Effect Of A Riparian Buffer Zone Essay

Methodology: The water samples will be collected utilizing sterile plastic water bottles from Lake Tarpon. The location the samples will be collected from is Anderson Park, by the boat docks, located at 39669 U.S. 19, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689. The water samples will be brought to Tarpon Springs High School to be tested, located at 1411 Gulf Rd, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689. The phosphate, nitrate, and dissolved oxygen levels will be tested utilizing various LaMotte water testing kits,

The health of the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay was found based on Biological (macroinvertebrates and wildlife) and Chemicals characteristics (pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates, etc.) as well as physical observations (amount of forested buffers, wetlands, etc.) Overall it was concluded that the health of the water was good to excellent. What was found was that many of the macroinvertebrates found in the water were sensitive or facultative, meaning the water quality was good enough for them to live in. Also, the level of ph, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phosphates, nitrates, and turbidity showed that the water quality was good. Finally, while we were canoeing down the Susquehanna River, observations were made on the land

Through our research we aimed to determine if there were any differences in water quality of both the north and south forks of Strawberry Creek. As time progresses and the environment changes it is important to keep track of how certain species are being impacted by these features, and how they cope with change. We hypothesized that due to the lack of pollution, the south fork will promote a greater diversity of macroinvertebrates. This was due to the fact that there was less runoff and trash that could be introduced to the water in the south fork, than there was in the north fork. We gathered data by analyzing the different organisms living in both forks. We collected a total of fifty vials composed of five organisms from each fork, and inspected them under microscopic view. After gathering data and identifying the different kinds of organisms living in the different forks we assessed whether the organisms from the samples could live in high or low resolution water. We also took a t-test to assess the probability of these differences being due to relevant factors or by chance. Our major findings suggest that organisms in the south fork showed a higher demand to living in cleaner water indicating that our hypothesis was correct.

Government agencies carefully monitor water quality and its effect on wetlands (Reference: Environment Protection Agency Wetland Report EPA 832-R-93-005). Of particular concern is the concentration of nitrogen in water draining from fertilized lands. Too much nitrogen can kill fish and wildlife. Twenty-eight samples of water were taken at random from a lake. The nitrogen concentration (milligrams of nitrogen per liter of water) was determined for each sample. The variable in this information is nitrogen concentration (mg nitrogen/l water).

Based on research completed by University of Minnesota soil scientists, the state mandates that every wetland should be protected by a 50-foot buffer zone. The City of Lilliput, a rural town located 30 miles north of St. Cloud, Minnesota, increased the buffer zone to150 feet in1990 within their municipality. The rationale behind Lilliput’s increase was because the town is zoned for predominantly rural uses, i.e. farming and cattle ranching. Due to the animal wasted and farmers’ use of pesticides on their crops, the Town Council felt that increasing the buffer around surrounding wetlands would better protect it from these sources of contamination than would the state minimum of 50

The Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network was created to assess the quality of aquatic environments and ecosystems using benthos organisms as biomarkers (Ontario Ministry of the Environment, 2007). Exclusively used in Ontario, this biomonitoring program assesses ecological function and condition of streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands across the province (The Dorset Environmental Science Centre, 2017). The OBBN protocol is ideal for assessing water quality because of the use of aquatic macroinvertebrates (Borisko, et al. 2007). Since macroinvertebrates are easy and inexpensive to collect, determining water quality can be conducted continuously over the course of the year, across many locations (Borisko, et al. 2007; Ontario Ministry of the

The first piece of evidence supporting this statement is a water quality index of 48. The 7 pollution sensitive organisms in the creek are worth three points each on the water quality index, plus the 10 moderately tolerant organisms each 2 points and the 7 tolerant organisms each 1 point add up to get the 48 water quality index. The water quality level is considered excellent if it is 23 or above. The water quality in the U-High creek is more than twice that. There were many different types of organisms found in the creek including 7 pollution intolerant micro invertebrates. The total number of organisms including the 88 pollution intolerant Caddis fly larvae point to a low pollution level in the creek. The 10 moderately tolerant micro invertebrates also point to low polluted creek. There were also a high number of midges and aquatic worms. The water in the creek was also very clear and did not have a smell. There were many small fish and plants growing in and around it concluding a low pollution level in the

One of the recurring problems at Howard County is the large quantities of stormwater runoff that flow into nearby streams. This is due to meteorological factors and physical characteristics including: land use changes. The more impervious surfaces there are the more surface runoff there will be; thus, placing adverse effects upon the environment. To be exact, these stormwater runoffs carry car oils, fertilizers, pet waste, litter, and sediment to the Chesapeake bay. Hence, 20% of the chesapeake bay’s pollution is due to stormwater runoff. However, not only does storm water contribute to pollution, but it also harms wildlife and its environment, as well as cause floods, erosion, and property damage. To address such issue, Howard Community College

They also block travel of important nutrients and natural materials which are important for wildlife growth. Another significant impact is the upstream river section becoming a larger slack-water reservoir, which changes in temperature, oxygen levels and physical properties, ultimately modifying the wildlife species habitats.

