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.

How Does Your Watershed connect

to the Great Lakes Watershed?

REVIEW!

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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

Land Uses & Water Pollution Sources

By Joan Schumaker Chadde, Western U.P. Center for Science, Mathematics and Environmental Education. All photos by Chadde, unless otherwise noted.

Christopher Gale

Bill Taft

Land Uses & Water Pollution Sources

Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper:

1.How does what we do on land affect water quality?

2.How does pollution get from one place to another?

What are land uses?

The ways that people use the land.

Brainstorm

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

What are Land Uses?

What types of pollutants might enter our watershed

through land use?

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

Types of Pollutants?

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=60452CEE-1927-475A-A92D-12891E712DD7&blnFromSearch=1

What are point and non-point sources of pollution?

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

Water Quality & Possible Pollutants (Page 69)

•Work with a partner on Pg. 69 to brainstorm at least two possible sources of pollution for each type of pollutant.

•Do this in pencil. We will go over the correct answers before the end of class.

Water Quality & Possible Pollutants (Page 69)

Pollutant Possible Sources

1. Nutrients •Livestock (animal wastes) too close to stream•Fertilizer used on crops or lawns•Human wastes from failing septic systems

2. Sediment •Road crossing a stream•Eroding stream banks•Livestock too close to stream•All-terrain vehicles driving through a stream

3. Bacteria •Failing septic systems•Wastewater treatment plant overflows•Livestock waste too close to stream•Wildlife and pet wastes

Pollutant Possible Sources

4. Pesticides •Residential lawns and gardens•Golf courses and city parks•Crop land

5. Oil, gas, metals •Parking lot runoff•Leaking underground gasoline storage tanks

6. Salt •Highways•Industry

7. Toxic materials •Industry•Land fill•Businesses (dry cleaners, etc.)

Water Quality & Possible Pollutants (Page 69)

*Fill in your student sheet (Pg. 71) as you view the slides.

Identify the land use shown in the photo?

Identify what type of pollutants might result from the land use (shown in the photo) and possibly affect the water quality of a nearby stream?

Land Use and Water Quality

#1

Bill Taft#2

#3

#4

Dickinson Conservation District

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

#5

#6

#7

#8 Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

Land Use and Water Quality

Photo Land use Possible Pollutants

1 Parking LotUrbanCommercial Development

•Road salt•Sediment•Automotive fluids (toxic chemicals)•Motor oil (toxic chemicals)

2 Forest managementLogging road

•Sediment

3 Homes NeighborhoodResidential

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

4 AgricultureLivestock grazingAnimal feedlot

•Animal wastes (bacteria & nutrients)

Photo Land use Possible Pollutants

5 New Construction •Sediment

6 Stream channel(straightened due to urban development)

•Road salt•Sediment•Automotive fluids (toxic chemicals)•Motor oil (toxic chemicals)•Waterfowl wastes

7 CityUrban area

•Road salt•Sediment•Automotive fluids (toxic chemicals)•Motor oil (toxic chemicals)

8 AgricultureCropland

•Sediment•Fertilizer•Pesticides

Land Use and Water Quality

Leading Sources of Water Quality Impairment to Rivers (MICHIGAN*)

1. Physical stream alterations (e.g. channelization or straightening)

2. Agriculture (crop runoff and animal feedlots)3. Sediment4. Industrial Point Source5. Habitat modification (loss of streamside riparian vegetation)6. Combined sewer overflows7. Municipal Point Source8. Construction

Leading pollutants: organic compounds, pathogens, sediment, mercury, low dissolved oxygen, nutrients, metals (copper, chromium)

* 2004 Water Quality and Pollution Control in Michigan: 20004 Sections 303(d) and 305(b) Integrated Report, MI DEQ Water Division, page34.

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

Land Use and Water Quality (pg. 71)

Go back to Page 71 and complete the Best management practices section with the people at your table.

Do this in pencil. We will correct it before the end of the class.

Land Use and Water QualityPhoto Best Management Practice (BMP)

1 •Porous asphalt of pervious concrete•Vegetated islands in parking lot•Runoff retention pond to collect runoff and allow time for infiltration•Reduce parking lot size•Create vegetated or rock-lined drainage channel for storm water runoff to slowly seep into the ground

2 •Maintain vegetated buffer along stream to filter out sediment•Do not locate roads immediately adjacent to streams

3 •Use minimal amounts of pesticides and fertilizers on lawns•Pick up and dispose of pet wastes•Maintain areas of native vegetation to promote infiltration•Irrigate lawn sparingly

4 •Maintain vegetative buffer along streams to slow and filter runoff

Land Use and Water Quality

Photo Best Management Practice (BMP)

5 •Use erosion control fabric to prevent disturbed soil from moving off-site

6 •Maintain vegetative buffer along streams to slow and filter runoff

7 •Maintain vegetative buffer along lake to slow and filter runoff

8 •Maintain vegetative buffer along lake to slow and filter runoff