One of the most effective ways to protect rivers is to preserve the lands adjacent to them.
Riparian buffers have a tremendous influence on water quality.
The simplest, cheapest, most efficient solution to many water-quality problems is simply to leave a strip of undisturbed natural areas along rivers and streams. The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has launched a National Conservation Buffer Initiative to help encourage riparian zone protection. Norman Marcotte Dept. of Environ. Unfortunately, because many people don't understand the ecological importance of these areas, they destroy them. Developers often build along riverbanks, timber harvesters sometimes cut to the shore, and homeowners clear trees and shrubs from riverbanks so their lawn can extend to the water's edge.