Tool for the diagnosis of riverside quality. Ventania system, Argentina

Riparian zones are areas of extraordinary environmental wealth. They have been occupied and transformed by humans, affecting their appearance and conservation status. The application of riverbank quality indices allows for the detection, monitoring, and management of risks associated with modifications to these areas. The aim of this paper is to apply the Index of Quality of the Pampas Riverbanks (ICRP) in the Oro basin (Sistema de Ventania, Argentina). The ICRP assesses the quality of riverbanks, land use, and the characteristics of the adjacent area. Five segments of three streams in the basin were analyzed in February 2022 and 2024. The results allow for the characterization of the bank quality as "good," noting a deterioration over the two years analyzed due to anthropogenic actions, indicated by the presence of exotic and invasive plant species and the existence of structures crossing the channel.