Managing Manure: the Role of Riparian Buffers

Managing Manure: The Role of Riparian Buffers Fact Sheet Equine Facilities Manure Management Practices June 2003 Equestrians have become aware of the potential environmental impacts that may be caused by their horses and are actively seeking solutions to minimize these problems. A typical 1,000 pound horse may produce 0.75 cubic feet per day of solid waste plus urine, therefore appropriate manure management practices must be implemented at equestrian facilities in order to control runoff containing wastes and thereby protect water quality in nearby streams. * A number of management practices to store, compost and recycle horse manure to help reduce its environmental impact have been developed and are discussed in other fact sheets and conservation practice manuals for horses (see references at the end of this fact sheet). Riparian Buffers- strips of dense, vegetative cover which include grasses, soft stemmed plants (forbs), shrubs and trees growing in streamside areas- are one of the most effective tools to help assure clean runoff from horse facilities. Buffers can be considered a last line of defense against the natural downslope flow of runoff down streambanks before that runoff reaches the creek. As with all horse keeping practices, buffers should be integrated with other proven pollution control and management practices and incorporated into a facility’s conservation plan to maximize their effectiveness in protecting overall water quality. Contact your local RCD office for conservation planning assistance.¤ Types of Buffers hile there are many types parian Buffers, because of their associated root systems. Rivers W of buffers used in conser- multiple values to humans and and larger streams with year vation practices, their functions wildlife. round flows may support a full are much the same: to improve sized forest on the banks and and protect ground and surface floodplain. Smaller perennial water quality, reduce erosion, and creeks with lower flows may have provide protection and cover for limited tree growth which closely wildlife and aquatic life. Filter strips, swales, grass waterways, Inside Contents……. and shelterbelts (rows of trees serving as windbreaks) or hedge- Types of Buffers.………………1 rows (plantings along fence lines to shelter wildlife), are all exam- Streams and Water ples of conservation buffers that may be applied to specific site Quality……….…………………2 conditions. Buffers slow water Proper drainage & buffer Creation and runoff, catch sediment and en- alongside pasture. hance water infiltration in the Improvement……..….…….. 3-4 buffer area itself. Buffers can A Riparian Buffer is an area of trap particles of soil and organic permanent vegetation located ad- Maintenance material, utilize the nutrients jacent to a stream or creek, that is Tips……………..……………….4 from fertilizers and manure, ab- managed to maintain the integ- sorb runoff into the soil to break rity of the waterway, to reduce Stables and Horse down pesticides, pathogens, and pollution, and to provide food, Ranches…….…………………...5 other constituents of runoff, habitat, and thermal protection thereby minimizing the chances of for fish and wildlife. Riparian References Cited…...………….5 these potential pollutants reach- buffers often act to provide stream ing creeks. One of the most im- bank stabilization because of portant types of buffers are Ri- their extensive plant cover and 1 (Continued from page 1) hugs the bottom and lower sides Area. Riparian areas are typi- creekwater. Some plants and of the creek channel. Flow and cally rich in wildlife due to the trees are dependent on year- flood conditions can vary complex, layered habitat which, round water in the root zone widely, and it is wise to be fa- and grow close to the banks of miliar with current and past the creek; others prefer positions flow events in your stream when higher on the bank or flood- establishing a riparian buffer plain. Therefore soil moisture zone is being considered. and shade conditions can vary Depending upon what the land greatly in the streamside area. can naturally support, riparian This is important to understand cover may consist of a dense when choosing plants if new mix of grasses, grass-like plantings are planned for the plants, forbs (soft-stemmed riparian buffer.¤ plants), shrubs such as berries, vines such as wild grape, and/ or trees such as willows, red Grassed drainage area. alders, sycamores, maples, and other native plants typically if fully developed, includes a found along streams in the Bay leafy forest canopy to shade shrubs, groundcovers below and How Riparian Buffers Work to Enhance the Streamside Area and Protect Water Quality. Sediment and pollution utilization and soil storage fol- near-surface groundwater will filter lowed by breakdown, minimizes reach the waterway at a much the amount of sediment and slower rate over a longer period pollutants that could enter the of time than if it had directly iparian vegetation slows waterway. flowed into the waterway. Wa- R down runoff, allows water infiltration helps control ter to infiltrate, and causes