Functional riparian areas protect water quality and conserve aquatic systems, plants, and wildlife. Laser-based remote sensing technology offers a high-resolution approach to both characterize and document changes in riparian buffer zones (RBZs). The objectives of this study were to demonstrate a rapid method and model to calculate riparian buffer widths on both sides of a stream using a LiDAR-derived slope variable, to classify riparian buffers and determine their quality, and to evaluate the appropriateness of using LiDAR in riparian buffer assessment. For this purpose, RBZs were delineated for Hunnicutt and King Creek, which are located in Oconee and Pickens counties, in South Carolina. Results show that LiDAR was effective in delineating required riparian buffer widths based on the topography slope of upstream areas, and in calculating the ratio of tree cover. This LiDAR-based assessment methodology could be applied to a wide-range of environments.

中文翻译：

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使用南卡罗来纳州的LiDAR数据对河岸缓冲区进行建模和监控。

功能性河岸地区保护水质并保护水生系统，植物和野生动植物。基于激光的遥感技术提供了高分辨率的方法来表征和记录河岸缓冲区（RBZ）中的变化。这项研究的目的是演示一种快速的方法和模型，以使用LiDAR派生的坡度变量计算河流两侧的河岸缓冲带宽度，对河岸缓冲带进行分类并确定其质量，并评估在水中使用LiDAR的适当性河岸缓冲带评估。为此，划定了位于南卡罗来纳州Oconee和Pickens县的Hunnicutt和King Creek的RBZ。结果表明，基于上游地区的地形坡度，LiDAR可以有效地描述所需的河岸缓冲区宽度，并计算树木覆盖率。这种基于LiDAR的评估方法可以应用于广泛的环境。