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Watersheds and Polluted Runoff

Watersheds and Polluted Runoff. The Water Cycle. Saturation/ Condensation. Evaporation/ Transpiration/ Respiration. Precipitation. Infiltration/ Runoff. What is a Watershed.

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Watersheds and Polluted Runoff

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  1. Watersheds and Polluted Runoff

  2. The Water Cycle Saturation/ Condensation Evaporation/ Transpiration/ Respiration Precipitation Infiltration/ Runoff

  3. What is a Watershed • A watershed is an area of ground where precipitate falls, which will ultimately runoff to a nearby body of water, be it a river, lake, stream, or creek. • It is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place. • Everywhere you stand on the earth can be divided by different watershed boundaries.

  4. Watersheds

  5. No matter where you are, you are always in a watershed

  6. Watersheds • They can be broken down into smaller and smaller increments. • Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. • They cross county, state, and national boundaries.

  7. Your School's Watershed Address GIS Map of school’s watershed inserted here.

  8. Polluted Runoff AKA. Nonpoint Source Pollution • Caused by rain and flood water washing over our nations landscapes, picking up pollutants such as dirt, oil, fertilizer, pesticides, animal waste and other substances • Substances are then deposited into our rivers, lakes, bays, coastal waters, ground water, and even drinking water supplies. • 88% of the impairment of our streams and rivers are caused by polluted runoff.

  9. Polluted Runoff "It's People Pollution!"

  10. What are major causes of Polluted Runoff • Acid Mine Drainage • Agriculture • Urban Runoff

  11. What is acid mine drainage? • Caused when water and oxygen flow over iron-bearing minerals such as pyrite or iron-sulfide and form acid. • Then dissolves other minerals and rocks, which contaminate surface and groundwater sources • Caused mainly as a result of abandoned coal mines and currently active mining. • Degrades more than 4,500 stream miles in Region III causing loss of aquatic life, and restricting stream use for recreation, public drinking water and industrial water supplies.

  12. Problems Associated with Mine Drainage • Contaminated drinking water • Disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals • Corroding effects of acid on parts of infrastructure such as bridges

  13. Treatment Pond BMPs for AMD

  14. What is Polluted Agricultural Runoff? • Includes nutrients, sediment, pathogens and toxics. • Is the leading source of water quality problems in lakes and rivers. • Agricultural Activities That Cause Polluted Agricultural Runoff: • Grazing • Plowing • Pesticide spraying • Irrigation • Fertilizing • Planting • Harvesting

  15. Problems Associated with Polluted Agricultural Runoff • Sedimentation clouds water, reduces the amount of sunlight reaching aquatic plants; covers fish spawning areas and food supplies; and clogs the gills of fish. • Runoff from confined animal facilities carries pathogens (bacteria and viruses), nutrients, and oxygen-demanding substances that contaminate fish and cause other major water quality problems. • Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides can enter and contaminate water through direct application, runoff, wind transport, and atmospheric deposition. • They can kill fish and wildlife, poison food sources, and destroy the habitat that animals use for protective cover.

  16. What is Urban Runoff? • Is the third largest source of water quality impairments to surveyed rivers • Nonporous urban landscapes like roads, bridges, parking lots, and buildings don’t let runoff slowly percolate into the ground. • Water remains above the surface, accumulates, and runs off in large amounts. • Urban areas attract large amounts of traffic on roadways • Great deal of waste created Independence Mall

  17. Problems Associated with Urban Runoff • Because of impervious surfaces such as pavement and rooftops, a typical city block generates 9 times more runoff than a woodland area of the same size. • Contaminants in urban runoff include: • Sediment • Oils and Greases • Heavy Metals • Debris • Road Salts • Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Herbicides

  18. What are the affects of Increased Runoff? • Lower water depths during non-storm periods • Higher than normal water levels during wet weather periods • Increased sediment loads • Higher water temperatures • Native fish and other aquatic life are stressed by run off

  19. What can we do to prevent Polluted Runoff? • Conserve water – inside and out • Do not fertilize your lawn before a rain storm or over-fertilize it so that the excess runs off into the streets • Take your car to a car wash where the water is treated and recycled. • Do not pour anything down your storm drain • Look for alternative forms of transportation, i.e.car pool, public transportation, bike, etc.

  20. What can we do to prevent Polluted Runoff? • Clean up after your pets • Smart waste disposal, i.e. recycling, using proper receptacles to dispose of waste and hazardous waste, i.e. car batteries, solvents, pesticides, etc. • Become involved, join your local watershed group or volunteer monitoring organization • Get informed, learn all you can about your local watershed and about NPS pollution, with knowledge, we can make a difference

  21. Or else…

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