What kind of stream/lake buffer do you have?
By JOAN CROTHERS Sentinel Editor

A good riparian buffer has trees for shade and cooling, and small shrubs, the roots hold the soil. As you can see in the photo, there can still be space between them for a view.

In the Lake Chatuge Water Plan, put together by the Hiwassee River Watershed Coalition (HRWC), they found riparian buffers on streams and Lake Chatuge's shoreline are one contributing factor to the "poor" health of the lake.

The word riparian is defined in Webster's dictionary as: "of or relating to the bank of a stream, river or lake." According to the (HRWC), the riparian buffer is an area measured 30-150 feet from the top of the stream bank or from the water's edge at full pool (for the lake).

In their study they found many reaches of tributary streams and miles of the Lake Chatuge shoreline contain very little, if any, woody vegetation (trees and shrubs). A map on page 34 in the booklet shows areas within the Lake Chatuge watershed that lack an adequate riparian buffer (minimum of 30 feet of woody vegetation), or go to their website http://www.hrwc.net.

In the study of Lake Chatuge the HRWC advises all watershed residents [along streams and lakeshore] .to educate yourself about the issues, .report erosion problems to proper authorities, .restore and/or maintain a woody riparian buffer along your part of a stream or the lakeshore, .evaluate your home site for ways to retain or treat stormwater, .if you have a septic tank be sure it isn't leaking, .don't feed or encourage nesting of domesticated populations of Canadian geese.

Woody vegetation in a riparian buffer means shrubs, trees, grasses, all plants whose roots hold the soil. Trees give needed shade, cooling the water both in streams and at the lakeshore. Rip rap heats in the sun and in turn heats the water which is not good. Algae grows better in warmer water and algae is what you don't want.

Re-planting or maintaining woody vegetation along streams and lake shoreline is one of the best, easiest, and most cost-effective ways to improve the ecological health of Lake Chatuge.