Sediment eroded soil particles. Erosion occurs when it rains, water or sports dislodge soil particles, organic matter and plant nutrients, because it flows. Create excess sediment erosion process. Such deposits is considered to be the NPS pollutants, because it comes from different sources: farmland, pasture, urban / suburban settings, construction sites, health landfill.
Soil texture, the short-absorbent, the time required for the steepness and length of slope is exposed to water, and the amount of the protective cover on the soil, all of these factors affect the degree of erosion. The disturbed soil erosion easier than the land in its natural state.
Erosion is a natural process. Some erosion is inevitable, and can not stop. However, urban development, disturb the soil and vegetation cover in unnatural acceleration of the process, can lead to water quality problems in some areas flood, and increased maintenance costs.
Erosion, reduced water quality pollutants, such as phosphorus, combined with soil and waterways as runoff into. Localized flooding may result in soil erosion clogged storm drains and sediment change the depths of local streams and rivers. Erosion caused by flood damage to property and the owners and surface water management agencies, is responsible for the maintenance costs.
Generated from land erosion and soil particles, rain, streams, lakes, rivers and the bay. Phosphorus, nutrition, attention to sediment and runoff flow. Sediments in the water and damage aquatic organisms feeding ground, clog fish gills, light barrier, raise the water temperature.
Erosion damage stream
When a large number of soil into the waterways, contamination. In absolute terms, the sediment is one of the most devastating effect on waterways pollutants.
Sediment contamination of streams and reservoirs to reduce its volume capacity and increase the expense of municipalities and industry payment processing water. Spends millions of dollars in dredging channels, ports and waterways, to remove excess sediment.
The sediment is suspended in water, destruction of fish and wildlife habitat. Erosion of riverbanks and land surfaces, agricultural and industrial chemicals, sediment carried sediment may kill aquatic life, clog fish gills, and cut off the light underwater plants. In addition, eroded areas may not be able to support vegetation. Sediment pollution can be deadly cyanide or DDT aquatic organisms.
Signs of erosion
Bare spot on the lawn or property
Exposed roots of trees and vegetation
Small stones or stone more and more obvious
Soil splashed on the windows and the walls of
Small grooves or gullies began to show
The accumulation of silt in some areas
Broadening and deepening of the river
River weakened and fallen trees
Make a difference
A trained professional consulting structural or nutritional solutions for erosion control.
Remove the obstacle, river and revegetation stream bank.
Sufficient vegetation cover, the appropriate plants and weeds, in particular on all the exposed point.
Landscape code to minimize stormwater runoff.
Nearby trees, helps to minimize the damage caused by surface runoff.
Control rainfall runoff water away from the stream.
Steep slopes placed on the ground retaining walls or diverted to reduce the speed of the water and erosion.
Trash and organic debris
Leaves, grass clippings, garbage and animal feces become runoff into storm drains and local waterways clogged part of the system. Decaying organic matter consumes the oxygen needed by aquatic organisms, fish and shellfish suffocation.
One of the easiest type of trash and organic debris non-point source pollution control.
Discarded garbage in the trash or recycling bin. Recycling of glass, aluminum, plastic, paper, motor oil, and newspapers. Compost site and garden waste. Pick up pet waste, with ordinary household garbage bags or flush toilets. And never intentional dumping of any member of the storm drain.
Nutrient
Nutrients, water is essential to life, but too much can damage more than help. Phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and nutrients to help the growth of plants and animals. Fertilizers, sewage, detergents and animal feces found, these elements are not harmful environment at low doses. However, excess nutrients can be dangerous in a healthy environment. Carried by rainwater runoff into the water to become a non-point source pollutants from the land of nutrients.
Too many nutrients can lead to vegetation or bloom, let the water green, blue-green micro-algae overgrowth. Ultimately, excess plant death, decay. The decaying process depleted oxygen in the water, leaving less of aquatic plants and animals. Live stream ecosystem balance is interrupted and disturbed.
Overgrowth of algae and aquatic plants can be achieved also minimizes the amount of light. The low oxygen content of the problem is exacerbated by an increase in dead organic material from dead plants.
An example of the harmful effects of nutrient enrichment in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries seagrass loss. Once destroyed, seaweed does not grow back.
Make a difference
Use of fertilizers and pesticides, only when necessary, and then the recommended rate. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
To ensure that the operation of animal waste, such as dairy products, chickens, pigs, horses, feed, and catfish pond properly managed.
Ensure Septic work properly.
The use of low or no phosphate detergents.
Operating the boat, be sure to properly dispose of refuse and sewage.
Toxin
Toxin chemicals that may cause health problems in humans and wildlife. They include organic chemical raw materials and metals, pesticides, herbicides, formaldehyde, household chemicals, paints, paint cleaners, gasoline, oil, battery acid, roadway salt. The toxins accumulate in fish and shellfish, or kill them, or make them more susceptible to disease. Infected fish and shellfish, can directly affect the human food chain.
Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, fungicides, farmers, foresters, pest control and homeowners widely used chemicals to kill harmful insects and weeds, in order to increase crop and timber harvesting to prevent the spread of the plant, parasites and diseases of animals and humans.
If used improperly, pesticide-contaminated waters, poison fish, plants and animals living in and around the water. The pesticide is considered to be the origin of the NPS pollutants, because they tend to?? Hard to find. They can migrate a considerable distance, is released through the air or water, rainfall, and the complexity of the process, for the source.
Although certain pesticides against pests, inadvertently may harm non-target organisms stream insects, fish, wildlife, livestock and human.
Toxic pesticide alternatives
Use less toxic pest control products. When used according to label directions, insecticidal soaps, BT (Bacillus thuringiensis), milky white spores, and the dormant oil spray than other commercial products toxic to the environment.
Integrated pest management (IPM) stressed that the construction of the pest population and evaluation of factors, including the impact on the environment, frequent monitoring and evaluation before spraying.
IPM tactics
The use of natural enemies. Introduced animals and insects that eat pests.
Sowing time. Regulate the planting and harvesting to avoid insects, is the most abundant and destructive.
Do a little hand work. Remove the egg, larva, cocoon, adult hand from the plant.
Use the resistant plants. Culture plants are relatively free of major diseases and insect pests.
Understanding of the appropriate growth conditions. Is appropriate to ensure that the shade and sunlight, moisture, pH value and the quantity of plant.
Hybrid plant varieties. The vegetation is a mixed stand than single crops less susceptible to pests.
The introduction of natural pathogens and parasites. Bacteria, viruses and insects, parasites kill pests without harming other non-pest.
Control the bugs hormone. Prevent insect growth to sexually mature adult.
Only need to use chemicals. Smaller amounts and careful application to ensure a healthy environment and better pest control.
Plastic film. Use in appropriate cases, to control weeds.
Rotating plants / crops. Rotation of garden plants each year to reduce the need for pesticides.
Minimize pesticide hazards
Carefully read and follow label.
Only buy the quantities required.
Specified on the product label to wear any protective clothing.
Wash your hands immediately after application.
Only applies to only the plants listed in the specification and the amount specified on the product label,
The area to ensure that people and pets in the application process, until the spray-drying.
Never apply to wells, streams, ponds or swamps near allowing such use, unless otherwise specified.
Never apply to bare soil.
Does not apply if rain is forecast, unless specified label (some pesticides do need to apply for irrigation).
Dispose of the container in accordance with label directions.
Select at least highly toxic pesticides. Those on the label with the signal word is considered to be the least toxic, and the signal word CAUTION indicates a moderately toxic.
Pathogens
The presence of bacteria in the water, it is normally present in the intestines of humans and animals, there may be signal?? Causative pathogen. Giardia and Cryptosporidium pathogens have been found occasionally in the public water supply diseases caused large numbers of people in several locations. Pathogens can enter our water, septic tanks, sewage treatment and disposal, sewage overflow, and animal waste leakage. Like toxins, pathogens, built in fish and shellfish to kill them, or make them susceptible to disease.
Many jurisdictions regular monitoring of urban streams to measure the amount, although harmless to you, also have similar sources (animal and human excreta), because doing so aquatic pathogens bacteria. Harmless bacteria, therefore, as an indicator, there may be other bacteria is not harmless.
All enter drains outflow to a nearby stream, local lakes and rivers, and eventually into a large body of water, such as the Gulf and the ocean. Each garbage, oil, garbage, pet waste, fertilizers, garden and garden debris, household chemicals, road is poured into the sand and salt, or washed into the storm drains, aquatic organisms threatened with extinction.
However, these non-point source pollutants is the easiest control.
Make a difference
Do not dump any storm drain.
Garbage or recycling bins, garbage and litter processing.
Recycling motor oil at your local gas station.
Pick up bags of pet waste separately, and then handle it with ordinary trash or flush toilets.
Controlled use of fertilizers based on soil test results.
Compost site and garden debris.
Dealing with household chemicals in accordance with label directions.
Appropriate transport authority should be vacuumed road sand and salt. If you do not, please contact the Ministry of Transport. Homeowners can help road sand and debris cleaning and disposal.
Mount Do not dump movement. Organization neighbors, homeowners or civic associations, youth groups to educate the public related to the risk of dumping into a storm drain. Then, the template dumping contaminated the drains flow storm drains as a reminder.
Remember, stormwater drains on public streets, the Ministry of Transport or the local homeowners association have without specific permission, shall not be painted. Contact Northern Virginia soil and water conservation district for plate making recommendations. |
