The root systems of vegetation along the riverfront keep soil porous, increasing infiltration capacity. Vegetation also removes excess water by evaporation and transpiration. The removal of excess water provides more storage when flooding occurs, reducing peak discharge and minimizing flood damage. Riverfront areas are important wildlife habitat, providing food, shelter, breeding, migratory and overwintering areas. Some predominantly upland species use Riverfront areas seasonally.
Riverfront areas promote biological diversity by providing a wide variety of habitats.
Large dead trees provide nesting sites for birds that typically nest in the same place year after year. Sandy areas around rivers provide nesting sites for turtles and water snakes. Riverfront areas provide food for species such as the wood turtle, which feed and nest in the uplands, but which use rivers as resting and overwintering areas. Loss of this connective function from activities that create barriers to wildlife movement results in fragmentation and causes declines in wildlife population. Wildlife must be able to move across riverfront areas, between uplands and rivers.