Riparian Zones

Diagram of a riparian zoneRiparian zones, or areas, are lands that occur along the edges of rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies. Examples include streambanks, riverbanks, and floodplains. They’re different from the surrounding uplands because their soils and vegetation are shaped by the presence of water.  Although riparian areas generally occupy only a small percentage of the area of a watershed, they are crucial components of the ecosystem. Healthy riparian zones provide many benefits to the natural and cultural landscape.

Riparian zones provide many important functions and benefits, including:

  • Providing habitat (including migration routes and habitat connectors) for a diversity of wildlife
  • Helping to maintain water quality, because riparian vegetation can remove excess nutrients. pollutants, and sediment from stormwater surface runoff 
  • Deter harmful algal blooms
  • Stabilizing stream banks and reducing floodwater velocity  (thanks to riparian vegetation)
  • Flood reduction by storing flood water.
  • Providing recreation, and educational opportunities and scenic beauty.
  • Overhanging vegetation shades streams, which reduces water temperatures for fish, plants,  and aquatic insects/macroinvertebrates.

It connects the upland zone to the aquatic zone, controlling the flow of water, sediment, nutrients, and organisms between the two. Without a proper functioning riparian zone, the other zones suffer.


Check out this NC DEQ video for more information on Riparian Zones and their related Buffers.