• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• v.1
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• pp.436-440
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• 2006

Diffuse pollution has been considering as a major source of the quality deterioration of water resources. The establishment of riparian vegetation strips of buffers along those areas of water bodies is used to reduce the threat of diffuse pollution. Remote sensing offers a means by which critical areas could be identified, so that subsequent action toward the establishment of riparian zones can be taken. Even though the principal purpose of this research comes from the feasibility of the imagery of KOMPSAT-2 satellite, Landsat TM satellite data, which has 7 bands, are used to characterize the land cover for the study area on the behalf of KOMPSAT-2. This investigation focuses on the assessment of the existing riparian buffer zones for a portion of the upper Geum river watershed from the viewpoint of pollution mitigation by riparian vegetation strip establishment. Through comparing the delineation of riparian buffer zones developed with the existing zones established by the government, we can find the critical distortion points of the existing riparian buffer zone.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2008

Non-point pollution is caused by many diffusive sources, unlike a point pollution derived from industrial wastewater treatment plants or sewage treatment plants. Runoff of non-point pollutants is originated from rainfall or thawing in short period of time moving over and through the a ground surface. They cause ill effect on the quality of neighboring aquatic environment. To prevent effectively the wash off from non-point pollutant, it should be immediately reduced at the source or be treated after gathering of runoff water. This study has been carried out for the best width of riparian buffer zone. So we implemented the experiment in terms of its depth, width and kind of vegetations and calculated the reduction of pollutants loading. The experimental zone encompasses the watershed of Namhan River (Kyunggido Yangpyunggun Byungsanri). The region was divided into 5 land cover sectors : grass, reed, pussy willow, mixed(grass+pussy willow) and natural zone to compare effectiveness of vegetation. Water samples from four points have been collected in different depths. And the pollutant removal efficiency by sectors with different plant species was yielded through influent with one of each sample. And we obtained the correlation between the width of riparian buffer zone and the removal efficiency of pollutants. Using correlation result, the width of riparian buffer zones which needs to improve the water quality of river could be derived.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.445-449
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• 2006

Diffuse pollution has been considering as a major source of the quality deterioration of water resources. The establishment of riparian vegetation strips or buffers along those areas of water bodies is used to reduce the threat of diffuse pollution. Remote sensing offers a means by which critical areas could be identified, so that subsequent action toward the establishment of riparian zones can be taken. On the behalf of KOMPSAT-2 satellite imagery as a high resolution spatial data, Landsat TM satellite data are used to aquire the land cover for the riparian buffers studied. This investigation aims to assess the riparian buffers established on the upper Geum river as a pollution mitigation. Through comparing the delineation of riparian buffer zones developed with the existing zones established by the government, we can find the critical distortion points of the existing riparian buffer zone.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2003

In most mountainous parts of the temperate zone of Japan along the Pacific Ocean, some climatic climax forests, whose main dominant species is Fagus crenate, F. japonica or Quercus mongolica var. grosseserrata, are distributed. In the riparian regions of the zone, however, there appear summer green forests composed of the different species from the climatic climax forests. Climate plays an important role in determining the overall distribution of vegetation, but some environmental factors, i.e., topography, soil type, soil moisture content, etc. have a great influence on vegetation formation. Riparian forests seem to be controlled by various geomorphologic disturbances, such as landslide, soil erosion and accumulation. The study aims to present the relationships among vegetation, soils and landforms in the process of determining riparian forests dominated by Fraxinus platypoda and Pterocarya rhoifolia establishment in the mountainous region of central Japan. The study area extends an area of 302 ha with a range of elevation between 925 m and 1,681 m at the Chichibu mountains. The landforms were corditied at sampling grids (25 $\times$ 25 m, n = 4,843) using a hierarchical system, and a brief description of the forest soil classification was also given. The mutual relationship analysis indicated that forest soils and landforms play a significant role in determining the geomorphological process of riparian forest, and shaping the ultimate pattern of vegetation. At the study area, riparian forests were mainly found on the $B_E$ forest soil type and steep slopes ( > 30$^{\circ}$) at convex slopes along the streams. On the other hand, the direction of slopes did not have a significant impact on the establishment of the riparian forests. A mosaic of patchy distribution of those riparian forests on the slightly wetter $B_E$ forest soil type was one of the characteristic features of the study area. This particular soil which contained large talus gravels was found on the land formed by erosion and deposition of landslide.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.903-916
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• 2012

