1. Why Do We Care About Water??

2. What are the resources?
More than 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams (including intermittent streams)
The miles of rivers and streams in the United States is equivalent to more than 140 times the circumference of the earth – 140 trips around the equator.
Identify some of the regional rivers and streams known by the students.

3. Beneficial uses: Summary
Aquatic life and wildlife support
Fish/shellfish consumption
Drinking water supply
Recreation
Agriculture
There are many beneficial uses for our surface freshwater natural resources. However, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency responsible for monitoring, assessing, and reporting on water quality. The focus in the Clean Water Act has been on these five major beneficial uses for our freshwater resources. (see

4. Beneficial uses: Drinking water supply
The water body can supply safe drinking water with conventional treatment
Consider possible negative impacts of this beneficial use:
May greatly reduce water quantity in rivers, lakes and groundwater.
Rivers and streams may be dammed to store water for dry seasons.
Groundwater retrieval may create saltwater intrusions in coastal areas.

5. Beneficial uses: Aquatic life and wildlife support
The waterbody provides suitable habitat for survival and reproduction of desirable fish, shellfish, and other aquatic organisms
Don Breneman
Each of the beneficial uses can also lead to degradation:
Manipulations for wildlife species may reduce vegetation increasing sediment runoff.
Management for one fish species such as largemouth bass might make the water less habitable for other species such as trout or salmon or vice versa. Each species of animals and plants has its own optimal habitat requirements for growth and reproduction.
Providing watering holes for wildlife can increase trampling and sediment runoff.
Even excessive populations of water fowl can lead to an abundance of pathogens found in the water and can impact human health.

6. Beneficial uses: Recreation
Primary contact recreation - Swimming
People can swim in the waterbody without risk of adverse human health effects (such as catching waterborne diseases from raw sewage contamination)
Secondary contact recreation
People can perform activities on the water (such as canoeing) without risk of adverse human health effects from occasional contact with the water
Each of the beneficial uses can also lead to degradation. Consider for example:
Recreational boats and vehicles pollute water with petrochemicals.

7. Beneficial uses: Agriculture
The water quality is suitable for irrigating fields or watering livestock
Consider also possible negative impacts of this beneficial use:
Decrease in water quality due to sediment and manure delivery to streams, lakes, and wetlands from:
- Trampling by livestock around watering holes.
- Livestock destroying vegetation increasing sediment runoff.
- Compaction of soils reducing porosity and permeability. Or
Great reductions in water quantity downstream from intake for irrigation
May lead to building of large dams.
Increase sediment runoff from irrigated fields.
Pollute groundwater with pesticides, fertilizer, and solubles from the A-horizon.

8. Other beneficial uses Landscaping Power generation
Industrial processing and/or cooling
Several major social uses for water that demand water of a certain water quality are not specifically addressed by the current EPA Clean Water Act.
These beneficial uses may also have negative impacts.
Landscaping (lawns, gardens, golf courses, urban green areas) can result in:
Increased runoff in arid areas
Pesticide and fertilizer pollution from golf courses
Pesticide and fertilizer pollution
Power generation and industrial processing can result in:
Building of dams creating reservoirs:
Disrupt ecological river continuum
Modifies daily and seasonal hydrographs downstream
Coolant water creates thermo-pollution by raising water temperature
Destruction of juvenile (or sometimes adult) species of aquatic organisms

9. How Might Water Quality be Damaged?

10. Water quality degradation
Discuss students’ ideas about some of the possible pollutants that may affect the beneficial uses of water.

11. Water quality degradation: River stressors
Percentage of assessed river miles impaired by leading pollutants or stressors:
(39% or 269,258 miles impaired)
Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports.
Bacteria provide evidence of possible fecal contamination that may cause illness in people. Bacteria or pathogens were reported to pollute 13% of all assessed rivers and streams and 35% of all impaired rivers and streams. Commonly enter surface waters through: inadequately treated sewage, fecal material from wildlife, and runoff from pastures, feedlots, and urban areas.
Siltation or sedimentation remains the second most common designated stressor in rivers and streams. Its adverse effects include alteration of aquatic habitat, suffocation of fish eggs and bottom dwelling organisms, and it may interfere with drinking water treatment processes and recreational uses of a river or stream. Sources can include Agriculture, urban run off, construction and forestry.
Habitat alterations including removal of woody debris or stream bottom cobblestones were designated as the 3rd greatest stressor on use support in rivers and streams. These modifications tend to be a result of human activity including localized flow regulation, logging, and land-clearing practices. Habitat alteration DOES NOT include large scale stream flow alterations (such as damns and irrigation) since these are assessed under a separate category, and are designated as the 6th largest stressor upon support use in rivers and streams.

