Red Cedar River Red Cedar River WatershedWatershed - Issues and Solutions- Issues and Solutions

Dan ZerrDan ZerrUniversity of Wisconsin – ExtensionUniversity of Wisconsin – Extension

Basin Educator for Natural ResourcesBasin Educator for Natural Resources

Watershed: An area Watershed: An area that all drains to a that all drains to a particular stream, river, particular stream, river, lake, or oceanlake, or ocean..

Includes all surface land Includes all surface land area, smaller streams area, smaller streams within that watershed, and within that watershed, and groundwater flow.groundwater flow.

Watersheds are Watersheds are “nested” within each “nested” within each other. Small watersheds other. Small watersheds are usually part of larger are usually part of larger watersheds.watersheds.

What Is A Watershed?What Is A Watershed?

• The Red Cedar River The Red Cedar River Watershed covers Watershed covers most of Barron and most of Barron and Dunn Counties, and Dunn Counties, and parts of several parts of several others.others.

• Includes many Includes many smaller smaller subwatershedssubwatersheds

• The Red Cedar River The Red Cedar River empties into the empties into the Chippewa River south Chippewa River south of Menomonieof Menomonie

Red Cedar River Watershed Is Red Cedar River Watershed Is Part of Other, Larger Part of Other, Larger

WatershedsWatersheds

Red Cedar River WatershedRed Cedar River WatershedPart of the Lower Chippewa River WatershedPart of the Lower Chippewa River WatershedMap Courtesy of US EPA

Why Are Watersheds Why Are Watersheds Important?Important?

• Water is the source of lifeWater is the source of life

• Our bodies are mostly water and Our bodies are mostly water and we need to drink it to survivewe need to drink it to survive

• Plants and animals need it tooPlants and animals need it too

• We bathe in itWe bathe in it

• We wash our clothes and dishes We wash our clothes and dishes with itwith it

• We play in it (swimming, fishing, We play in it (swimming, fishing, boating, skiing, etc.) boating, skiing, etc.)

Human Impacts Within a Human Impacts Within a WatershedWatershed

• Whatever lands on the ground within a Whatever lands on the ground within a watershed can easily end up in the watershed can easily end up in the stream or lakestream or lake

The Jarrett Creek The Jarrett Creek WatershedWatershed

Water Quality Problems in Water Quality Problems in The Red Cedar River The Red Cedar River

WatershedWatershed

Photos Courtesy of WDNR

Problems in the Red Problems in the Red Cedar Watershed Cedar Watershed

AlgaeAlgae

Photosynthetic Photosynthetic organism that, just like a organism that, just like a plant, needs nitrogen and plant, needs nitrogen and phosphorus to functionphosphorus to function

Is naturally in our Is naturally in our waters, but too much waters, but too much nitrogen and nitrogen and phosphorousphosphorous cause algae cause algae to increase dramatically – to increase dramatically – known as an algal known as an algal “bloom”“bloom”

Photo Courtesy of WDNR

Why is Algae Bad For Water Why is Algae Bad For Water Quality?Quality? Looks terrible! Who wants to swim in that?Looks terrible! Who wants to swim in that?

Some algae produce toxins that are harmful to Some algae produce toxins that are harmful to animals, including humansanimals, including humans

Some people are more Some people are more sensitive than others and may sensitive than others and may react to algal toxins in the airreact to algal toxins in the air

Photos Courtesy of WDNR

Why is Algae Bad For Water Why is Algae Bad For Water Quality?Quality?

Decreases dissolved oxygen Decreases dissolved oxygen in the water, leading to fish killsin the water, leading to fish kills

Can raise pH, which some Can raise pH, which some aquatic organisms can’t aquatic organisms can’t toleratetolerate

Bad for economy (less Bad for economy (less fishing, less swimming, etc.) fishing, less swimming, etc.)

WDNR

What Is Phosphorus?What Is Phosphorus? A natural element – Number 15 on the Periodic A natural element – Number 15 on the Periodic Table, symbolized by “P”Table, symbolized by “P”

Is present in rocks and soilIs present in rocks and soil

Is also present in water, Is also present in water, usually attached to soil usually attached to soil particles suspended in the particles suspended in the waterwater

Is a key component of living Is a key component of living organisms, including plants organisms, including plants and photosynthetic algae, and and photosynthetic algae, and is found in DNA and in the is found in DNA and in the membranes of cellsmembranes of cells

Courtesy of Treehugger.com

How is Phosphorus Getting In How is Phosphorus Getting In The Water?The Water? Polluted runoffPolluted runoff

o Rainwater washes over land and runs into streams Rainwater washes over land and runs into streams and lakes, carrying excess fertilizer, soil, manure and and lakes, carrying excess fertilizer, soil, manure and other pollutants with itother pollutants with it

Eroding shorelines cause soil to Eroding shorelines cause soil to fall into the water, and this soil fall into the water, and this soil contains phosphoruscontains phosphorus

Industrial plants that discharge Industrial plants that discharge effluent from their facilities into a effluent from their facilities into a stream or lakestream or lake

How is Phosphorus Getting In How is Phosphorus Getting In The Water?The Water? Waste water treatment facilities don’t remove all the Waste water treatment facilities don’t remove all the

phosphorus from waste water, so some is left in the phosphorus from waste water, so some is left in the effluent they discharge into the river or lakeeffluent they discharge into the river or lake

Failing septic systemsFailing septic systems

Courtesy of Renewable Water ResourcesCourtesy of Property Doctor

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Study and monitor streams and lakesStudy and monitor streams and lakes

Change agricultural practices to minimize use of Change agricultural practices to minimize use of phosphorus and manure applicationsphosphorus and manure applications

Keep livestock away from streams and riversKeep livestock away from streams and rivers

Maintain septic systemsMaintain septic systems

Use phosphorus free productsUse phosphorus free products

fertilizersfertilizers

dishwasher detergentdishwasher detergent

laundry detergentlaundry detergent

Photo Courtesy of USGA

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Don’t dump pollutants or Don’t dump pollutants or other liquids down storm other liquids down storm drainsdrains

Pick up after your petsPick up after your pets

Photo Courtesy of Sandy, UT

Photo Courtesy of Hickory, NCPhoto Courtesy of Elkhart Co. IN

What Can You Do?What Can You Do?

Talk to your family and friends about what you learnTalk to your family and friends about what you learn

Participate in clean-ups and other events designed to Participate in clean-ups and other events designed to keep our environment, including our lakes and rivers, keep our environment, including our lakes and rivers, clean and sustainableclean and sustainable

Plant buffers of natural Plant buffers of natural vegetation next to rivers vegetation next to rivers and lakesand lakes

Remember, water is life, Remember, water is life, and we need to keep it and we need to keep it clean and available for clean and available for everyone!everyone!

Questions?

Dan ZerrBasin Educator

Lower Chippewa River Basin715-836-5513

daniel.zerr@ces.uwex.edu