What is a riparian area?
In a nutshell: Riparian areas are the transition areas between the aquatic (water) and terrestrial (uplands) lands, where the extra water results in moist soils supporting water-loving vegetation. They are the green belts you see around rivers, lakes, wetlands, and streams.
The technical definition: Riparian lands are transitional areas between upland and aquatic ecosystems. They have variable width and extent above and below ground and perform various functions. These lands are influenced by and exert an influence on associated water bodies, including alluvial aquifers and floodplains. Riparian lands usually have soil, biological, and other physical characteristics that reflect the influence of water and hydrological processes. (AB Water Council)
This illustration shows the transition from upland
to riparian to aquatic zones. Image: Cows & Fish.
Learn More Here
Examples of riparian areas
To read more about riparian areas, please visit Cows and Fish at https://cowsandfish.org/what-is-riparian/
All of the above photos are courtesy of Cows and Fish (www.cowsandfish.org), except for the following: Top middle: Red Deer - Aerial - downtown bridges.jpg (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Deer_-_Aerial_-_downtown_bridges.jpg); Middle right: Aerial view of Fort McMurray: Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fort_mcmurray_aerial.jpg); Bottom left: Mulhurst Bay Pigeon Lake Alberta Canada (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mulhurst_Bay_Pigeon_Lake_Alberta_Canada_02A.jpg).
Why are riparian areas important?
The above content was provided by Cows and Fish. For more info,
please go to https://cowsandfish.org/ecology-function/
Why are riparian areas important? Learn more on this NSWA produced infographic 1-page resource. Check it out here.
Watch the Riparian Video Series
