Targeting riparian buffers and grassed waterways to address freshwater species decline

Excerpt

Targeting conservation practices greatly increases economic efficiency (1) if the resource problem occurs primarily within a small geographic area and (2) if the conservation practice is targeted within the area where it works most effectively. Over 73% of United States' freshwater mussel species, 35% of amphibians, and 37% of fish have been classified as vulnerable, imperiled, or endangered (Henley et al. 2000; Williams et al. 1993). These species' problems are concentrated in certain Southeastern streams and rivers, where an estimated (Neves et al. 1997) 91% of the United States' freshwater mussels, 53% of fingernail clams, and 61% of snails reside. For rare mussel species most in need of protection, 98% of these species occur in the Southeast (Neves et al. 1997).

Much of the above destruction and decline of aquatic species stems from industrial pollution, stream alteration due to impoundment and channel modification, invasive species, and sedimentation (Henley et al. 2000; Neves et al. 1997). Sediment pollution from nonpoint sources remains as the largest, unaddressed problem in the above southeastern streams since urban and industrial point sources of pollution have been addressed to a substantial degree under the 1977 Clean Water Act (Neves et al. 1997). It is useful to…