Fish kills are common in lakes and estuaries when plant growth occurs too quickly due to excessive amounts of what seem to be harmless nutrients. We cannot have forests everywhere - we have to have places to live and fields to grow food on. But we can prevent serious pollution of water bodies by making sure that there is some riparian vegetation adjacent to them. Many farmers recognize this fact and make sure that they do not plow too close to water bodies. The result is increased bank erosion and lower water quality.
Riparian vegetation represents a transition zone between the stream and the land.
This zone maintains the quality of the water in the streams by reducing the amount of chemicals and soil that wash into the water. When everything works as it should, the water is clear and there are plenty of fish for us to catch. If you have questions or comments about this site, contact the Webmaster.