The area of land adjacent to a body of water is known as the riparian zone. This area is critical to the health of streams and other water bodies, and by extension critical to the health of the communities that live by them. Riparian buffers soak up excess nutrients, sediment, and other non-point source pollutants before they reach the stream, provide organic matter for benthic macroinvertebrates which are at the bottom of the freshwater food chain, increase stream bank stability and prevent erosion, provide shade to help regulate water temperature, and help to prevent downstream flooding. According to a study by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network these and other benefits, including the impact on drinking water quality, property values, and outdoor recreation, translate to $10,000 per acre per year in monetized ecosystem benefits, far exceeding the benefits of developing them.
Recognizing these benefits, the Upper Deerfield Township in Cumberland County passed a “Riparian Zone Ordinance” which establishes official riparian zones of between 50 and 300 feet wide along both sides of a body of water. These zones are protected from avoidable disturbances, thereby conserving the ecosystem services that the riparian zone and our freshwater ecosystems provide to us.
Additional Resources
Economic Benefits of Riparian Buffers
Upper Deerfield Riparian Zone Ordinance