Riparian Ecosystem Management Model: Simulator for Ecological Processes in Riparian Zones

Riparian buffer zones are effective in mitigating nonpoint source pollution and have been recommended as a best management practice (BMP). Their potential use as a BMP has been limited because of the lack of a design procedure that can quantify their effectiveness for a given set of site conditions. The Riparian Ecosystem Management Model (REMM) has been developed for researchers and natural resource agencies as a modeling tool that can help to quantify the water quality benefits of riparian buffers under varying site conditions. Processes simulated in REMM include surface and subsurface hydrology; sediment transport and deposition; carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus transport, removal, and cycling; and vegetation growth. Simulations are performed on a daily basis and can be continued in excess of 100 years. Management options such as vegetation type, size of the buffer zone, and biomass harvesting can also be simulated. REMM can be used in conjunction with upland models, empirical data, or estimated loadings to examine scenarios of buffer zone design for a hillslope.