Despite the general recognition that riparian buffers are hotspots of nitrogen (N) transformations, their contribution to regional nitrous oxide (N₂O) inventory has not been quantified. In riparian ecosystems, N₂O fluxes are highly variable owing to the interacting effects of landscape heterogeneity, patchy distribution of nutrients, and hydro-climatic events. Here we present results of a study (bi-weekly sampling for 18 months) conducted at riparian sites representing three of the most common hydro-geomorphic (HGM) settings in Central Indiana: i) HGM-1 – till plain depression near headwater streams/ditches, tile drainage; ii) HGM-2 – incised valley in till plain with thin alluvium deposits above the till layer, no tile drains; and iii) HGM-3, alluvial deposits above thick outwash deposits adjacent to 3^rd-4^th order stream, no tile drains. Among the soil biochemical properties examined, N mineralization showed the best relationship (r²: 0.61, p<0.001) with the spatial distribution of N₂O emission at the study sites. Results showed that N₂O emission was on average 4-fold higher (7.02 g N ha^-1d^-1) at HGM-3 compared to the other units. Short-term validation measurements at other riparian buffers have also shown higher (3-fold) N₂O emission in HGM-3 sites than in HGM-1 sites during the wet season. These results are consistent with the higher groundwater NO₃^- concentration (0.2 - 13.7 mg N L^-1), periodic floods, and the more dynamic water table (mean: 42.9 ±86.1 cm) at HGM-3 sites than at other sites. The weak N₂O emission at HGM-1 units may be ascribed to tile drainage resulting in deep water table position (mean depth: 122.2 ±33.3 cm), and thus limited interaction between NO₃^--laden groundwater with the riparian buffer. These observations will be discussed to highlight relevant biogeochemical processes, and to demonstrate the potential of an HGM-based research approach to derive watershed-scale riparian N₂O budgets.