flooding and maintains water the sediment (particles of soil Streambank and bed flow even during dry periods. and organic material) and pollutants to settle out of the water stabilizer and deposit in the buffer. Grass Water holding capacity and stems of forbs and shrubs lant roots hold bank soil slow the rate of flow of water P together and plant stems down streambanks (through the protect banks by deflecting the iparian Buffers benefit buffer) thereby increasing infil- cutting action of storm runoff. R aquatic habitat by im- tration of water into the soil. The vegetation helps stabilize proving the quality of nearby Soil sediments and pollutants banks and reduces erosion. Ri- waters though shading, filter- are then trapped, modified by parian Buffers also reduce the ing, and moderating stream soil bacteria, or used by the amount of scouring because the flow. Shade provided by the various plant root systems for vegetation absorbs surface run- plants maintains cooler, more growth. Nutrients from manure off, which slows down water even water temperatures. dissolved in runoff can be taken velocity. Cooler water holds more oxygen up and used by plants that are that helps reduce stress on fish vigorous and actively growing. Water Flow Regulator and other aquatic animals. Other contaminants in runoff Plant debris also contributes to from horse facilities can include ith the vegetation slow- a more complex food web pro- pesticide residues (fly sprays W ing down the velocity of viding a food source to mi- and wormers) herbicide resi- the runoff, the Riparian Buffer crobes, insects and other inver- dues, chemicals from soaps and allows water to infiltrate the tebrates benefiting all fish and other horse-care products, and soil and recharge the ground- wildlife. pathogens. The processes of water supply. Another positive particle trapping, infiltration, environmental benefit is that (Continued on page 3) 2 (Continued from page 2) Wildlife Habitat plants amend the soil, and host Having a Riparian Buffer along innumerable bugs and other soil- your creek adds to the value of dwelling animals. Continuous your land because it improves the he distinctive habitat of- stretches of Riparian Buffer also environment.¤ T fered by riparian buffers serve as safe wildlife travel corri- provides food, water and homes to dors, and if oriented across the a multitude of plant and animal path of prevailing winds, can species, including those rarely serve as a windbreak. The trees found outside this narrow band of and tall shrubs in a buffer can land. The layers of vegetation in a also absorb or collect airborne riparian zone include a leafy can- dust particles. opy which is home to many birds, Aesthetic including flycatchers, owls and raptors which are helpful to equestrians in insect and rodent he biological complexity control. Many shrubs provide T and natural beauty result- cover and food; notably seeds and ing from a Riparian Buffer are berries for birds. On the forest visually pleasing. Riparian Buff- Vegetated slope to drainage. floor are flowering annual and ers are especially valuable in pro- perennial plants which support viding a green screen along wa- numerous beneficial insects. Lay- terways, blocking views of nearby ers of decomposing leaves from neighbors, and providing privacy. How to Create or Improve a Riparian Buffer any coastal streams gentle slopes and even surfaces and utilization of nutrients, but M flow through narrow result in greater sheet flow of a low benefit for bank stabiliza- valleys where usable land is at water through the buffer, tion and flood protection. Trees a premium. The minimum thereby maximizing benefit. have a high benefit for flood width of a Riparian Buffer will Wider buffer strips have longer and bank stabilization because be dependent upon a number of flow lengths for treating runoff. of their deep and extensive an- factors specific to a property This combined with nearly flat choring root system, but no abil- such as the size of the stream, to very gently sloping stream ity to filter sediments. Always slope of the stream bank along sides and dense ground cover use local native vegetation, and individual reaches, the total vegetation will allow maximum plant at the appropriate time of amount of land available, exist- infiltration. Greater width the year. Be aware of the ing land uses, and economic may be required for steeper amount of sunlight that is factors. Generally, the wider slopes, because the faster rate of available below the tree canopy the buffer, the greater the envi- runoff flow through the buffer (if present) , as some plants and ronmental benefit. Narrow means les opportunity for parti- most grasses require sunny con- buffers require careful consid- cles to be trapped and water to ditions. Evergreen trees keep eration of slope and selection of be infiltrated. Wider buffers are their leaves year round, so they vegetation to insure effective- needed if sediment loads are may block needed sunlight dur- ness and have reduced wildlife high in runoff flowing into the ing the winter months.

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