12. Water quality degradation: River pollutant sources
Percentage of assessed river miles impaired by specific sources
(39% or 269,258 miles impaired)
Source: Based on 2000 state Section 305(b) reports.
Agriculture was designated in 2000 as the leading source of pollution in both rivers and streams, and in Lake, pounds, and reservoirs. This is like due to its contribution to the leading causes of water quality degradation including siltation, nitrification, and pesticides.
Hydrologic Modifications include flow regulations and modification, channelization, dredging, and construction of damns. These activities can alter a rivers habitat in such a way that it becomes less suitable for aquatic life. (example – dredging a may destroy the river bottom habitat where fish lay their eggs.
Many of these sources could be considered Non Point Sources. NPS Pollution - occurs over extensive areas, enters receiving water in a diffuse manner, carried by water over land or through soil, profile to receiving water, difficult to trace to point of origin, magnitude is often related to climatic events

13. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution
What is it?
How does it differ from Point Source?
ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG
Non Point source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:
- Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas;
- Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;
- Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks;
- Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines;
- Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic systems;
- Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint source pollution.
States report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.
In 2000 states reported that unknown sources impaired an estimated 39,056 stream and river miles, or a total of 6% of all assessed streams and rivers.

14. Nonpoint source pollution: What is it?
Drawing from
Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:
- Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas;
- Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;
- Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding stream banks;
- Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines;
- Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septic systems;
- Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint source pollution.
States report that nonpoint source pollution is the leading remaining cause of water quality problems. The effects of nonpoint source pollutants on specific waters vary and may not always be fully assessed. However, we know that these pollutants have harmful effects on drinking water supplies, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.
In 2000 states reported that unknown sources impaired an estimated 39,056 stream and river miles, or a total of 6% of all assessed streams and rivers.
ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG
ehpnet1.niehs.nih.gov/docs/1994/ 102-9/focusnonpoint.JPG

15. NPS pollution: Characteristics
Occurs over extensive areas
Enters receiving water in a diffuse manner
Carried by water over land or through soil profile to receiving water
Difficult to trace to point of origin
Magnitude related to climatic events
Photo of the green river flooding taken from
Siltation, nutrients, bacteria, metals (primarily mercury) and oxygen depleting substances are among the top causes of impairment.
Pollution from urban and agricultural land that is transported by precipitation and runoff (called nonpoint source or NPS pollution) is the leading source of impairment.
There are many difficulties in identifying causes and in particular sources of pollution in impaired waters. And thus many are classified as unknown.

16. NPS pollution: Sources of pollutants
Let’s review some of the leading sources of impacts to water bodies that we have already discussed (previously discussed in slides 78, 82, and 86).
The above graph depicts the relative magnitude of contribution from each individual source (contributing pollutants or stressors which impairing water quality) as it is compared to the other 8 major contributing sources.
“Modifications” is a combined category representing both hydraulic and habitat modification.
“Other” depicts sources including: forestry and land disposal
Discuss with students the following questions:
HOW MANY OF THESE “SOUCES” OF POLLUTANTS OR ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS NON-POINT SOURCES BASED ON THE DEFINITION OF NON-POINT WE JUST REVIEWED?
Answers should include: Agricultural, non-point source, deposition, resource extraction, urban runoff, and under other - forestry

17. NPS pollution: Impact from leading stressors
Let’s review some of the leading pollutants and stressors that we have already discussed to this point (previously discussed in slides 77, 81, and 85).
The above graph depicts the relative magnitude of contribution from each pollutant or stressor impairing water quality as it is compared to the other 7 leading pollutants.
“TDS” stands for total dissolved solids
“Other” depicts sources including: Priority Organics, PCBs, Excess Algal, Thermal Modification
Discuss with students the following questions:
Why might it seam the major stressors and pollutants shown in the graph may not correspond directly to the major processes and sources we just discussed?
As we have just identified, the leading pollutant is in actuality NPS or nonpoint source pollutants. It is possible for a majority pollutant to be release from many minor sources. ALSO – the source of this data ( individual states) may not have information to determine all sources of a particular pollutant or stressor.

18. Urban storm water
From streets, yards, buildings, and construction sites
Grease, salts, animal wastes, nutrients, sediments, lead, others
Photos (from left to right and top to bottom) taken from the following locations:
1.) guy spraying tree
2.) – fertilizing the lawn
3.) runoff into storm drain
4.) very full parking lot
Urban Runoff and Storm Sewers are considered non point source pollution. The adding fertilizers and pesticides to lawns and landscaped businesses results in runoff of those materials, collection in storm sewers, and eventual discharge to water bodies. Salting lots, grease and oil from cars, etc.
Pathogens – includes bacteria, viruses, protozoan, human illness often from sewage, stormwater, septic systems.
Siltation – includes silt and suspended solids often from construction
Habitat alterations – due to development and human interferance.
Nutrients- Nitrates and phosphates in sewage, fertilizers – in excess, over stimulate plant growth and cause habitat modification may also affect aesthetics (a secondary or indirect ecosystem effect)
Metals primarily mercury (also includes lead and cadmium) - from stormwater
Pesticides and herbicides can be dispersed through rainfall, snowmelt, and irrigation - are often persistent and may bioaccumulate in organisms.
O2 depleting substances include sewage, leaves and grass clippings add to the biological oxygen demand. The reduction in dissolved oxygen greatly alters the ecosystem characteristics.

