The use of riparian vegetated filter strips to reduce river sediment loads: an overestimated control measure?

The spatially distributed soil erosion and sediment delivery model WATEM/SEDEM was used to simulate the impact of riparian vegetated filter strips (RVFSs) on river sediment delivery at different spatial scales. For a field plot with a straight slope, sediment reduction by the RVFSs is comparable to results obtained through experimental set-ups elsewhere (i.e. >70%). However, at the scale of an entire catchment, sediment reduction is much less (i.e. s20%) due to (1) overland flow convergence, which reduces the sediment trapping efficiency of an RVFS, and (2) because part of the sediment bypasses the RVFSs through ditches, sewers and road surfaces. These results suggest that, at the catchment scale, RVFSs should be accompanied with other conservation techniques that are more appropriate for reducing river sediment loads, and that also reduce on-site soil erosion. Copyright  2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[1]  Anton Van Rompaey,et al.  Evaluating an integrated approach to catchment management to reduce soil loss and sediment pollution through modelling , 2002 .

[2]  P. Fiener,et al.  Effectiveness of grassed waterways in reducing runoff and sediment delivery from agricultural watersheds. , 2003, Journal of environmental quality.

[3]  Billy J. Barfield,et al.  Design Hydrology and Sedimentology for Small Catchments , 1994 .

[4]  P. M. van Dijk,et al.  Retention of water and sediment by grass strips , 1996 .

[5]  Anton Van Rompaey,et al.  Modelling mean annual sediment yield using a distributed approach , 2001 .

[6]  Russell B. Brinsfield,et al.  Nutrient and Sediment Removal by Vegetated Filter Stips , 1989 .

[7]  Ramesh P. Rudra,et al.  Experimental investigation of runoff reduction and sediment removal by vegetated filter strips , 2004 .

[8]  K. Schmalfuß..  Pflanzenernährung und Bodenkunde , 1956 .

[9]  J. Poesen,et al.  The impact of sowing density of small grains on rill and ephemeral gully erosion in concentrated flow zones , 2002 .

[10]  Martin S. A. Blackwell,et al.  The use of conventionally and alternatively located buffer zones for the removal of nitrate from diffuse agricultural run-off , 1999 .

[11]  L. G. Wilson,et al.  Sediment Removal from Flood Water by Grass Filtration , 1967 .

[12]  K. Auerswald,et al.  Long-term trapping efficiency of a vegetated filter strip under agricultural use† , 1992 .

[13]  Gerard Govers,et al.  A GIS procedure for automatically calculating the USLE LS factor on topographically complex landscape units , 1996 .

[14]  Gerard Govers,et al.  Evaluating the effects of changes in landscape structure on soil erosion by water and tillage , 2000, Landscape Ecology.

[15]  C. K. Mutchler,et al.  Revised Slope Length Factor for the Universal Soil Loss Equation , 1989 .

[16]  W. Magette,et al.  Vegetated filter strips for agricultural runoff treatment , 1987 .

[17]  J. W. Gilliam,et al.  Riparian areas as filters for agricultural sediment , 1987 .

[18]  Olivier Cerdan,et al.  Grass strip effects on runoff and soil loss , 2004 .

[19]  J. Poesen,et al.  The nature of small-scale flooding, muddy floods and retention pond sedimentation in central Belgium , 1999 .

[20]  J. Nash,et al.  River flow forecasting through conceptual models part I — A discussion of principles☆ , 1970 .

[21]  Saied Mostaghimi,et al.  Vegetative Filter Strips for Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution Control , 1989 .

[22]  N. F. Herron,et al.  A scheme for evaluating the effectiveness of riparian zones in reducing overland flow to streams , 1998 .