Riparian areas: an undervalued Saskatchewan resource

What is a riparian area?

Riparian areas are the lushly vegetated zones in coulees and along rivers, creeks, lakes, sloughs, potholes, hay meadows and springs. In Saskatchewan's prairie and parkland regions the increased moisture found in these areas produces unique plant communities that differ noticeably from surrounding crop and pasture land.

The province's riparian areas naturally support a dense growth of moisture- loving grasses and shrubs such as willow, wild rose, Saskatoon, and chokecherry. Trees commonly found in riparian areas are Manitoba maple, green ash, cottonwood, trembling aspen and balsam poplar.

Although riparian zones often represent only a small percentage of the land in a watershed, they are vitally important because of the diversity of plants and animals they support. Riparian areas are considered among the most productive ecosystems in the world.

Proper management yields many benefits

The sign of a healthy riparian area is dense, thick vegetation. This is achieved through good management of the entire area.

Effective riparian management produces a range of environmental and economic benefits.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Properly managed riparian areas support dense vegetation which:

Controls shoreline erosion

Maintains water quality

Reduces flood peaks/recharges groundwater

Provides wildlife/fish habitat

Economic Benefits

The following benefits are realized in properly managed riparian areas.

Properly managed riparian vegetation reduces the speed of water flow, allowing more water to enter the soil and move down into groundwater storage.

Livestock production

Crop production

Water supply

Timber harvesting

Trapping

Tourism/recreation

Real estate

The problem of declining productivity

Cause

Intensive cropping practices, overgrazing by livestock, channelization and clearing of rivers and creeks, timber harvesting, sand and gravel removal, and harmful recreation activities to destroy the dense vegetation in riparian areas.

Effect

Loss of riparian vegetation results in environmental consequences that reduce potential economic benefits derived from properly managed riparian areas.

Practices to avoid

• Indiscriminate burning and/or removal of riparian shrubs, trees and other vegetation reduce shoreline soil stability, increase water erosion and decrease groundwater storage.
• Channelization and brush clearing along creeks and rivers increases the speed of water flow, causing erosion and flooding which can severely damage upstream property.
• Destroying riparian areas by cultivating to the edge of the creeks, slough and potholes removes important vegetation, increasing the volume of contaminated agricultural run-off reaching dugouts, ponds and groundwater reserves.
• Cultivating temporary water-runs in crop land causes severe soil erosion, reducing long-term productivity. Water-eroded soil is often carried into streams and sloughs, lowering water quality.
• Concentrating livestock in riparian areas for long periods results in overgrazing that reduces forage productivity and encourages expansion by unpalatable plant species. This increases erosion potential and lowers water quality.
• Activities using heavy equipment, such as road construction, agricultural production or timber harvesting, compact riparian soils and damage shorelines. Recreational all-terrain vehicles cause similar impacts.

A degraded riparian area. The channel is downcut and banks are near vertical. There is little riparian vegetation to protect stream banks against further erosion or to slow run-off and reduce transportation of sediment downstream.

Removing or altering vegetation exposes areas of bare ground, increasing the potential for erosion. Water runs off the surface before it has an opportunity to soak into the soil.

Maintaining and improving riparian productivity

Riparian areas, with their unique plant communities, differ noticeably from surrounding crop and pasture lands. Proper land management recognizes and maintains this difference so benefits can be realized.

Every deteriorated riparian area can be rehabilitated. The various restoration methods include:

Natural water-courses that are cultivated are erosion prone. Grassed waterways are broad, shallow channels, seeded to perennial forages that carry surface run-off with a minimum of erosion.

• Monitoring the impacts of land use on riparian areas to detect potential problem areas before expensive damage and property loses occur.
• Protecting or establishing shrubs, trees, grass or other vegetation in riparian areas to help prevent shoreline erosion and filter agricultural run-off before it contaminates water bodies.
• Establishing and maintaining perennial grasses on temporary water-runs in crop land helps to eliminate water erosion and minimize the volume of agricultural run-off reaching streams and ponds.
• Integrate riparian areas into planned grazing systems to ensure that the growth requirements of riparian vegetation are recognized. For example:
  • Riparian areas are best suited for grazing when soils are dry.
  • Riparian and upland vegetation may not grow at the same rate, so monitor the growth rate of both to control grazing and rest cycles in pastures.
  • Develop water sources, supplementary feeding sites and salting areas in upland pasture to promote improved grazing distribution and reduce prolonged use of riparian areas.
  • Assess forage plant condition and utilization, trampling impacts and conditions of woody plants in evaluating the effectiveness of grazing practices
  • Evaluate the cost/benefit of using fencing to separate riparian areas from upland pasture to ensure that riparian plant communities receive adequate time for vegetation regrowth between grazing events.
• Constructing instream drop structures, vegetation riprap and deflectors within stream channels to slow water velocity and minimize erosion damage.
• Constructing only necessary roads with proper crowning and culverts to reduce soil erosion and silt buildup.