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Roadside Guide to Clean Water: Riparian Buffers

A riparian buffer involves planting or retaining trees, shrubs, or tall grasses along the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds.

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Updated:

April 29, 2025

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Roadside Guide to Clean Water: Riparian Buffers

Riparian Buffers at a Glance

The word "riparian" is used to describe the area alongside a river or other body of water. A riparian buffer involves planting or retaining trees, shrubs, or tall grasses along the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds. Riparian buffers exist in both urban and rural areas and can be planted along any body of water capable of supporting plants.

How Riparian Buffers Work

When plants like meadow grasses and trees are allowed to grow, or new trees and shrubs are planted, the soil becomes more porous and allows water to soak in more easily. Riparian buffers act like sponges along a waterway, soaking in precipitation and water running off the land. They also capture sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants that are carried with the water runoff. In addition to helping absorb water and pollution, the deep roots of these plants are very good at holding streambanks in place. This further reduces water pollution by preventing the land from caving in and washing downstream. Another benefit of trees and shrubs in a riparian buffer is the shade and wildlife habitat created by the leaves and branches. The wider the riparian buffer extends from the water's edge, the more effective it is at improving water quality.

Community Benefits of Riparian Buffers

Groundwater: Recharges groundwater
Climate Change: Promotes climate change resiliency
Flooding: Mitigates flooding
Landscape: Beautifies the landscape
Pollution: Reduces pollution
Habitat: Provides wildlife habitat

You can expect to find riparian buffers in urban, suburban, and rural settings.

How to Recognize Riparian Buffers

No-mow area near a housing development — Riparian buffers can be as simple as a no-mow zone along a water body. Photo by Kristen Koch

Newly-planted young trees — Very young, native, wet-area-loving trees and shrubs are often planted to grow a forested riparian buffer. Photo by Kristen Koch

Shelter tube with sapling inside and netting on the top — Tubelike shelters are often used to protect trees from deer and other animals. Nets on top of each shelter prevent birds from falling inside and becoming trapped. Photo by Kristen Koch

People installing a fence along a stream — Many dairy and livestock farmers install fencing to exclude their herd from the riparian area. Photo by Kristen Koch. Learn more at "Stream Bank Fencing: Green Banks, Clean Streams."

Person spraying herbicide along a buffer zone — Mowing, herbicide application, and other forms of weed control are common to help trees outcompete weeds when getting established. Photo by Jennifer Fetter

Mature brush and trees along a creek — It only takes a few years before the trees grow out of their tubes and a forest will be growing next to the stream. Photo by Kristen Koch

Planting trees along streets and other locations in urban areas provides similar benefits to riparian buffers. Visit the Urban and Suburban Trees webpage to find out more.