Over thousands of years, Montana's environment has developed a very effective and delicate system for keeping rivers clean and pure—the riparian zone. Generally speaking, it includes a swath of land, from 75 to several hundred feet wide, on either side of the river. It is a swath filled with trees, shrubs, grasses, birds, animals and sometimes wetlands. 

These zones are responsible for the quality of the water and abundance of the wildlife we enjoy in Montana. They filter out pollutants and absorb nutrients from surface water and ground water, stabilize banks, provide shelter and food for wildlife, and keep water temperatures cool during the hottest August days.

These zones of riparian plants improve the lives of every living thing in Montana—from mayflies and trout, to osprey and kingfishers, to beavers and deer, to you and me.