The Geological causes and effects of the elizabeth city’s area water quality 2007 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Created by: Anthony Carver Jameel Joyner Terence Baker Travis Harvey

Our group is researching the geology of this area as it relates to water quality.

Sediment is the loose sand, clay, silt and other soil particles that settle at the bottom of a body of water.

Sediment can come from soil erosion or from the decomposition of plants and animals. Wind, water and ice help carry these particles to rivers, lakes and streams.

Sediment is deposited into our areas water quality in a number of different ways. It can be deposited by hurricanes and storms. Also, excessive flooding can cause sediment to be deposited into an area’s water supply. This is especially true in area’s with low elevation, such as Elizabeth City.

Sediment can cause a drop in dissolved oxygen It can also kill some aquatic animals It could contaminate an areas water supply and cause sickness in the community

It could cause foreign plants to populate an area, thus throwing off the native ecosystem It could kill some helpful algae and bacteria that help clean and filter our water systems Sediment can also buries aquatic habitat, clogs fish gills, and carries excess nutrients into streams.

The government can help by being more assertive with their water quality laws and regulations We can build well-designed sedimentation basins. Also, we can properly install silt fences

Citizens in our community can make a huge difference by reporting sedimentation problems if they see them. Some natural sub-aquatic vegetation helps filter some loose sediments near the bottom of a body of water.

An underground geological formation, or group of formations, containing water. Sources of groundwater for wells and springs.

North Carolina Aquifers The Surficial Aquifer: Is widely used throughout the State for individual home wells. It is the shallowest and most susceptible to contamination from septic tank systems and other pollution sources. On the Outer Banks shallow wells are subject to rainfall amounts, saltwater intrusion, poor quality ground water, and ocean overwash. Wells typically yield gallons per minute.

How do Aquifers effect the water quality of our area? Since our area’s water table is mostly dirt, it can filter out some large dust and sediment particles. However, pesticides that come from farms do not get diluted.