did you know? a river can catch on fire

Did You Know? A river can catch on fire.

Background (Key Point)• Waterways such as rivers, lakes and estuaries

are important to humans and wildlife alike.– Used for drinking, transportation, recreation and a

habitat for many species.– Almost 40%of our nation’s rivers, lakes and

estuaries are not fishable, swimmable, or potable because of pollution.

– Two sources for pollutants to enter the waterways:

POINT and NON-POINT

Point Source Pollution (Key Point)

• Pollution that flows from one identifiable source such as a discharge pipe from a factory, roadway, or a leaking underground storage tank– Hazardous and toxic materials from manufacturing

is released directly into the river/stream• Examples: Oil, Gasoline, Toxins and poisons, arsenic,

lead, mercury. • This can lead to an increase in heated water that causes

the dissolved oxygen to decrease, therefore killing the fish (Clean Water Act of 1972)

Clean Water Act of 1972 (Key Point)

• The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution.[1] Passed in 1972, the act established the goals of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water, eliminating additional water pollution by 1985, and ensuring that surface waters would meet standards necessary for human sports and recreation by 1983.

Non-Point Source Pollution (Key Point)• Pollution that is collected by rain falling over a large

watershed (area that catches all precipitation and surface runoff) to a nearby stream or lake or by percolating (process of a liquid moving through a

substance that is porous) into the groundwater.

“A harder problem to solve”Runoff from urban areas is the largest source of impairments to the nation’s

waterways.

Examples• Agriculture

• Forestry•Grazing

• Septic systems»Recreational boating

• Urban runoffConstruction

Changing the landscape changes the amount of surface runoff in a watershed.

• Pesticides (bug killers) and herbicides (weed killer) washes into lakes and rivers • Crop fields, especially after harvest, can wash soil and

sediments • Animal waste can be harmful and infested with

bacteria.• Without trees and plants in a field to hold the soil in

place, large pieces of sediment runoff into streams/lakes• Construction sites create a hazard for wastes to enter

What is contaminating our water?

(Key Point)Water Pollution can be categorized into four

types:

Chemical• The introduction of toxic substances into an

ecosystem– Acidic precipitation– Pesticide contamination

Thermal• Varying temperatures above or below the

normal condition– Power plant turbine heated water

Organic• Oversuppling an ecosystem with nutrients– Fertilizer inflow

Ecological• Stresses ordinarily created by natural

processes– Adding a substance that is not naturally occuring– Increasing the amount or intensity of a naturally

occurring substance– Altering the level or concentration of biological or

physical components of an ecosystem** Typically created naturally, although humans can

cause it**

Examples:

• Kathryn throws her M&M wrapper out the car window?

• A car emits gasoline exhaust? • Juan’s dad dumps unused paint into the drain

that flows into the water system?• All of the farmers in Minnesota use

GrowQuick, a chemical fertilizer?

Examples:

• A marshland is flooded by saltwater? Ecological

• A car emits gasoline exhaust? Chemical• Juan’s dad dumps unused paint into the drain

that flows into the water system? Chemical• All of the farmers in Minnesota use

GrowQuick, a chemical fertilizer? Organic or Chemical

What can you do to help out?• Clean up after your pets and throw their waste in a

garbage can.• Don’t buy too many fertilizers or insecticides to make your

lawn look pretty. Just buy what you need and don’t dump the rest—dispose of it properly at a waste center.

• Drive your car as little as possible.• Recycle used oil and antifreeze by taking them to service

stations and other recycling centers. Never put used oil or other chemicals down storm drains or in drainage ditches—One quart of oil can contaminate up to two million gallons of drinking water!

• Don’t hose down your driveway—That just makes all of the oil and grease run off into storm drains. You can clean your driveway with a broom if you want to.

• Put all of your trash into the trash can!• Wash your car on the grass so the soapy water

soaks into the ground.