19. Agriculture Nutrients, sediment, pesticides, herbicides
Photos (from left to right and top to bottom) taken from the following locations:
1.) - cows in creek
2.) - bare soil and plain
3.) - farm with runoff
4.) - snow melt over filed
5.) - tractor spraying in rain
6.) - tractor
Agriculture was designated in the EPA 2000 study as the leading source of pollution in both rivers and streams, and in Lake, pounds, and reservoirs. This is like due to its contribution to the leading causes of water quality degradation including siltation, nitrification, and pesticides.

20. Forestry / Logging Sediments Pesticides
Photos (from left to right ) taken from the following locations:
1.) forestry pesticides
2.) logged area
logged

21. Mining Sediments Drainage waters with low pH
Heavy metals and other hazardous mineral
Photo taken from
Sulphide weathering in mine waste rock and milltags often generates drainage waters with a low pH and high concentration of metals. This is known as acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD involve the oxidative dissolution of iron containing sulphide minerals (e.g. pyrite) and the mobilization of potentially hazardous minerals. Also, the increase in the pH of poor waters in the soils increases significantly the mobility of heavy metals.

22. Fracking

23. Atmospheric deposition
Carbon dioxide - acid rain
Pesticides, herbicides
Sediment
Mercury, PCBs, others
Photos (from left to right and top to bottom) taken from the following locations:
1.) Plain - plane with pesticides
2.) This lane ends -
3.) smoke stack -
4.) The Dust Bowl -

24. How Do We Protect Our Water?

25. What can be done to manage the problem?
Photos (from left to right and top to bottom) taken from the following locations:
1.) Conservation officers with clients talking over truck - images/2_picture.jpg
2.) water restrictions - az.water.usgs.gov/rwi/tonto/ pictures/restrict.gif
3.) conservation officer with client at back of truck -
4.) education at water system - acc/burkewateringsystem.jpg
5.) man teaching in crops -
6.) Conservation officer with fish images/ravorback.jpg
7.) Farmers and crops evaluating spraying schedule
8.) Conservation officer w/ client - images/ravorback.jpg
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Some activities are federal responsibilities, such as ensuring that federal lands are properly managed to reduce soil erosion. Some are state responsibilities, for example, developing legislation to govern mining and logging, and to protect groundwater. Others are best handled locally, such as by zoning or erosion control ordinances. And each individual can play an important role by practicing conservation and by changing certain everyday habits.
Number 1 recommendation of the states and tribes to come out of the 2000 EPA report, was wide public involvement especially in dealing with NPS pollution, where the control options are both difficult and expensive.

26. How Do We Know if We Are Successful?

27. Monitoring and Assesment

28. Water quality: Assessments problems
Not all bodies of water are assessed
Only a small percentage per year
Supposedly all within a 5 to 10 year window
Assessment Problems –
1.) Not all bodies of water are assessed:
Rivers – only 19% or the identified river miles were assessed
Lakes - only 43% of 17.3 million lake acres were assessed (not including the Great Lakes)
Great Lakes Shore Line – 92% of the total 5,521 shoreline miles were assessed
Estuaries – 36% of the reported 87,369 square miles were assessed
Ocean Shoreline Waters – Only 6% of 58,618 miles were assessed
2.) Intermittent and small tributaries often not assessed. Intermittent and small steams may identify significant sources of pollution and most specifically nonpoint pollution which similarly to intermittent streams is often the result of major climatic events. Also the dilution principal associated with large bodies of water is not as prevalent in smaller streams and tributaries.
3.) States focus on known peoblems and random surveys are seldom ever conducted
4.) States have varying standards – States and tribal governments collect and interpolate all data individually. Results of testing in some cases are compared to the more stringent standards of the individual states. In some cases, benchmark water standards have not been developed - for example estuaries.
According to the EPA report, states assessed a very small amount of ocean and marine resources, wetlands, and groundwater. Do to a lack of assessment tools and, in the case of wetlands, a lack of water quality standards.
Many stated concentrated on assessing only Aquatic Life Support and Primary Contact (swimming) in their use support data analysis. Some states chose not to include the impacts of consumption advisories, drinking water closures, recreational restrictions in their use analysis repots (exp: 11 states did NOT include the effects of statewide fish consumption advisories when reporting the pollutants and sources responsible for impairment. Because of this, it is believed that certain pollutants, such as metals, and sources (such as atmospheric deposition – a major factor in non-point pollution) may be underrepresented.

