estimate suitable width for vegetated buffer strips in the riparian zone
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Modeling the width and placement of riparian vegetated buffer strips on the Chi-Jai-Wang Stream, Taiwan. Importance of controlling agricultural pollution along the Chi-Jia-Wang Stream to protect the habitat of a species of endangered salmon - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
•Importance of controlling agricultural pollution along the Chi-Jia-Wang Stream to protect the habitat of a species of endangered salmon•Paper by Lin C.Y., , Lin W.T., Chou W.C., & . (2002). Modeling the width and placement of riparian vegetated buffer strips: A case study on the Chi-Jai-Wang Stream, Taiwan. Journal of Environmental Management. 66(3), 269-280.•Presented by Robert R. Willis, Environmental Studies, GEOG 370, 3/01/2010
Modeling the width and placement of riparian vegetated buffer strips on the Chi-
Jai-Wang Stream, Taiwan
Estimate Suitable Width for Vegetated Buffer Strips in the Riparian Zone
• Problem: Wastewater, surface runoff and groundwater flow contribute to problems of pesticides, nutrients and other organic pollutants entering the stream.
• Hypothesis: A wider riparian buffer zone is needed to effectively reduce the amount of pollution
Topographic Analysis and Pollutant Transport Simulations
• Study Area: Wu-Lin Farm located on the Chi-Jia-Wang Stream riverbank, Taiwan
• Simulation of pollutant transport: simulated vertical movement of pollutants in soil to estimate safety depth
• Safety depth is vertical depth necessary in a riparian zone for a pollutant to change from high concentration to background level
Results
• Estimated safety depth for Fanarimol is 5.19 m
• Fanarimol is the most highly concentrated pollutant tested so its safety depth should be enough for all other pollutants
• Width of vegetated buffer strip can be obtained by using the safety depth
Conclusion
• When evaluating the total effects of a riparian vegetated buffer strip, the entire watershed area should be considered as a unit
• Riparian zones based on a safety depth of 5.9 m are sufficient for this area
• Criticisms: Results are only from simulation and more accurate results require onsite data verification