Water Quality in Sarasota BayLID in Action

What is LID?Low Impact Development

Stormwater management systems

an innovative stormwater management approach with a basic principle that is modeled after nature

Low Impact Development Techniques

Rain Barrels & Cisterns Rain Gardens Tree Box Filters Soil Amendments Permeable Pavers Green Roofs

Rain Barrels

Recycle the Rain!

Cisterns

A cistern is more expensive than a rain barrel, but it is a more comprehensive system to provide water

for the entire landscape.

Rain Gardens

Plant a rain garden!Rain gardens are designed to reduce stormwater

that runs off individual properties into our bays.

Rain Gardens10,000 Rain Gardens Project

Soil Amendments

Soil amendments improve the physical properties of soils.

The best soil amendments increase

water- and nutrient-holding capacity and improve aeration and water infiltration.

Tree Box FiltersInfiltration Filters

Runoff is directed to the tree box filter, where it is cleaned by vegetation and soil before entering a catch basin. The runoff

collected in the tree-boxes helps irrigate the trees.

TREE BOX

Permeable Pavers

Pervious Concrete

Asphalt – standard

Concrete – pervious

•Created with large air spaces

•Allows water to soak right in

•Less polluted runoff to Sarasota Bay

•More infiltration to groundwater

Reduce Pavement and Increase “Green Space”

Green Roof

Green Roof Components

What are your ideas?

Think about where you live

• What watershed do you live in?• What can you do to protect your watershed?• Could you use any of the low impact

development techniques presented here?

Fred the Fish How does pollution affect our wildlife?

• What happens to Fred the Fish as he travels down a river?

Fred meanders down the river.

How is Fred???

Fred swims into farm country. He passes by a plowed riverbank.

How is Fred???

Turbidity – measure of how clear the water is

Fred nears a housing development. Fertilizers are used by farms and lawns are washed into

the water

How is Fred????

Plants grow

Causes an algae bloom

Plants die

Decomposers break down the decaying plants

Bacteria use up oxygen

Dissolved oxygen in water decreases

Dissolved oxygen, Phosphate and Nitrate

Fred now swims under a bridge.

How is Fred???

Fred continues his journey and passes a group of cows.

How is Fred??Dissolved Oxygen,

Nitrate

Animal waste

Dissolved oxygen

Fred swims past a park.

TRASH!!!!!!

How is Fred???

Fred swims past a factory. Hot water is dumped into the river.

Hot water holds less oxygen then cold water.

How is Fred????Dissolved

oxygen and temperature

Fred swims past a sewage treatment plant.

How is Fred???

Dissolved oxygen

Human waste

DO, Nitrate and Coliform

Poor Fred swims past a hazardous waste dump.

Toxic chemicals are leaked into the river.

How is Fred??

pH is acidic or basic or alkaline

How is Fred????

Water Quality Test

• Dissolved oxygen• Temperature• Turbidity• Phosphate• Nitrate• pH• Salinity

Temperature

• Temperature is important because it affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.

• Cold water will hold more oxygen than warmer water.

• Thermal pollution from the factories can cause temperature changes that can be damaging to the aquatic ecosystem.

Dissolved Oxygen (DO)Oxygen gas that is dissolved in water

•DO is the most important to the health of the water. All aquatic animals need oxygen to survive.

•High levels of bacteria from sewage or a large amount of rotting plants can cause the % of oxygen in the water to decrease.

pH

• pH -measurement of how acidic or basic the water is.

Phosphate and Nitrate

• Plant nutrients1. Plants grow and grow and grow2. Causes an algae bloom3. Plants die4. Decomposers break down the decaying

plants5. Bacteria use up oxygen6. Dissolved oxygen in water decreases

Turbidity

• Turbidity: Measure of the water clarity•

• Not the same as the color of the water. Dark colored water can be still be clear.

• Caused by soil erosion, urban runoff and algal blooms.

Salinity

• Amount of dissolved salt content in water–Sea water - 35 -50 ppt–Brackish – 1 – 35 ppt–Freshwater – under 1 ppt

Questions?