29. Water quality: Assessments problems
Intermittent and small tributaries are either not assessed or are very infrequently measured
States tend to focus on known problems
Random surveys are rare
States have varying standards
Concentration on 2 of 6 use supports
Fish advisories not included
Assessment Problems –
1.) Not all bodies of water are assessed:
Rivers – only 19% or the identified river miles were assessed
Lakes - only 43% of 17.3 million lake acres were assessed (not including the Great Lakes)
Great Lakes Shore Line – 92% of the total 5,521 shoreline miles were assessed
Estuaries – 36% of the reported 87,369 square miles were assessed
Ocean Shoreline Waters – Only 6% of 58,618 miles were assessed
2.) Intermittent and small tributaries often not assessed. Intermittent and small steams may identify significant sources of pollution and most specifically nonpoint pollution which similarly to intermittent streams is often the result of major climatic events. Also the dilution principal associated with large bodies of water is not as prevalent in smaller streams and tributaries.
3.) States focus on known peoblems and random surveys are seldom ever conducted
4.) States have varying standards – States and tribal governments collect and interpolate all data individually. Results of testing in some cases are compared to the more stringent standards of the individual states. In some cases, benchmark water standards have not been developed - for example estuaries.
According to the EPA report, states assessed a very small amount of ocean and marine resources, wetlands, and groundwater. Do to a lack of assessment tools and, in the case of wetlands, a lack of water quality standards.
Many stated concentrated on assessing only Aquatic Life Support and Primary Contact (swimming) in their use support data analysis. Some states chose not to include the impacts of consumption advisories, drinking water closures, recreational restrictions in their use analysis repots (exp: 11 states did NOT include the effects of statewide fish consumption advisories when reporting the pollutants and sources responsible for impairment. Because of this, it is believed that certain pollutants, such as metals, and sources (such as atmospheric deposition – a major factor in non-point pollution) may be underrepresented.

30. What would You Assess?
What data would you want?

31. Can You Put Your Data in Categories?

32. Proposed Categories
Physical
Chemical
Biological

33. Are These Independent Variables?
How might they relate…if they do?

34. The Delaware River Watershed Initiative
DRWI
You will be submitting data to ANS
Academy of Natural Sciences
Data retained forever
You will be presenting your data
Best presentation recognized by DRWI/ANS/PKC
You will work to protect our water
Part of something big
You Matter!

35. Building Your Stream Model
Emphasize Relationships
Visualize Your Stream
The memory map

36. Stream Model

37. Lotic systems Four dimensions: Longitudinal Lateral Vertical Time
The four dimensions of a lotic system
Rivers and streams are characterized by flowing waters and are called lotic systems (as opposed to lentic systems, such as lakes). Lotic environments have been described as having four dimensions: a longitudinal dimension with a pronounced zonation of chemical, physical and biological factors (comparable to the vertical stratification in lakes); a lateral dimension involving exchanges of organic matter, nutrients and biota between the stream channel and the adjacent floodplain; a vertical dimension consisting of a hydraulic connection linking the river channel with groundwater; and a fourth dimension of time which pertains to the velocity of the water flow.

38. Variation in time and space
The shape, size and content of a river are constantly changing, forming a close and mutual interdependence between the river and the land it traverses.
Rivers are very dynamic and show tremendous variation through time and space. The shape, size and content of a river are constantly changing, forming a close and mutual interdependence between the river and the land it traverses. Imagine following one river from a small trickle in the mountains, over raging rapids and waterfalls, through areas of peaceful, nearly motionless water, all the way to its meshing with the mighty waves of the sea. On its way, a river may carve through majestic mountain ranges, create deep gorges and canyons, gentle valleys, lush meadows, and mighty plains, all the while providing the setting for a diversity of biological communities. Over time it may change drastically from a roaring, overflowing force in the spring, to a still, icy-cold mass in the winter.

39. Water on the Web
This presentation includes material from Water on the Web (WoW)
WOW Water on the Web - Monitoring Minnesota Lakes on the Internet and Training Water Science Technicians for the Future - A National On-line Curriculum using Advanced Technologies and Real-Time Data.
University of Minnesota-Duluth, Duluth, MN
Authors: Munson, BH, Axler, R, Hagley C, Host G, Merrick G, Richards C.
I would also like to thank Dr. Jewett-Smith for her contributions to this presentation