Zion Canyon (also called Little Zion , Mukuntuweap , Mu-Loon'-Tu-Weap , and Straight Cañon ; weap is Paiute for canyon ) is a deep and narrow gorge in southwestern Utah, United States , carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River . Nearly the entire canyon is located within the western half of Zion National Park .
47-613: The beginning of the canyon is usually delineated as the Temple of Sinawava, a vertical-walled natural amphitheater nearly 3,000 feet (910 m) deep. The canyon begins much further upstream, however, and runs southward about 16 miles (26 km) through the Narrows to reach the Temple, where a seasonal tributary of the North Fork plunges over a tall waterfall during spring runoff and after heavy rain. The gorge then runs southwest through
94-875: A stream , usually forested , which helps shade and partially protect the stream from the impact of adjacent land uses . It plays a key role in increasing water quality in associated streams, rivers , and lakes , thus providing environmental benefits. With the decline of many aquatic ecosystems due to agriculture , riparian buffers have become a very common conservation practice aimed at increasing water quality and reducing pollution . Riparian buffers act to intercept sediment , nutrients , pesticides , and other materials in surface runoff and reduce nutrients and other pollutants in shallow subsurface water flow . They also serve to provide habitat and wildlife corridors in primarily agricultural areas. They can also be key in reducing erosion by providing stream bank stabilization. Large scale results have demonstrated that
141-635: A farming assistance program in the United States , provides many incentives to landowners to encourage them to install riparian buffers around water systems that have a high chance of non-point water pollution and are highly erodible. For example, the Nebraska system of Riparian Buffer Payments offers payments for the cost of setup, a sign up bonus, and annual rental payments. These incentives are offered to agriculturists to compensate them for their economic loss of taking this land out of production. If
188-409: A particular zone followed by natural re-vegetation. Conservation efforts have also encouraged incorporating the value of ecosystem services provided by riparian zones into management plans, as these benefits have traditionally been absent in the consideration and designing of these plans. Riparian buffer A riparian buffer or stream buffer is a vegetated area (a " buffer strip ") near
235-540: A riverbank, taking valuable grasses and soils downstream, and later allowing the sun to bake the land dry. Riparian zones can be restored through relocation (of human-made products), rehabilitation, and time. Natural Sequence Farming techniques have been used in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales , Australia, in an attempt to rapidly restore eroded farms to optimum productivity. The Natural Sequence Farming technique involves placing obstacles in
282-415: A role in lowering nitrate contamination in surface runoff, such as manure and other fertilizers from agricultural fields , that would otherwise damage ecosystems and human health. Particularly, the attenuation of nitrate or denitrification of the nitrates from fertilizer in this buffer zone is important. The use of wetland riparian zones shows a particularly high rate of removal of nitrate entering
329-427: A setback zone. "Riparian zones play a crucial role in preserving the vitality of streams and rivers, especially when faced with challenges stemming from catchment land use, including agricultural and urban development. These changes in land utilization can exert adverse impacts on the health of streams and rivers and, consequently, contribute to a decline in their reproductive rates." The protection of riparian zones
376-523: A social aspect, riparian zones contribute to nearby property values through amenity and views, and they improve enjoyment for footpaths and bikeways through supporting foreshoreway networks. Space is created for riparian sports such as fishing, swimming, and launching for vessels and paddle craft. The riparian zone acts as a sacrificial erosion buffer to absorb impacts of factors including climate change , increased runoff from urbanization , and increased boat wake without damaging structures located behind
423-503: A stream and thus has a place in agricultural management. Also in terms of carbon transport from terrestrial ecosystems to aquatic ecosystems, riparian groundwater can play an important role. As such, a distinction can be made between parts of the riparian zone that connect large parts of the landscape to streams, and riparian areas with more local groundwater contributions. - Riparian forests are primarily situated alongside rivers or streams, with varying degrees of proximity to
470-492: A water source, it increases biodiversity by allowing species an area to re-establish after being displaced due to non-conservation land use. With this re-establishment, the number of native species and biodiversity in general can be increased. The large trees in the first zone of the riparian buffer provide shade and therefore cooling for the water, increasing productivity and increasing habitat quality for aquatic species. When branches and stumps ( large woody debris ) fall into
517-527: Is a key element in the effectiveness of the buffer. It is generally recommended that native species be chosen to plant in these three zones, with the general width of the buffer being 50 feet (15 m) on each side of the stream. The US National Agroforestry Center has developed a filter strip design tool called AgBufferBuilder, which is a GIS-based computer program for designing vegetative filter strips around agricultural fields that utilizes terrain analysis to account for spatially non-uniform runoff. Logging
