The Riparian area, relationship between land utilization and environmental quality Case Study: Tha Chin Watershed

Abstract

A riparian area is an environmentally sensitive interface between land and a river or stream, whose degradation may negatively impact water quantity and quality, decreasing natural sediment filtration capacity, and destroying native plant and animal habitats while diminishing recreational facility quality. This article aims to underline the importance of riparian forests by analyzing the status of riparian areas in the Tha Chin watershed, studying the relationship between land use and water quality, and offering guidelines for riparian area conservation and management. A survey revealed that the majority of land utilization in this watershed was agricultural. In urban areas, there is a relationship between the amount of biological oxygen demand (BOD) insofar as when urban areas increase, BOD trend will likewise significantly increase (r = 0.769, Sig. = 0.01). Due to water utilization in urban areas, BOD was at its highest value due to waste water directly discharged into the river. To stabilize the function of natural resources in a normal cycle, there should be a focus on land use planning in terms of water quality by following guidelines to solve riparian problems, such as correcting social mechanisms and solutions through engineering techniques and design.