What is a Water Quality Buffer?

Referred to as a “riparian buffer”, “stream/wetland buffer”, “aquatic buffer”, or even just “buffer”, a water quality buffer is a vegetated area, including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous vegetation, that is directly adjacent to a water resource, such as a stream, lake/reservoir, wetland or even a sinkhole

Relationship between riparian buffer width and its functions (adapted from Hawes and Smith, 2005). Distance of benefits varies due to site conditions such as slope Credit: TN Urban Riparian Handbook

As the buffer matures, distinctive vegetative layers are formed. Credit: TN Urban Riparian Handbook/p>

Why are water quality buffers important?

Water quality buffers have many benefits including shading the waterway to keep it cool,  providing protection from stream bank erosion, filtering pollutants in surface water runoff, and providing critical habitat for the surrounding plants and wildlife

Credit: Photo by at Pixabay

About the Chattanooga Water Quality Buffer Tool

The City's Water Quality Buffer Program operates under the direction of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the State of Tennessee. The permit requires the City to “develop and implement a set of requirements to establish, protect and maintain water quality buffers along all streams, ponds, wetlands, springs, reservoirs or lakes at new development and redevelopment sites”

• City Code Section 31-324.2 provides the City’s stated buffer requirements based on the requirements given in the City’s NPDES permit. This section of code was last updated on November 28, 2017 with Ordinance Number 13251

• As the City seeks to make the process of water quality buffer mitigation easier to navigate, the current internal policies have been updated with the release of a new tool for public use beginning October 1, 2022

• Refer to the following Memo for a more detailed summary of the Buffer Tool, how it was developed and how it works:

• • The Memo

Who should use the Buffer Tool?

• The tool is required for any individual applying for a land disturbing permit that is seeking to disturb any portion of the required Water Quality Buffer

How to use the Buffer Tool:

Directions are embedded in the tool on each tab. Use the below diagram and guide for additional help navigating the process of using the buffer tool

• The Diagram

• The Guide

• The Buffer Tool

Any property owner who has acquired, or should have acquired, a Land Disturbing Permit for work performed in a water quality buffer must record the following DECLARATION OF RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS at the Deeds Office as a permanent protection instrument for the buffer.

• Declaration of Restrictive Covenants