Precision riparian buffers for the control of nonpoint source pollutant loading into surface water: A review

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of riparian buffers in reducing sediment, pathogen, and nutrient loads into surface and groundwater in agricultural catchments. Reported retention rates of sediment, N, and P were as high as 97%, 85%, and 84%, respectively. Often, however, riparian buffers fail to perform their protective functions due to low adaptability of their designs to local settings. This is caused by our inadequate understanding of the conditions under which riparian buffers perform the best at field scale. Therefore, a precision oriented approach based on thorough analysis of spatially variable characteristics of landscape has to be undertaken in riparian buffer construction. Such an approach has a potential to improve the protective qualities and the economic viability of the riparian buffers. This paper gives an overview of the current level of research on riparian buffers and discusses the importance of spatial variability of local conditions on their performance. It presents the approaches for precision buffer design and its practical implementation and highlights the directions for future development of precision conservation. Key words: riparian buffer, vegetative filter, water quality, precision conservation.

Environmental Services Provided from Riparian Forests in the Nordic Countries

“…Various technical details on buffer width, designs and nutrient sink effectiveness can be found in (Luke et al 2007;Mayer et al 2007;Broadmeadow and Nisbet 2004;Polyakov et al 2005). In general, vegetated buffer widths of at least 20-30 m are recommended to obtain benefits for water, biodiversity and GHG exchange.…”

“…The design and efficiency of riparian buffers for control of nutrient transport to surface water are relatively well studied outside the Nordic countries (Broadmeadow and Nisbet 2004) especially in agricultural landscapes (Mayer et al 2007;Sabater et al 2003;Polyakov et al 2005). However, other functions of buffer zones are rarely discussed.…”

Heterogeneity of Infiltration Rates in Alluvial Floodplains as Measured with a Berm Infiltration Technique

“…ue to their characteristics such as geomorphic depositions, their abundant roots and other biological activity, and frequent drying/wetting cycles, alluvial floodplains and their riparian areas are particularly susceptible to preferential flow (Mulholland et al, 1990;Gold and Kellogg, 1997;Carlyle and Hill, 2001;Vellidis et al, 2001;Polyakov et al, 2005;Fuchs et al, 2009). Linear deposits of coarse-grained sediments with high infiltration rates such as gravel outcrops and macropores create preferential flow paths (Gotovac et al, 2009;Najm et al, 2010).…”

Governance of Water Resources in the Phase of Change: A Case Study of the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in Sweden

“…This is a mathematically simple parameterization of soil moisture status that is calculated on slopes and depends, therefore, on digital terrain data. The use of wetness indices as part of the input information for selection of suitable areas for wetland restoration and creation has been used by, for example, Russell et al (1997), White and Fennessy (2005), and Polyakov et al (2005). The results together with information on soils can give a picture of the present situation and possible future situations concerning wetland potential.…”