We need to use aesthetic landscape assessment(ALA) as the means of riparian buffer zone(RBZ) management. This study verified the political validity of designation policy of RBZ and land purchase policy. The purpose of this study was to propose RBZ landscape management strategies through ALA of RBZ in Gyeongan Stream for the better attractive and healthy riparian landscapes. The natural type landscape units(LUs) covered 40.9% of the entire area and the cultivated land type LUs covered 20.58%. Landscape assessment consisted of landscape quality and landscape integration assessment. The criteria for assessing landscape quality(LQ) were naturalness, interest, uniqueness, and landscape function. LQ was ranked into five grades using a matrix. The landscape integration assessment consisted of an inner integration assessment in each LU and outer integration assessment among LUs. To review the propriety of designating the riparian area and the riparian ecological belt, differences in ecological appraisal and aesthetic valuation were reviewed through a t-test, Oneway ANOVA, and logistic analysis. The results of ALA, 29.15% of the entire area scored at grade 1 in LQ, while 31.95% scored at grade 5, indicating that grade 5 areas occupied a high share. Surveyed areas were divided into designated RBZ and undesignated RBZ. Results indicated that designated RBZ scored grade 1 in LQ took up 33.2% of the total, significantly higher than the 23.3% taken up by undesignated RBZ. When examined according to buffer distance, grade 1 areas within 50m took up 50.2% of the total area, lower than the 32.7% at buffer distances of 500m-1km. Results indicated a 1% statistically significant difference. Accordingly, analysis was undertaken for the expansion of designation of the riparian area and the selection of appropriate land for formation of a riparian ecological belt, and was designated at priority 1 and 2 for land purchase. This study can also contribute to the formation of a riverine eco-belt through discovery of design factors for upgrading the ecology, aesthetics, and landscape of the riparian area and application in determining land purchase priorities.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.327-341
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• 2021

The riparian eco-belt is an efficient technique that can reduce non-point pollution sources in the basin and improve ecological connectivity and health. In Korea, a legal system for the construction and management of riparian eco-belts is in operation. However, it is currently excluded that rivers and floodplains in dam reservoir that are advantageous for buffer functions such as control of non-point pollutants and ecological habitats. Accordingly, this study presented and analyzed a plan to select a site for an integrated riparian ecol-belt that comprehensively evaluates the water quality and ecosystem characteristics of each dam floodplain and riparian zone for the Daecheong Dam basin in Geum River watershed. First, the Daecheong Dam basin was divided into 138 sub-basin with GIS, and the riparian zone adjacent to the dam floodplain was analyzed. Sixteen evaluation factors related to the ecosystem and water quality impact that affect the selection of integrated riparian eco-belt were decided, and weights for the importance of each factor were set through AHP analysis. The priority of site suitability was derived by conducting an integrated evaluation by applying weights to sub-basin by floodplains and riparian zone factors. In order to determine whether the sites derived through GIS site analysis are sutiable for actual implementation, five sites were inspected according to three factors: land use, pollution sources, and ecological connectivity. As a result, it was confirmed that all sites were appropriate to apply integrated riparian ecol-belt. It is judged that the riparian eco-belt site analysis technique proposed through this study can be applied as a useful tool when establishing an integrated riparian zone management policy in the future. However, it might be necessary to experiment various evaluation factors and weights for each item according to the characteristics and issues of each dam. Additional research need to be conducted on elaborated conservation and restoration strategies considering the Green-Blue Network aspect, evaluation of ecosystem services, and interconnection between related laws and policy and its improvements.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-47
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• 2020