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#1732780576405564-440: Is as efficient as Salix plantations and measures of glyphosate in runoff after a year, suggest an unexpected persistence and even a capacity of RBS to potentially favor glyphosate infiltration up to 70 cm depth in the soil. After the initial installation of the riparian buffer, relatively little maintenance is needed to keep the buffer in good condition. Once the trees and grasses mature, they regenerate naturally and make
611-635: Is found frequently throughout the Bible and can refer to both a literal and a figurative place. For many Christians, it represents a place appointed by God for peace, safety, and rest. Explorer John Wesley Powell is credited with the name Mukuntuweap , supposedly the native name of the canyon. In 1909, the canyon was first declared a national monument, and in 1919 it was declared a national park. The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway , cutting through Pine Creek Canyon and lower Zion Canyon, first opened in 1930. Riparian zone A riparian zone or riparian area
658-408: Is important to maintaining geomorphology . Riparian zones also act as important buffers against nutrient loss in the wake of natural disasters, such as hurricanes. Many of the characteristics of riparian zones that reduce the inputs of nitrogen from agricultural runoff also retain the necessary nitrogen in the ecosystem after hurricanes threaten to dilute and wash away critical nutrients. From
705-459: Is often a consideration in logging operations. The undisturbed soil, soil cover, and vegetation provide shade, plant litter, and woody material and reduce the delivery of soil eroded from the harvested area. Factors such as soil types and root structures, climatic conditions, and vegetative cover determine the effectiveness of riparian buffering. Activities associated with logging, such as sediment input, introduction or removal of species, and
752-483: Is permitted in the Narrows when water levels are low enough; however, flash floods are known to rise quickly following heavy rainstorms. Many areas in the drainage of Zion Canyon have little or no soil cover, contributing to extremely brief but heavy storm runoff. In contrast, the floor of most of the main Zion Canyon is close to 1,000 feet (300 m) wide and is rich with river-deposited sediments. Tributaries to
799-594: Is sometimes recommended as a management practice in riparian buffers, usually to provide economic incentive. However, some studies have shown that logging can harm wildlife populations, especially birds. A study by the University of Minnesota found that there was a correlation between the harvesting of timber in riparian buffers and a decline in bird populations. Therefore, logging is generally discouraged as an environmental practice, and left to be done in designated logging areas. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP),
846-399: Is the interface between land and a river or stream . In some regions, the terms riparian woodland , riparian forest , riparian buffer zone , riparian corridor , and riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word riparian is derived from Latin ripa , meaning " river bank ". Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of
893-1112: The Earth . Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by hydrophilic plants . Riparian zones are important in ecology , environmental resource management , and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation , their habitat biodiversity , and the influence they have on terrestrial and semiaquatic fauna as well as aquatic ecosystems , including grasslands , woodlands , wetlands , and even non-vegetative areas. Riparian zones may be natural or engineered for soil stabilization or restoration . These zones are important natural biofilters , protecting aquatic environments from excessive sedimentation , polluted surface runoff , and erosion . They supply shelter and food for many aquatic animals and shade that limits stream temperature change. When riparian zones are damaged by construction , agriculture or silviculture , biological restoration can take place, usually by human intervention in erosion control and revegetation. If
940-690: The Ibadan region of Oyo state. Ibadan, one of the oldest towns in Africa, covers a total area of 3,080 square kilometers and is characterized by a network of perennial water streams that create these valuable riparian zones. In the research conducted by Adeoye et al. (2012) on land use changes in Southwestern Nigeria, it was observed that 46.18 square kilometers of the area are occupied by water bodies. Additionally, most streams and rivers in this region are accompanied by riparian forests. Nevertheless,
987-615: The area adjacent to a watercourse has standing water or saturated soil for as long as a season, it is normally termed a wetland because of its hydric soil characteristics. Because of their prominent role in supporting a diversity of species , riparian zones are often the subject of national protection in a biodiversity action plan . These are also known as a "plant or vegetation waste buffer". Research shows that riparian zones are instrumental in water quality improvement for both surface runoff and water flowing into streams through subsurface or groundwater flow. Riparian zones can play
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#17327805764051034-506: The canyon to run year-round. Mormons migrated from the lower Virgin River area in the late 1850s. One of the Mormon settlers, Isaac Behunin, is credited with naming the canyon. While admiring the canyon, Behunin reportedly stated, "A man can worship God among these great cathedrals as well as he can in any man-made church; this is Zion", though another wording is also reported. The term Zion
