# Presentation: 250561

## Watersheds

- and
- Polluted Runoff

## The Water Cycle

- Precipitation

- Saturation/
- Condensation

- Infiltration/
- Runoff

- Evaporation/
- Transpiration/
- Respiration

## 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.

- 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.

- What is a Watershed

## Watersheds

## No matter where you are, 

- you are always in a watershed

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

- Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes.
- They cross county, state, and national boundaries.

- Watersheds

## Your School's Watershed Address

## 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.

- 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.

- Polluted Runoff
- AKA. Nonpoint Source Pollution

## Polluted Runoff

- "It's People Pollution!"

## 
Acid Mine Drainage
 Agriculture
 Urban Runoff

- Acid Mine Drainage
-  Agriculture
-  Urban Runoff

- What are major causes of
- Polluted Runoff

## 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.

- 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.

- What is acid 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

- Disrupted growth and reproduction of aquatic plants and animals
- Corroding effects of acid on parts of infrastructure such as bridges

- Problems Associated with Mine Drainage

## Treatment Pond

*Treatment Pond*

- BMPs for AMD

## 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

- 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

- What is 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.

- 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.

- Problems Associated with
- Polluted Agricultural 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

- 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

- What is Urban Runoff?

**Notes:**
Nonporous surfaces like roads, bridges, parking lots, and buildings do not allow water to slowly filter into the ground.  The water remains at the surface and builds up.  As the excessive amount of water runs off it eats away at stream banks, damages the trees and plants, and widens the streams. 

## 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

- Contaminants in urban runoff include:
- Sediment
- Oils and Greases
- Heavy Metals
- Debris
- Road Salts
- Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Herbicides

- Problems Associated with
- Urban 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

-  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

- What are the affects of Increased 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.

- 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.

- 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

- 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

- What can we do to prevent
- Polluted Runoff?

## Or else...