Streamside Management Zones

Stream-side management zones pass through all of the above Management Areas, and should be considered an extension of the Core/Wildlife Corridor Management Area for ensuring watershed health, including high water quality and the integrity of the aquatic ecosystem. Where possible, 300 foot buffer zones where no soil disturbing activities would take place are to be established around 5th or higher order streams. Where current use conflicts with this goal, smaller buffers could be established. At a minimum, state Best Management Practices should be strongly encouraged on private lands and strictly enforced on public lands. Where livestock creates erosion, volunteer labor might help defray the costs of fencing and building a creek-fed trough. Where urban development has treated streams as dumps, volunteer clean-up efforts could help, and long term greenway development could foster a higher appreciation for their economic and aesthetic value by increasing traffic flow through local businesses.

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