The Devastating Power Of Pollution

Nowadays, the most water pollution in Washington States comes from storm-water runoffs. Storm-water discharges are generated by runoff from land and impervious areas such as paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops. During rainfall and snow events that often contain pollutants in quantities that could adversely affect water quality. Moreover, toxic chemical runoff from storm-water has an impact on organisms and human health. Therefore, this essay will focus on Puget Sound storm-water pollution, how they impact on living organisms, some solution of storm-water pollution, and why do we should care about of Puget

One of the recurring problems at Howard County is the large quantities of stormwater runoff that flow into nearby streams. This is due to meteorological factors and physical characteristics including: land use changes. The more impervious surfaces there are the more surface runoff there will be; thus, placing adverse effects upon the environment. To be exact, these stormwater runoffs carry car oils, fertilizers, pet waste, litter, and sediment to the Chesapeake bay. Hence, 20% of the chesapeake bay’s pollution is due to stormwater runoff. However, not only does storm water contribute to pollution, but it also harms wildlife and its environment, as well as cause floods, erosion, and property damage. To address such issue, Howard Community College

Today, storm water runoff is the number one cause of pollution in the Puget Sound. The pollutants contained in storm water runoff are mainly caused by urban runoff, factory farming, and chemicals. Urban runoff can produce pollutants such as gasoline, grease, ammonia, manure, toxic chemicals, and pesticides. In factory farming, the main problem is the production of manure which is extremely bad for the Puget Sound because of the high levels of nitrates it contains. Chemicals carry numerous pollutants which can alter marine life genetics and harm human health. Alternatives to the problems lie in green infrastructure, greenroofs, bio-swales, and porous concrete; however, the solution to the

Although the amount of pollutants from a single town or construction site may seem insignificant, the combined concentrations of contaminants threaten our lakes, streams and wetlands. When things such as: human and animal waste, decaying plants and animals, discarded litter, or food waste enter surface waters, either dissolved or suspended in stormwater runoff, they can deplete the supply of dissolved oxygen in the water. When dissolved oxygen is reduced below a certain critical level, it can impair or kill aquatic plants and animals (CNYRPDB, 2011).

The Duck Creek watershed in Scott County, IA is currently facing high levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria contamination. This pollution has put the watershed on the impaired waters list for the state of Iowa. The impaired waters list is a comprehensive list of every waterway in a state that has a contamination problem according to EPA regulations (insert source for impaired waters explanation & EPA regulations). Much of the pollution that can be found in the Duck Creek watershed is coming from nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Nonpoint source pollution significantly contributes to the deterioration of water quality due to the difficulty in identifying, assessing and controlling the sources of this type of pollution (citation Wang). This pollution is caused by runoff moving over the land. It picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and even our underground sources of drinking water (citation SCSWCD). Examples of nonpoint sources in the watershed could include failing septic systems, livestock access to streams, pastures full of manure, fertilizers applied to crops, miscellaneous urban sources such as gasoline or oil, pet waste, and wildlife (citation SCSWCD). Another source of NPS pollution is that conventional urban storm

Stormwater is water produced by rain or melting snow, which can rapidly flow over impervious surfaces into streams. Upland development magnifies the occurrence of stream bank erosion and in-stream nutrient pollution, which also have indirect negative effects. When stream bank erosion occurs, eroding sediment causes an increase in turbidity. Heavy stormwater flows into streams mixes the streambed sediment, which also increases turbidity, and ultimately causes declines in aquatic biota (Waters 1995). Therefore, negative externalities of upland development include

In recent years, the City of Orem’s storm drains have occasionally become filled during periods of heavy rainfall. The filling of the storm drains has backed up water to such an extent that homes, particularly those in low-lying areas, become flooded, causing substantial damage to basements and the foundation of the homes. In a prior interview with Orem City’s Storm Water Field Supervisor, Rick Sabey, he responded that these irregular downpours overfill our city’s sumps1. Mr. Sabey feels that no city creates and designs their storm drain system based on something that rarely happens. “Most cities model [storm drains] after 10-year storms3.” In 2013, the City of Orem began designing precautions to better improve the

