Teagasc has released a factsheet on establishing riparian buffer zones in order to maintain and improve the quality of water bodies in Ireland.

The sheets have been released by Teagasc as part of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP).

Also Read: 5 factsheets launched to help farmers maintain water quality

This first tranche of factsheets have been released on the second day of Teagasc Water Quality Week which is running from Monday, March 22, to Friday, March 26.

The protection of waters; (drains, watercourses, streams, lakes, wells, abstraction points for water supplies, karst features, etc.) from nutrient, sediment and pesticide losses is a key part of the nitrates regulations, according to Teagasc.

When farmers are applying fertilisers, cultivating and spraying fields they need to be aware that they are required to utilise riparian buffer zones to help minimise any potential losses.

Correctly located riparian buffer zones can minimise the impact of diffuse losses by intercepting the nutrients, sediment and pesticides and break the pathway of surface run-off.

What is a Riparian Buffer Zone?

A riparian buffer zone is an area adjacent to a water body where no chemical and organic fertilisers, cultivation and spraying can be carried out.

These zones vary in width and are required to protect waters from diffuse losses of nutrients, sediment and chemicals.

Farming practices can occur on these areas once the relevant fertiliser, cultivation and pesticide restrictions have been observed.

A riparian buffer zone acts to intercept and take up excess nutrients before they enter a watercourse, where they can negatively impact on water quality.

Teagasc said that riparian buffer zones sited along these areas act to “break the pathway” of potential losses.

Fenced riparian buffer zones adjacent to watercourses, rivers and streams act to protect the water by creating linear buffer zones where little or no agricultural activity takes place.

In turn these areas:
  • Intercept nutrient, sediment and pesticide before reaching the waterbody;
  • Prevents livestock from accessing river banks and watercourse, thus helping reduce erosion and sediment addition to the watercourse;
  • Provide a natural habitat for flora and fauna to establish and allow for greater biodiversity in the area;
  • Serve as carbon sinks as the growth of vegetation will store carbon in undisturbed soils.

Establishment of Riparian Buffer Zones

Teagasc offered the following advice on establishing a riparian buffer zone.

Unfenced unfertilised riparian buffer zones, that continue to be grazed/cropped, offer a low level of protection to watercourses.

On sloped marginal land or in natural flood plains the establishment of riparian buffer zones will offer a higher level of protection to watercourses.

Natural vegetation or native wooded or scrubby riparian zones can absorb nutrient, trap sediment and improve water infiltration, while also providing other environmental benefits including increased biodiversity, carbon sequestration and improve river bank stability.

Minimum buffer zones to be observed:
  • Chemical fertiliser not to be applied within 2m of surface waters;
  • Organic fertilisers not to be applied within 5m of surface waters (extends to 10m for first two and last two weeks of the spreading season);
  • 10m of surface waters where the slope towards water exceeds 10%;
  • 15m of exposed cavernous or karst features such as swallow holes and exposed rock;
  • 20m of a lake shoreline;
  • 25-200m of a water abstraction point for human consumption;
  • Maintain an uncultivated margin of 2m along all water bodies for tillage crop.
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