The riparian buffer discussed in the fact pattern describe leaving a 50-foot buffer zone of natural land between both sides of all streams. The plaintiff, Roberta Smith, owns a 100-acre farm which has a stream flowing through it. Under the new riparian buffer regulation four of her 100 acres will be lost because the regulation will prevent her from growing any crops on this four-acre plot of land. The plaintiff argues that a regulatory taking has occurred and that she is entitled to compensation for her lost land. It is important to understand the distinction between eminent domain and a regulatory taking before going further. In Kelo and Village of Euclid eminent domain refers to situations where the government explicitly condemns private land for public use and justify the taking under the 5th

They filter out pollutants and excess nutrients, trap runoff and sediments, provide habitat for terrestrial and aquatic species, encourage biodiversity, act as wildlife corridors, regulate the temperature of the water, stabilize stream banks, and reduce the risk of flooding (Cunningham). However, such benefits cannot be yielded with buffers that are too small for the size of the stream they are protecting. To maximize the potential for a healthy river, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order streams, or headwaters, must be thoroughly protected (Hawes). Thus, we have determined two minimum widths for riparian buffers in Andrews. 1st and 2nd order streams will have a minimum of 50 feet of riparian buffer because it is the legal North Carolina minimum (Kulz). A width of 100 feet was chosen for 3rd order streams and larger because this is the practice observed in Buncombe County, which is located in a similar geological landscape to Cherokee County, where Andrews is located. No development will be permitted within the minimum measurements for these riparian buffers.

Many new developments are being built by freshwater sources such as lakes and rivers and with this construction, riparian areas are being destroyed. Both of these actions negatively impact the amount of dissolved oxygen at the source. Industries such as construction and logging may send large amounts of organic matter into streams (Zaimes 2007). This organic matter would then be decomposed by microorganisms, which use up oxygen in this process. This process creates a eutrophic system where oxygen levels are depleted. Additionally, destruction of Riparian areas would decrease the tree cover and increase the water temperature. The significance of this temperature increase is that the water would be able to hold less dissolved oxygen. Many aquatic

As seen in Figure 1. during the removal of carp in Lake Susan the amount of vegetation had increased by 40% (Bajer and Sorensen 2015). The importance of having vegetation in lakes especially around the littoral zone is vital for providing a habitat for other aquatic and semi aquatic species like amphibians and invertebrates (Radomski et al 2010). It was surprising to learn that removal of carp in a deep lake that can stratify, did not affect the concentration levels of phosphorous. While it improved the turbidity of the water, becoming more clear, and allowing for more light to enter the lake needed for submersed vegetation to growth (Bajer and Sorensen

Small strips of land between the main land and a water bodies are known as a Riparian zone. The zones act as a buffer between the interior land and the watershed. They do not make up a large portion of the worlds entire land mass however, they are highly important for ecosystems. Riparian ecosystems share attributes of both aquatic and land ecosystems allowing for greater and a wider verity of biodiversity. They also act as protective barrier for water bodies. Protecting them from soil run off, pollutants and control water temperature by shading sunlight. Along with many other factors that help to create a healthy and prosperous ecosystem. (Riparian area management…,2001) Due to these factors it has become apparent that riparian

The research project I chose to study was titled, Current Browning of surface Waters Will Be Further Promoted by Wetter Climate, and was published by the Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Finnish Environment Institute, Aquatic Biology and Toxicology, and the Department of Forest Ecology and Management. This project includes fifteen years of data, beginning in 1990 and ending in 2013. These departments were trying to understand why there is an increase in the browning of surface waters. This research project includes data from Fennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, and Finland), the United Kingdom, the northeastern United States, and southeastern Canada. They discovered that the browning of surface waters is due to increasing terrestrial dissolved organic carbon concentrations. They proposed that the browning of surface waters is a concern because of four primary reasons. Reason number one is that brown surface waters could release more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This will also lead to higher water costs, because of the processes that water distributors will have to put the water through to cleanse it. Alternatively the browning of surface waters will also affect freshwater productivity because of how it limits light penetration. Lastly, these conditions will promote anoxia and consequently limit oxythermal habitats (Wit 2016).