1081-439: The canyon walls, is another force that widens the valley. The Navajo Sandstone formation is easily eroded and is known to be very porous. Unstable geology is prevalent throughout the canyon, and occasional rockslides have formed impounded lakes in the canyon, the most recent of which was roughly 4,000 years ago. Owing to the extreme depth of the canyon, there are many springs fed by the surrounding groundwater , permitting water in
1128-628: The expansion of riparian buffers through the deployment of plantations systems can effectively reduce nitrogen emissions to water and soil loss by wind erosion, while simultaneously providing substantial environmental co-benefits, having limited negative effects on current agricultural production. Riparian buffers intercept sediment and nutrients. They counteract eutrophication in downstream lakes and ponds which can be detrimental to aquatic habitats because of large fish kills that occur upon large-scale eutrophication. Riparian buffers keep chemicals, like pesticides, that can be harmful to aquatic life out of
1175-796: The extraction of water for irrigation purposes have led to diminished water flows and changes in the riparian environment. Herbaceous Perennial : Herbaceous Perennial : In western North America and the Pacific coast, the riparian vegetation includes: Riparian trees Riparian shrubs Other plants In Asia there are different types of riparian vegetation, but the interactions between hydrology and ecology are similar as occurs in other geographic areas. Typical riparian vegetation in temperate New South Wales, Australia include: Typical riparian zone trees in Central Europe include: Land clearing followed by floods can quickly erode
1222-468: The fish that live within rivers, such as brook and charr. Impacts on riparian zones can affect fish, and restoration is not always sufficient to recover fish populations. They provide native landscape irrigation by extending seasonal or perennial flows of water. Nutrients from terrestrial vegetation (e.g. plant litter and insect drop) are transferred to aquatic food webs, and are a vital source of energy in aquatic food webs. The vegetation surrounding
1269-597: The flow of water, which reduces soil erosion and flood damage. Sediment is trapped, reducing suspended solids to create less turbid water, replenish soils, and build stream banks. Pollutants are filtered from surface runoff, enhancing water quality via biofiltration. The riparian zones also provide wildlife habitat , increased biodiversity, and wildlife corridors , enabling aquatic and riparian organisms to move along river systems avoiding isolated communities. Riparian vegetation can also provide forage for wildlife and livestock. Riparian zones are also important for
1316-464: The input of polluted water all degrade riparian zones. The assortment of riparian zone trees varies from those of wetlands and typically consists of plants that are either emergent aquatic plants, or herbs , trees and shrubs that thrive in proximity to water. In South Africa's fynbos biome, Riparian ecosystem are heavily invaded by alien woody plants . Riparian plant communities along lowland streams exhibit remarkable species diversity, driven by
1363-519: The land from drying. The weeds will improve the streambeds so that trees and grasses can return, and later ideally replace the weeds. There are several other techniques used by government and non-government agencies to address riparian and streambed degradation, ranging from the installation of bed control structures such as log sills to the use of pin groynes or rock emplacement. Other possible approaches include control of invasive species, monitoring of herbivore activity, and cessation of human activity in
1410-467: The land is highly erodible and produces little economic gain, it can sometimes be more economic to take advantage of these CRP programs. Riparian buffers have undergone much scrutiny about their effectiveness, resulting in thorough testing and monitoring. A study done by the University of Georgia , conducted over a nine-year period, monitored the amounts of fertilizers that reached the watershed from
1457-440: The larger habitat means that the land will be more sought-after for hunting purposes. Designing buffer zones based on their hydrological function instead of a traditionally used fixed width method, can be economically beneficial in forestry practices. A riparian buffer is usually split into three different zones, each having its own specific purpose for filtering runoff and interacting with the adjacent aquatic system. Buffer design
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1504-419: The life span of reservoirs and the dams that create the reservoirs. Riparian buffers can act as crucial habitat for a large number of species, especially those who have lost habitat due to agricultural land being put into production. The habitat provided by the buffers also double as corridors for species that have had their habitat fragmented by various land uses. By adding this vegetated area of land near
1551-594: The national park, approaching 2,000 feet (610 m) deep in places. While the canyon rim is dominated by desert, the canyon floor supports a forest and riparian zone watered by the North Fork Virgin River. The gorge then merges with Pine Creek Canyon as it winds out of the national park and past the community of Springdale, Utah . The canyon's end is where it meets the Virgin River; some 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Lake Mead , into which
1598-571: The presence of water bodies. - The vegetation in riparian forests exhibits a multi-layered structure. - Moisture-dependent trees are the dominant feature, giving these forests a unique appearance, especially in savanna regions. - These moisture-dependent trees define the landscape, accompanied by a variety of mesic understorey , shrub, and ground cover species. - Riparian forests often host plant species that have high moisture requirements. - The flora typically includes species native to
