Land Uses & Water Pollution Sources

Christopher Gale

Bill Taft

What is a Watershed? (or Drainage Basin)

… the land area that drains runoff (rain or snow) into a lake, stream or river.

The boundaries of a watershed,

are hilltops and ridges.

REVIEW!

Source: Doppelt, Bob, Mary Scurlock, Chris Frissell, and James Karr. (1993: xiv).  Entering the Watershed: A new approach to save America's River Ecosystems.  Washington, DC:  Island Press.  Copyright: Pacific Rivers Council.

What watershed do you live in?

What are the Benefits of a Healthy Watershed

Clean water Flood control Good fish & wildlife habitat Greater biodiversity More productive for timber & grazing Higher property values More attractive

Grazing Farming Forestry (logging) Mining Wildlife habitat Recreation (motorized & non-motorized) Residential Commercial Preservation (wild & scenic)

What are Land Uses?

What are land uses?

The ways that people use the land.

o Nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus)o Sediment (dirt)o Bacteriao Pesticideso Road salto Toxic chemicals o Metals (mercury, copper, etc.)

What are Types of Pollutants?

Point and Non-point Sources of Water Pollution

Point = water pollutants discharged from a pipe into lakes and rivers.

Nonpoint = water pollutants carried by runoff over land and into lakes and rivers.

Point source pollution = water pollutants discharged from a pipe

Nonpoint Source Pollution = pollutants carried by water as it runs off over the land. The type of pollutant (sediment, fertilizer, nutrients, pesticides, etc.) depends upon the type of land use.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

#1

Parking Lot UrbanCommercial Development

Possible PollutantsRoad saltSedimentAutomotive fluids (toxic chemicals)Motor oil (toxic chemicals)

Bill Taft#2

Forest managementLogging roadPossible Pollutants:Sediment

#3

HomesNeighborhoodResidential

Pesticides (toxic chemicals)Fertilizers (nutrients)Pet wastes (bacteria & nutrients)Road salt

Possible Pollutants

#4

AgricultureLivestock grazingAnimal Feedlot

Animal wastes (bacteria & nutrients)

Possible Pollutants

#5

New construction

Sediment

Possible Pollutants

#6

Stream channel straightened due to urban development

Road saltSedimentAutomotive fluids (toxic chemicals)Motor oil (toxic chemicals)Waterfowl wastes

Possible Pollutants

#7

City Urban area

Road saltSedimentAutomotive fluids (toxic chemicals)Motor oil (toxic chemicals)

Possible Pollutants

#8 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

AgricultureCropland

SedimentFertilizerPesticides

Possible Pollutants

Leading Sources of Water Quality Impairment to Rivers (U.S.*)

1. Agricultural runoff (farming and livestock)

2. Municipal point sources (sewage treatment plants)

3. Streamside habitat changes (channelization, dredging, flow modifications)

Leading pollutants: bacteria, nutrients, metals (primarily mercury), sediment

* 2000 National Water Quality Inventory (EPA report). Data received on 33% of U.S. waters were assessed for this report. http://www.epa.gov/305b/2000report/factsheet.pdf

How can we reduce or prevent pollution ?

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)

…are designed to control, prevent, remove, or reduce pollution. Three BMP categories:1. Structural Practices

o Grass or rock-lined drainage ditches.o Fence livestock away from streamo Sedimentation basin for parking lot runoff

2. Vegetative Practiceso Cover crops o Leave tree and shrub “buffer strips” along streams

3. Management Practiceso No till farming (don’t plow)o Rotate pastures used for livestock grazing o No grazing, logging, or building houses right next to a stream