Three large scale weirs were constructed 2010 - 2011 in the Namhan river, Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates and the influence of environmental factors at the weirs 2014 - 2015. The number of species was higher in the riparian zone than in the transition or the limnetic zone. This seems to be because of the diversification of microhabitats and food sources according to the development of littoral zones. From the riparian zone to the limnetic zone, the individual abundance proportion of gathering collectors among functional feeding groups decreased, and that of filtering collectors increased. In the limnetic zone, sprawlers and climbers among habitat orientation groups decreased, and burrowers increased. This means that coarse particulate organic matter originated from land or riparian zone was transformed to fine particulate organic matter in the limnetic zone. Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and chironomids were dominant species based on individual abundance. Asian clam, a major taxon considering biomass, was abundant toward the limnetic zone. This is becasue of the shallow depth, suitable water current, slightly coarse substrate, and good water quality. There was no significant relationship between the water quality and the characteristics of the benthic macroinvertebrate community because the water quality was spatially not heterogenous. The more influential factors for benthic community were physical factors, especially water depth. Water depth showed a markedly significant correlation with Shannon-Weaver's species diversity (r=-0.90), Margalef's species richness (r=-0.82), and McNaughton's dominance (r=0.86). Water depth showed a positive correlation (r=0.68) with the Kong and Kim BMSI (Bentic Macroinverebrates Streambed Index), and this may be related to the coarse substrate of the limnetic zone.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.273-280
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• 2001

We investigated the flora and vegetation structure of exotic plants along stream geomorphology and disturbance factors in the riparian zone of Seunggi stream, Incheon. Total 53 exotic plant species were found in the riparian corridors of Seunggi stream. The percentage of exotics ranged from 25% to 33% of total species richness, and its mean value was 24% in the whole riparian area. The percentage of exotics reflected the vulnerability of riparian zones to plant invasions by disturbances, and it could be used as an indicator of riparian system dysfunction. The distinct distribution patterns of exotic plants did not found in the lateral topographic features of the stream. Invasion and proliferation of the exotic plants were somewhat remarkable at terraces and bank slopes of the stream. Among various disturbance factors, plowing and trampling were important on the invasion of exotic plant species of Seunggi stream.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.62-71
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• 2020

Understanding vegetation structure and the relationship with environmental factors has been crucial for restoration and conservation of riparian zones. In this study, we conducted field survey in a riparian zone of Namhan River in South Korea both before and after flooding in order to understand temporal and spatial variations of riparian vegetation. There were significant temporal and spatial variations in species composition, and distribution patterns of vegetation were different along a gradient of elevation above the water level. At low elevation, Zizania latifolia was dominant throughout the field survey periods, and Bidens frondosa began to grow late and dominated both in post-flooding 1 and 2. Prior to flooding, Scirpus radicans and Polygonum thunbergii were widely distributed at middle elevation, while Artemisia vulgaris, Phragmites australis, and Miscanthus sacchariflorus were dominant at high elevation. After flooding, P. thunbergii was dominant at middle elevation with most other species decreasing, and more invasive or pioneer plants, including Artemisia princeps, H. scandens, and Sicyos angulatus, were observed at high elevation. Species composition and distribution patterns were homogeneous at low elevation, whereas dynamic variations of vegetation were observed both temporally and spatially at higher elevations. Elevation and distance from the water front were the most principal factors governing vegetation structure. Furthermore, soil physicochemical properties were also found to determine species composition and distribution patterns. These results indicate that vegetation structure in the riparian zones is formed by the combined effects of hydrological regime and soil physicochemical properties, inherent characteristics of species, and interspecific competition. Understanding of temporal and spatial variations of riparian vegetation may provide useful insights into ecological restoration and conservation of the vegetation within the riparian zones.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.680-692
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• 2015

A landcover map watershed of downstream reach in the Gyungan stream was made by using the existing land use map and interpreting satellite images and aerial photos. Based on the map, we analyzed land use patterns of this basin. Broad-leaved forest occupied the largest area among landscape elements established in this watershed. The total area of the zone designated as the waterside district by the central government was 4.7 km² , and broad-leaved forest occupied the largest area as 33.9% in this zone. Therefore, the area did not meet the qualifications of riparian zones. Riparian vegetation established in the Gyungan stream watershed was composed of Phragmites communis, Miscanthus sacchariflorus, Salix gracilistyla, Salix koreensis. But terrestrial vegetation elements such as Ambrosia trifida, Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia also appeared in this area. On the other hand, Phragmites japonica, Salix gracilistyla, Salix koreensis, Salix integra, Ulmus davidiana and so on appeared in the riparian zone the reference streams. Differently from the vegetation established on the reference streams, terrestrial vegetation elements appeared frequently in the Gyungan stream watershed. This result would be due to that the Gyungan stream watershed is exposed to excessive human interferences.