1645-448: The region, adapted to the moist conditions provided by proximity to water bodies. In summary, riparian forests are characterized by their location along waterways, their intricate interplay with water and soil dynamics, a diverse array of vegetation layers, and a plant composition favoring moisture-dependent species. Riparian zones dissipate stream energy. The meandering curves of a river, combined with vegetation and root systems, slow
1692-496: The riparian forests may face further depletion, potentially leading to their complete disappearance by the year 2040. Riparian zones can also be found in Cape Agulhas region of South Africa. Riparian areas along South African rivers have experienced significant deterioration as a result of human activities. Similar to many other developed and developing areas worldwide, the extensive building of dams in upstream river areas and
1739-491: The river is very light. This relatively quick downcutting has left many seasonal tributaries with hanging valleys . Some of the largest tributaries have cut down to nearly an equal elevation as the valley floor. Erosion continues to sculpt the canyon walls, creating natural arches and other rock formations. It is believed that there is another 1,000 feet (300 m) of vertical bedrock that the Virgin River can still erode. Mass wasting , often caused by ice wedging into cracks in
1786-526: The river ultimately flows. Zion Canyon Drive and Zion-Mount Carmel Highway are the two major roads throughout the canyon. Zion Canyon Drive ends at the Temple of Sinawava, where the Riverside Walk trail follows the river upstream to the lower end of the Zion Narrows. Hiking trails further upstream descend into the Narrows, where the canyon floor is, on average 20 feet (6.1 m) wide. Hiking
1833-456: The river within the canyon include Deep, Kolob, Goose, Pine, and Oak Creeks. Geologically Zion Canyon is part of the Navajo sandstone Colorado Plateau , which contained many joints and cracks when first uplifted, one of which was cut by the North Fork of the Virgin River to become Zion Canyon. The river was the largest force in cutting the canyon, mostly by flash floods , as the average flow of
1880-546: The source of the application. It found that these buffers removed at least 60% of the nitrogen in the runoff, and at least 65% of the phosphorus from the fertilizer application. The same study showed that the effectiveness of the Zone 3 was much greater than that of both Zone 1 and 2 at removing contaminants. But another study in 2017 did not find efficiency (or a very limiting capacity) for reducing glyphosate and AMPA leaching to streams; spontaneous herbaceous vegetation RBS
1927-412: The stream from the riparian zone, more stream habitat features are created. Carbon is added as an energy source for biota in the stream. Buffers increase land value and allow for the production of profitable alternative crops. Vegetation such as black walnut and hazelnut , which can be profitably harvested, can be incorporated into the riparian buffer. Lease fees for hunting can also be increased as
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1974-453: The stream helps to shade the water, mitigating water temperature changes . Thinning of riparian zones has been observed to cause increased maximum temperatures, higher fluctuations in temperature, and elevated temperatures being observed more frequently and for longer periods of time. Extreme changes in water temperature can have lethal effects on fish and other organisms in the area. The vegetation also contributes wood debris to streams, which
2021-472: The study also identified a consistent reduction in the extent of these riparian forests over time, primarily attributed to a significant deforestation rate. In Nigeria, according to Momodu et al. (2011), there has been a notable decline of about 50% in the riparian forest coverage within the period of 1978 to 2000. This reduction is primarily attributed to alterations in land use and land cover. Additionally, their research indicates that if current trends continue,
2068-477: The unique environmental gradients inherent to these ecosystems. Riparian forest can be found in Benin, West Africa. In Benin, where the savanna ecosystem prevails, "riparian forests" include various types of woodlands, such as semi-deciduous forests, dry forests, open forests, and woodland savannas . These woodlands can be found alongside rivers and streams. In Nigeria, you can also discover riparian zones within
2115-484: The water's edge. - These ecosystems are intimately connected with dynamic water flow and soil processes, influencing their characteristics. - Riparian forests feature a diverse combination of elements, including: - Mesic terrestrial vegetation (vegetation adapted to moist conditions). - Dependent animal life, relying on the riparian environment for habitat and resources. - Local microclimate influenced by
2162-415: The water's pathway to lessen the energy of a flood, and help the water to deposit soil and seep into the flood zone. Another technique is to quickly establish ecological succession by encouraging fast-growing plants such as "weeds" ( pioneer species ) to grow. These may spread along the watercourse and cause environmental degradation , but may stabilize the soil, place carbon into the ground, and protect
2209-516: The water. Some pesticides can be especially harmful if they bioaccumulate in the organism, with the chemicals reaching harmful levels once they are ready for human consumption. Riparian buffers also stabilise the bank surrounding the water body which is important since erosion can be a major problem in agricultural regions when cut (eroded) banks can take land out of production. Erosion can also lead to sedimentation and siltation of downstream lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Siltation can greatly reduce
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