasses, such as Indian Grass or Switchgrass, help maintain views
- Periodically pick up litter and eliminate the use of insecticides, herbicides and fertilizers in the buffer area
- Integrate your buffer zone into a comprehensive stormwater management system for the entire property
Benefits of a Riparian Buffer Zone
Buffer zones create economic, social and environmental benefits. The specific benefits include:
- Captures pollutants naturally and prevents them from getting into waterways
- Improves water quality
- Protects aquatic and animal life
- Reduces property loss from soil erosion
- Protects drinking water supplies
- Increases property values
- Helps in the process of securing state and local permits
- Reduces maintenance time and costs
- Provides noise control and privacy
- Reduces greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide)
- Enhances and beautifies the community
Beyond a Buffer Zone
Additional ways to reduce water pollution and enhance a riparian property include:
Report chemical spills immediately to the Mayor's Action Center at 327-4MAC.
Never hose down a chemical spill or stain.
Use dry clean up methods (with absorbent material like kitty litter) to remove spills and stains. Be certain to dispose of the absorbent material properly.
Educate employees about stormwater and pollution.
Assign employees the responsibility of inspecting and cleaning up parking lots for litter, oil stains and other pollutants.
Maintain grassy areas outside the buffer zone at three inches or higher.
If stream access is important to you, create curved pathways to the stream to eliminate channeling through the buffer.
Click here to download an informational brochure for riparian property owners.