WERF Research Report Series

An Evaluation of the Functions and Effectiveness of Urban Riparian Forest Buffers

by S. Stewart

Published 1 January 2006

This project was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of urban riparian forest buffers for a number of potential functions. States and local jurisdictions are increasingly requiring riparian buffers during the development of land for urban uses. At the same time these same jurisdictions must meet the requirements of Total Maximum Daily Loads for pollutant reduction, NPDES-Municipal Stormwater Discharge Permits, and other environmental programs, such as, the Chesapeake Bay Program that require not only pollutant load reductions, but also habitat improvements. This research provides needed information urban riparian forest buffers through a field research design that incorporated a contrast between three sites with a high degree of forested riparian buffer with three sites that had a low amount of forested buffer. The research included, hydrologic measurements, pollutant concentration and load measurements, temperature recordation, buffer floristic analysis, and stream benthic community analysis. This study demonstrates the value of urban riparian forest buffers as a Best Management Practice and provides a model ordinance for use in the development of local jurisdiction stream buffer requirements. This report is available as a pay-per-view item only.