Management

Shoreline Buffer

A strip of natural vegetation maintained along a lake shoreline to filter runoff, stabilize soil, and provide wildlife habitat.

What It Means for Your Lake

A shoreline buffer (also called a riparian buffer or vegetated buffer strip) is a zone of natural or restored vegetation along the edge of a lake or stream that serves multiple water quality and ecological functions. In Minnesota and Wisconsin, shoreline buffers are recognized as one of the most effective and cost-efficient practices for protecting lake water quality. Minnesota's buffer law, enacted in 2015, requires a 50-foot average buffer of perennial vegetation along public waters and a 16.5-foot buffer along public drainage ditches. Effective shoreline buffers typically include three zones: a zone of native trees and shrubs closest to the water (which stabilizes the bank and provides shade), a middle zone of native grasses and shrubs (which slows runoff and absorbs nutrients), and an outer zone of managed vegetation that transitions to lawn or agricultural use. When properly designed and maintained, shoreline buffers can remove 50% to 90% of sediment, 50% to 85% of nitrogen, and 30% to 60% of phosphorus from surface runoff before it reaches the lake. Buffers also provide critical habitat for nesting birds, pollinators, frogs, and turtles; stabilize shoreline soils against erosion from waves and ice; and reduce nuisance algae growth along the shoreline by shading the water and reducing nutrient inputs. Many Minnesota and Wisconsin lake associations promote buffer plantings through cost-share programs, native plant sales, and demonstration projects. The Shoreland Management Act in both states regulates the alteration of natural vegetation within shoreland zoning districts, typically 1,000 feet from lakes and 300 feet from streams.

Frequently Asked Questions