Which term refers to a vegetated area along streams filtering runoff?

Which term refers to a vegetated area along streams filtering runoff?

• A. Riparian buffer
• B. Rain garden
• C. Cover crop
• D. Detention basin

Answer: (A)

Riparian buffer is a vegetated strip along streams that filters runoff. This strip of plants—trees, shrubs, and grasses—slows and cools the water, traps sediment, and takes up nutrients before they reach the stream, while deep roots help hold soil in place and the shade supports aquatic life. Rain gardens, cover crops, and detention basins serve related water-management roles in different contexts: rain gardens collect and infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces away from streams, cover crops protect soil in fields, and detention basins temporarily store runoff and aren’t a natural strip along a waterway.

Riparian buffer is a vegetated strip along streams that filters runoff. This strip of plants—trees, shrubs, and grasses—slows and cools the water, traps sediment, and takes up nutrients before they reach the stream, while deep roots help hold soil in place and the shade supports aquatic life. Rain gardens, cover crops, and detention basins serve related water-management roles in different contexts: rain gardens collect and infiltrate runoff from impervious surfaces away from streams, cover crops protect soil in fields, and detention basins temporarily store runoff and aren’t a natural strip along a waterway.