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Because of wet soils adjacent to the streams, riparian buffers are frequently present between farming and urban activities on the uplands and small streams. These riparian areas have been shown to be very valuable for the removal of nonpoint-source pollution from drainage water. Several researchers have measured >90% reductions in sediment and nitrate concentrations in water flowing through the riparian areas. The riparian buffers are less effective for P removal but may retain 50% of the surface-water P entering them. I consider riparian buffers to be the most important factor influencing nonpoint-source pollutants entering surface water in many areas of the USA and the most important wetlands for surface water quality protection.
J. W. Gilliam (Thu,) studied this question.