These nearby areas also implement a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, and NDPES. To control and systematically fight off hazards, there is an intial phase of obtaining an NDPES permit. This permit works hand in hand with a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan, an SWPPP. The SWPPP describes the new project site that is being proposed usage. Essentially it details the means in which will help keep the area safe as well as its maintenance for potential incoming

- It can create or restore habitat (nesting areas and spawning areas) lost through erosion.

To reduce the impacts of sea level rise on storm water drainage systems, pump stations can be used to more effectively collect storm water runoff and direct it to the local waters. Enhancing storm water pumping capacity reduces the likelihood of sewage backup due to sea level rise and flooding. In addition, use of green infrastructure such as bioswales and rain gardens can reduce the impacts of sea level rise on stormwater drainage systems. Bioswales are storm water runoff conveyance systems that can absorb storm water runoff due to heavy rain. Bioswales filter the stormwater and store the water, and hence, reduce the pressure on sewage systems during heavy rainfalls and flooding. Rain gardens can be used as effective landscape elements to reduce storm water runoff. When implemented as landscape components of different city facilities and buildings, rain gardens can effectively reduce stormwater runoff and reduce the pressure on drainage systems under sea level

In Phase 1 dredging of the Hudson River, the idea was to take the amount of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB’s) from the sediment in the river bottom, but do to the method that was being used, clamshell dredge buckets, the material transported downstream, which lead to Phase 2. For Phase 2 the EPA recommended the use of coffer damming, vacuum dredging

During rain events, a combination of contaminants from roadways, parking lots, manufacturing facilities and industrial sites enter storm drains [2]. This runoff is a major contributor to oil contamination in public water domains and if left untreated, it leads to greater pollution of our oceans, lakes, and rivers. Runoff can also contain heavy metals, such as potassium (K + ) , zinc (Zn 2+ ), lead (Pb 2+ ), copper (Cu 2+ ), and chromium (Cr 3+ ), all of which in large quantities are extremely toxic to biological environments [3]. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Clean Water Act (CWA) 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 122 indicates that facilities are required to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems

Slope protection systems are a great way to prevent runoff from entering water bodies, such as lakes. According to Mr. S. K Goyal, Managing Director of Spar Geo Infra – A Geotechnical company known for its innovative, excellent and quality services in technology, engineering and construction services: “Slope protection systems stabilize soils on embankments to prevent severe erosion caused by surface runoff. In addition, it also absorbs the runoff into designated areas of gravel, large rocks, or soil."

The most common of these re sea walls. They are as their name suggests, a wall of cement separating the beach from the land behind it. These are not very good because although they prevent the erosion of the land behind it, they cause the sand in front of the wall to disappear quicker. The waves are forced back on themselves and collect more debris and sand than they usually would. These sea walls also create even more erosion where the sea wall ends, because of the way the waves travel. Other cities are transporting sand in from around the country, but only to need more within a few years. The next form of erosion prevention is called at groyne. Groynes are hard structures perpendicular to the beach and are often used in groups. They can be either above water, or below water, depending on the slope of the beach. Groynes work better than seawalls at protecting beaches, but still don’t prevent beach erosion. Surprisingly, a very good way to prevent beach erosion is to plant more plants on the dunes. The plants help hold the sand and collect sand from the waves.

To be specific, a problem faced by our watershed t is the buildup of plastics and Styrofoam. In fact, out of 50 billion bottles sold every year only 20% are recycled (Scholtus, 2009). This number is stunning due to the recycling programs we have and all the proper ways to get rid of plastic water bottles (Scholtus 2009). With the excess amount of plastics and Styrofoam that end up in our watershed, areas might end up getting clogged and thus changing the path of a stream. Not to mention, such change in the flow of water is also