Water Quality Degradation: Factors and Impacts

1. Freshwater and Society Module 1, part C

2. http://www.epa.gov/region09/features/animalwaste/images/fish.jpghttp://www.epa.gov/region09/features/animalwaste/images/fish.jpg http://geo.arc.nasa.gov/sge/casa/california.html http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/pubs/vgl/medium/168.jpg http://lakeaccess.org/lakedata/lawnfertilizer/studydesign.htm Water quality degradation

3. http://drinkingwater.utah.gov/ Water quality degradation • Beneficial uses: • Aquatic life and wildlife support • Fish/shellfish consumption • Drinking water supply • Recreation • Agriculture

4. Fully supporting overall use Threatened overall use Partially supporting overall use Not supporting overall use Not attainable http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/glwqa/usdomestic/slide5.html Water quality designations

5. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cta/ctasummary.html Water quality designations • The Clean Water Act of 1972 established means by which states and tribal governments report assessed water quality to the EPA • Rivers • Lakes – not including Great Lakes • Estuaries • Great Lakes shoreline waters • Ocean shoreline waters • Coral reefs

6. Causes of water quality degradation

7. Sources of water quality degradation

8. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: Assessed river miles • 19% of total river miles in the U.S. assessed • 39% of assessed miles identified as impaired

9. Water quality degradation: River use support

10. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: River stressors • Percentage of assessed river miles impaired by leading pollutants or stressors: • (39% or 269,258 miles impaired)

11. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: River pollutant sources • Percentage of assessed river miles impaired by specific sources • (39% or 269,258 miles impaired)

12. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: Assessed lake acres • 43% of lake acres assessed • 45% of assessed acres identified as impaired

13. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: Lake use support

14. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: Lake pollutants • Percentage of assessed lake acres impaired by pollutants • (45% or 7.7 million acres impaired)

15. Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports. Water quality degradation: lake pollutant sources • Percentage of assessed lake acres impaired by specific sources • (45% or 7.7 million acres impaired)

16. Not all bodies of water are assessed Only a small percentage per year Supposedly all within a 5 to 10 year window Water quality: Assessments problems

17. Water quality: Assessments problems • Intermittent and small tributaries are either not assessed or are very infrequently measured • States tend to focus on known problems • Random surveys are rare • States have varying standards • Concentration on 2 of 6 use supports • Fish advisories not included

18. ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution • What is it?

19. Nonpoint source pollution: What is it? • ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG

20. Occurs over extensive areas Enters receiving water in a diffuse manner Carried by water over land or through soil profile to receiving water Difficult to trace to point of origin Magnitude related to climatic events NPS pollution: Characteristics http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/watersheds/green/img/Green-River-Flooding-1995.jpg

21. NPS pollution: Sources of pollutants

22. NPS pollution: Impact from leading stressors

23. From streets, yards, buildings, and construction sites Grease, salts, animal wastes, nutrients, sediments, lead, others http://www.planthealth.gov.mt/pest03.JPG http://lakeaccess.org/lakedata/lawnfertilizer/studydesign.htm http://www.lanl.gov/orgs/pa/News/ParkingClosed.jpg http://www.mqtinfo.org/media/planningeduc/runoff_1.jpg NPS pollution: Urban storm water

24. http://biology.usgs.gov/s+t/SNT/images/wu108f08.jpg http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/biotechnology/Images/b94c3886.jpg http://pwa.ars.usda.gov/pendleton/cpcrc/snowmelt.gif http://www.iird.vic.gov.au/Web/ORR/ORR.nsf/ImageLookup/Graphics4/$file/spraying.gif http://www.usda.gov/oc/photo/b93c3671.jpg NPS pollution • Agricultural • Nutrients, sediment, pesticides, herbicides

25. Forestry / Logging Sediments Pesticides NPS pollution http://www.nps.gov/jofl/resources/connie200x150.jpg http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/mining/Geolsurv/Surficial/landslid/plate3.jpg logged

26. Mining Sediments Drainage waters with low pH Heavy metals and other hazardous mineral http://www.algor.com/news_pub/cust_app/Colorado_Mines/images%5Cosmre-gov-photo147.jpg NPS pollution

27. NPS pollution • Atmospheric deposition • Carbon dioxide - acid rain • Pesticides, herbicides • Sediment • Mercury, PCBs, others

28. Impacts ecosystem integrity Human health Good water supply Healthy fish and wildlife populations Diverse recreational opportunities NPS pollution: Impacts on ecosystem

29. http://sacramento.fws.gov/hc/graphics/salmon_sac.jpg http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/pubs/reports/wrir.00-4177.cover.jpg NPS pollution: Effects on water quality • Types of effects • Eutrophication • Temperature increase • Loss of habitat for breading population • Loss of esthetic value

30. Nonpoint source pollution: NPS • What can be done to manage the problem?