Is your house located along a stream? Streams are dynamic systems, meaning they are constantly changing. Your stream may be a babbling brook most days but after a heavy rain, it can become a roiling river. The best way to get along with your stream is to protect the edge with a buffer strip of native grass, forbs, trees, and/or shrubs. Streamside buffers are beneficial for many reasons:

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  A buffer of vegetation helps stabilize the bank and protect homes along O’Bannon Creek

  Plant roots help stabilize the stream bank. Native plants have deep root systems which hold the soil in place.

• Buffers filter out sediment and other pollutants that may wash into a stream. Sediment can smother aquatic organisms that live on the stream bottom and make it difficult for fish to find food.
• Within the water, small fish and other aquatic organisms will find vital cover under plants that hang over the edge. The shade provided by the plants in the buffer helps to moderate the temperature of the stream. Cooler water holds more oxygen and reduces stress on fish and other aquatic creatures.
• Flourishing vegetation on the bank attracts desirable wildlife such as mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Buffers entice insects like dragonflies, and various birds, which feed on mosquitoes and ticks. Buffers provide an excellent food source for our valuable pollinators. Buffers provide connecting corridors that enable wildlife to move safely from one habitat area to another.
• Buffers help filter trash as well as leaves, grass clippings, fertilizers, and other debris that can cause excessive nutrient spikes. If the stream receives runoff laden with nitrogen and phosphorus, nuisance vegetation and algae can grow. Excessive growth may lead to water quality problems such as foul odors, low dissolved oxygen levels potentially leading to fish kills, and harmful algal blooms which are unsafe for people, pets, and wildlife.
• Buffers absorb rainwater, which recharges groundwater supplies and allows storm runoff to be released more slowly. This can reduce the intensity and frequency of flooding.

Clermont SWCD staff can provide guidance on how to establish an effective and attractive stream buffer. If you would like our assistance, please give our office a call at 513-732-7075.

For a list of stream buffer friendly plants available through our Annual Plant Sale, see page 2.

(Adapted from an article published by Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District)