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Modeling and monitoring riparian buffer zones using LiDAR data in South Carolina

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

Authors wish to acknowledge that this article was produced from a master thesis prepared by Emre Akturk and supervised by Dr. Christopher Post in Clemson University, SC, USA

Funding

Financial support for this project was provided by Turkish Ministry of National Education, and Clemson University—Technical Contribution No. 6195 of the Clemson University Experiment Station (Experimental Station Project 1700452).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Engineering, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, Turkey

    Emre Akturk

  2. Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA

    Christopher Post & Elena A. Mikhailova

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  1. Emre Akturk
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  2. Christopher Post
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  3. Elena A. Mikhailova
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Correspondence to Emre Akturk.

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Akturk, E., Post, C. & Mikhailova, E.A. Modeling and monitoring riparian buffer zones using LiDAR data in South Carolina. Environ Monit Assess 192, 350 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08301-6

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