Red River Basin Riparian Project

What Is Riparian?

What Does Riparian Mean?

Riparian zones occur throughout the United States as long strips of vegetation adjacent to streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other inland aquatic systems that affect or are affected by the presence of water. This vegetation contributes to unique ecosystems that perform a large variety of ecological functions.

There is no universally recognized or widely accepted definition that adequately describes all riparian zones. Riparian definitions range from simple descriptions associated with water courses to technical and detailed descriptions limited to specific areas.

"The riparian corridor encompasses the stream channel and that portion of the terrestrial landscape from the high water mark toward the uplands where vegetation may be influenced by elevated water tables, or flooding, or by the ability of soils to hold water."

Robert Naiman

Click on image for a larger version.

"At the smallest scale, the riparian zone is the immediate water's edge where some specialized plants and animals form a distinct community. At a larger scale, the riparian zone is the area periodically flooded by high-water, the stream banks and floodplain. At the largest scale, the riparian zone is the band of land that has significant influence on the stream ecosystem, and/or is significantly influenced by the stream."

Malcomb Hunter

"Riparian areas are ecosystems that occur along watercourses or waterbodies. They are distinctly different from the surrounding lands because of unique soil and vegetation characteristics that are strongly influenced by free or unbound water in the soil. Riparian ecosystems occupy the transitional area between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Typical examples would include floodplains, stream banks, and lake shores."

USDA NRCS

"Riparian areas have one or both of the following characteristics: 1) distinctively different vegetative species than adjacent areas, and 2) species similar to adjacent areas but exhibiting more vigorous or robust growth forms. Riparian areas are usually transitional between [river or] wetland and upland."

US FWS

Administered by the Red River Regional Council and RC&D
Email comments or questions to Project Coordinator
Notice: The state of North Dakota does not manage or maintain this site. It is provided for informational purposes only and may not meet all state standards and requirements.