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Red Cedar River Watershed - Issues and Solutions

Red Cedar River Watershed - Issues and Solutions. Dan Zerr University of Wisconsin – Extension Basin Educator for Natural Resources. What Is A Watershed?. Watershed: An area that all drains to a particular stream, river, lake, or ocean .

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Red Cedar River Watershed - Issues and Solutions

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  1. Red Cedar River Watershed - Issues and Solutions Dan Zerr University of Wisconsin – Extension Basin Educator for Natural Resources

  2. What Is A Watershed? • Watershed: An area that all drains to a particular stream, river, lake, or ocean. • Includes all surface land area, smaller streams within that watershed, and groundwater flow. • Watersheds are “nested” within each other. Small watersheds are usually part of larger watersheds.

  3. The Red Cedar River Watershed covers most of Barron and Dunn Counties, and parts of several others. • Includes many smaller subwatersheds • The Red Cedar River empties into the Chippewa River south of Menomonie

  4. Red Cedar River Watershed Is Part of Other, Larger Watersheds Part of the Lower Chippewa River Watershed Red Cedar River Watershed Map Courtesy of US EPA

  5. Why Are Watersheds Important? • Water is the source of life • Our bodies are mostly water and we need to drink it to survive • Plants and animals need it too • We bathe in it • We wash our clothes and dishes with it • We play in it (swimming, fishing, boating, skiing, etc.)

  6. Human Impacts Within a Watershed • Whatever lands on the ground within a watershed can easily end up in the stream or lake

  7. The Jarrett Creek Watershed

  8. Water Quality Problems in The Red Cedar River Watershed Photos Courtesy of WDNR

  9. Problems in the Red Cedar Watershed • Algae • Photosynthetic organism that, just like a plant, needs nitrogen and phosphorus to function • Is naturally in our waters, but too much nitrogen and phosphorous cause algae to increase dramatically – known as an algal “bloom” Photo Courtesy of WDNR

  10. Why is Algae Bad For Water Quality? • Looks terrible! Who wants to swim in that? • Some algae produce toxins that are harmful to animals, including humans • Some people are more sensitive than others and may react to algal toxins in the air Photos Courtesy of WDNR

  11. Why is Algae Bad For Water Quality? • Decreases dissolved oxygen in the water, leading to fish kills • Can raise pH, which some aquatic organisms can’t tolerate • Bad for economy (less fishing, less swimming, etc.) WDNR

  12. What Is Phosphorus? • A natural element – Number 15 on the Periodic Table, symbolized by “P” • Is present in rocks and soil • Is also present in water, usually attached to soil particles suspended in the water • Is a key component of living organisms, including plants and photosynthetic algae, and is found in DNA and in the membranes of cells Courtesy of Treehugger.com

  13. How is Phosphorus Getting In The Water? • Polluted runoff • Rainwater washes over land and runs into streams and lakes, carrying excess fertilizer, soil, manure and other pollutants with it • Eroding shorelines cause soil to fall into the water, and this soil contains phosphorus • Industrial plants that discharge effluent from their facilities into a stream or lake

  14. How is Phosphorus Getting In The Water? • Waste water treatment facilities don’t remove all the phosphorus from waste water, so some is left in the effluent they discharge into the river or lake • Failing septic systems Courtesy of Property Doctor Courtesy of Renewable Water Resources

  15. What Can You Do? • Study and monitor streams and lakes • Change agricultural practices to minimize use of phosphorus and manure applications • Keep livestock away from streams and rivers • Maintain septic systems • Use phosphorus free products • fertilizers • dishwasher detergent • laundry detergent Photo Courtesy of USGA

  16. What Can You Do? • Don’t dump pollutants or other liquids down storm drains • Pick up after your pets Photo Courtesy of Sandy, UT Photo Courtesy of Elkhart Co. IN Photo Courtesy of Hickory, NC

  17. What Can You Do? • Talk to your family and friends about what you learn • Participate in clean-ups and other events designed to keep our environment, including our lakes and rivers, clean and sustainable • Plant buffers of natural vegetation next to rivers and lakes • Remember, water is life, and we need to keep it clean and available for everyone!

  18. Questions? Dan Zerr Basin Educator Lower Chippewa River Basin 715-836-5513 daniel.zerr@ces.uwex.edu

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