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DETERMINING STREAM QUALITY

Learn about the importance of stream quality for drinking water, aquatic habitats, and wildlife in North Carolina. Discover sources of pollution, problems faced, and possible solutions to ensure a healthy water ecosystem.

eugeneholman
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DETERMINING STREAM QUALITY

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  1. DETERMINING STREAM QUALITY

  2. WATER QUALITY IS IMPORTANT FOR DRINKING WATER SUPPLY, AS A HABITAT FOR AQUATIC ORGANISMS, AND FOR WILDLIFE THAT USE THE STREAMS. STREAM QUALITY IS A PROBLEM IN BOTH THE U.S. AND IN NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE OF: - URBAN SPRAWL - RAPID POPULATION GROWTH - AGRICULTURE

  3. POLLUTION SOURCES INCLUDE: • URBAN STORMWATER RUNOFF • INEFFICIENT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS • AGRICULTURAL WASTES • EFFLUENT FROM CHEMICAL PLANTS • DUMPING INTO STREAMS • DESTRUCTION OF VEGETATION BUFFERS BORDERING STREAMS

  4. SURFACE WATER IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE SUCH A SMALL PERCENT OF OUR WATER EXISTS AS SURFACE WATER. • WE CONTINUALLY DISTURB THE FRESH WATER ECOSYSTEMS WE HAVE: • ALTER FOR TRANSPORTATION • DIVERT FOR AGRICULTURE AND MUNICIPAL NEEDS • DAM FOR ENERGY • USE FOR INDUSTRIAL COOLANT • STRAIGHTEN FOR CONVENIENCE

  5. NORTH CAROLINA IS BLESSED WITH PLENTY OF SURFACE WATER. SOUTHWESTERN NC AVERAGES 90 INCHES OF RAIN PER YEAR. NC EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS AVERAGES 40 TO 50 INCHES OF RAIN PER YEAR. THE DRIEST PART OF NC IS THE VALLEY OF THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER, WHICH AVERAGES 37 INCHES PER YEAR.

  6. NORTH CAROLINA IS NOT WITHOUT ITS WATER PROBLEMS. GREENSBORO IS IN THE UPPER PART OF THE CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN, AND THE STREAMS ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO PROVIDE ITS GROWING POPULATION WITH WATER DURING A DROUGHT. AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF IN THE LOWER CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN IS A PROBLEM. THE NEUSE RIVER BASIN IS VERY HEAVILY POPULATED, AND URBAN RUNOFF FROM RALEIGH AND DURHAM IS A PROBLEM. A SIMILAR PROBLEM EXISTS IN THE LOWER CATAWBA RIVER BASIN BECAUSE OF CHARLOTTE.

  7. MAJOR WATER PROBLEMS IN NORTH CAROLINA STORMWATER RUNOFF DROUGHT AGRICULTURAL POLLUTION AQUIFER DEPLETION AND SALT WATER INTRUSION

  8. PIG FARM LAGOON

  9. TRANSLATE THE ANIMAL WASTE PROBLEM TO NORTH CAROLINA, AND YOU HAVE PIG WASTE PROBLEMS. ONE LITTLE PIG CAN PRODUCE A LOT OF WASTE.

  10. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: PIG WASTE DIGESTORS TO CONVERT WASTE TO METHANE GAS. USING PIG WASTE TO GROW DUCK WEED. DUCK WEED PRODUCES MORE STARCH PER ACRE THAN CORN - 5 TO 6 TIMES MORE PER ACRE.

  11. OUR LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY CREATES MORE GREENHOUSE GAS THAN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR DOES.

  12. CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN USE AREA Concern about aquifer depletion and salt water intrusion.

  13. HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT DETERMINING THE QUALITY OF A STREAM?

  14. HOW DOES ONE GO ABOUT DETERMINING THE QUALITY OF A STREAM? • CHEMICAL QUALITY FACTORS • BIOLOGICAL QUALITY FACTORS • PHYSICAL QUALITY FACTORS

  15. CHEMICAL QUALITY FACTORS • pH • DISSOLVED OXYGEN • CONDUCTIVITY • TURBIDITY • TEMPERATURE • NITRATE • PHOSPHATE

  16. BIOLOGICAL QUALITY FACTORS • POLLUTION TOLERANCE INDEX BASED ON MACROINVERTEBRATE SURVEY • FECAL COLIFORM • RIPARIAN, CHANNEL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY (RCE)

  17. PHYSICAL QUALITY FACTORS • RIPARIAN, CHANNEL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL INVENTORY • STREAM HYDROLOGY

  18. NORTH CAROLINA HAS ESTABLISHED STREAM QUALITY STANDARDS BASED ON HOW THE STREAM IS USED. CLASS C: FRESHWATERS PROTECTED FOR SECONDARY RECREATION, FISHING, AQUATIC LIFE INCLUDING PROPAGATION AND SURVIVAL, AND WILDLIFE CLASS B: FRESHWATERS PROTECTED FOR PRIMARY RECREATION WHICH INCLUDES SWIMMING ON A FREQUENT OR ORGANIZED BASIS AND ALL CLASS C USES. CLASS WS: WATERS PROTECTED AS WATER SUPPLIES. THERE ARE OTHER CLASSES. MOST STREAMS IN THE STATE ARE CLASS C STREAMS.

  19. SOME OF THE FACTORS YOU MIGHT MEASURE IN DETERMINING WATER QUALITY FOR A CLASS C STREAM ARE: TEMPERATURE - NOT TO EXCEED 2.8O C ABOVE NATURAL TEMPERATURE. DISSOLVED OXYGEN - NOT LESS THAT A DAILY AVERAGE OF 5.0 mg/ml FECAL COLIFORMS - NOT TO EXCEED A GEOMETRIC MEAN OF 200/100 ml pH - RANGE OF 6.0 TO 9.0 TURBIDITY - NOT TO EXCEED 50 NTU CONDUCTIVITY - NOT INCLUDED, BUT IMPORTANT

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