The Water Act 2016 defines riparian habitat as the dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living in and associated with water.

 
The riparian land extends to a minimum of 6 metres up to a maximum of 30 metres on either side of the wate banks from the highest water level according to the Survey Act of 1989, and Water Quality Regulations (2006) and Water Resources Management Rules (2007).

This distance is based on the width of the river and the water volume 

Riparian land plays a crucial role as a cushion zone for wetlands in terms of preventing soil erosion, and other causes of degradation.