Riparian Canopy The division between riparian areas and upland areas is gradual and there is frequently a transitional area that has characteristics of both zones. Facultative plants are the best choice for this area because they can handle wet or dry conditions. Residential Residential areas can be placed within either the upland or riparian canopy zones. Plants in this area can be selected to provide the same function as the surrounding area, but arranged in a way that serves human use needs Low Impact Development (LID) Features such as rain gardens, filterstrips, and bioswales are elements that can be added to a landscape to enhance the landscape’s ability to capture, infiltrate, and clean water. This is particularly important in areas where impervious cover, such as buildings or roads, are present because the LID features can help to mitigate the hydrologic effects of these improvements. Often these features can be designed to be an amenity in their own right. LID features can be incorporated into any of the zones described above. Photo Credit - Bruce Leander
More information on LID can be found here: http://www.epa.gov/ green-infrastructure lady bird johnson wildflower center // blanco design guidelines // 41