Essay on Watershed Management Plan for Portland, Oregon

Flooding of the settlement was problematic. By 1812, the settlers had built miles of levees on the banks of the river. For the next two hundred years, the surrounding wetlands were drained to eliminate swamps filled with yellow fever carrying mosquitoes and to encourage economic development. Draining water from peaty soils encouraged subsidence. The land which was just inches above sea level to begin with steadily sank. In combat of this, higher and stronger levees were built, tightening the straight jacket already placed upon the Mississippi River. The massive flooding of 1928 brought further flood control systems implemented by the Army Corps of Engineers with Congressional blessing. By the 1950’s, dramatic rates of land loss in Louisiana’s coastal zone stretched across 300 miles from Texas to Mississippi and inland 50 miles. (Tibbetts)

In conclusion, upstream communities should also be concerned about how water resources are managed in the watershed because of acid rain, and possible contamination of their drinking water. Acid rain not only damages infrastructure, but also tampers with ecosystems, exposing already weak trees and plants to the stressors of nature and negatively influences soil qualities, affecting farmers. The Flint water crises shows that even upstream communities should be concerned about contaminated

The levee system has disrupted the natural deposits that are left from the overflow of the river.2

The Silver Bow Creek watershed in southwest Montana encompasses approximately 474 square miles and forms a portion of the headwaters of the Clark Fork River and ultimately, the Columbia River (Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, 2009). The site covers about 26 miles of stream and stream side habitat. Silver Bow Creek was used as a conduit for mining, smelting, industrial and municipal wastes for more than a hundred years (Weitz, Luxenberg). Rather large amounts of mine tailings deposits are found along the creek. These deposits contain elevated levels of metals and have been dispersed over the entire flood plain (Weitz, Luxenberg).

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

Turner, R. Eugene, and Nancy N. Rabalais. "Linking Landscape And Water Quality In The Mississippi River Basin For 200 Years." Bioscience 53.6 (2003): 563. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 May 2016.

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).

In this research paper I will be talking about the Connecticut River, the common sewer overflow and sewer discharge that goes into the river, I will be focusing on the pollutants that are in the CT river, I will also focus on the high density towns and the affect it has on them, then I will talk about the ecological impacts and economical aspects. The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region, it spans through five states Maine (Small portions), Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, discharging into the Long island sound. The river serves more than two million people throughout New England. The main issue with the river is the untreated storm water and sewer waste that is being discharged into it which causes many harmful effects not only to the many different species that call the CT River its home, but to the people that live around the CT River. Combined sewer overflows (CSOs), the discharging of combined sewer systems directly into surface waters upon capacity overload, are a large source of pollution of U.S. waterways. A report from the Environment and Connecticut Research and policy center has said that industrial facilities have discharged 224,029 pounds of toxic waste into the Connecticut waterways in the year of 2012. There are many government agencies such as the EPA and committees like the Connecticut River Cleanup Committee that are raising funds and awareness in order to help clean up the Connecticut River

Richard Smith, Richard Alexander, and M.Gordon Wolman, Water Quality Trends in the Nation's Rivers. 235 Science 1607, 1987.

Background (1 ¶): What is the Duck Creek Watershed? What problems is it facing? What is being done so far to remedy these problems? Who is working on this problem?

The proposed Pohick Creek watershed stream restoration project PC9249 is located northwest of Parliament Drive and east of Queen Victoria Court in Burke, VA, which is in Fairfax County. This project was designated as a 10-year high priority project in 2010 due to erosion, location of the adjacent neighborhoods, and the invested interest of the surrounding communities. Presently, only the design for the restoration project has been funded and was completed in May 2015. Although it has been over a year since the concept design was completed, the construction funding is still pending. Based on the cost-benefit analysis, the survey results and the site evaluation, I recommend Fairfax County assist Southport and Signal Hill Homeowner Associations (HOA) to receive immediate funding for the construction costs ($1,990,000) of the Pohick Creek at Queen Victoria (PC9249) stream restoration project.

The importance of a watershed is that it provides our drinking water. 70% of Earth is covered in water, but unfortunately 40-50% of our nation 's water is threatened. This could result in non-drinkable water and won’t be able to swim in it or consume the fish that are caught. The leading cause of pollution in watersheds is bacteria and sediments such as E.Coli.

The objectives are habitat restoration, flood control, water quality, recreation development, and stewardship. The council has recommended to the City of Elk Grove the use of green infrastructure. This would allow for more of a natural drainage system that would preserve floodplains, wetland areas, and protects stream corridors. (Laguna Creek Watershed Council Work

The freshwater that is available for use is becoming more contaminated with each use. The Clean Water Act of 1972 put in order more regulations in regards to wastewater and the dumping of it into rivers and lakes. Multiple-step filtration systems have been used since then to better remove toxins from wastes before it enters freshwater. In a personal interview with Moe Crabtree, Nature Resource Specialist for the Washington Department of Natural Resources, I learned some measures taken to keep water clean. Her common job is to setup timber sales which includes much precaution of rivers and streams. I asked her- “In what ways do you have to avoid water contamination?” she replied, “we have to divert culverts at minimum one hundred feet from

Firstly, in Bloomington Illinois, there are plenty of farms which means plenty of farmers using fertilizer. If it were to rain after a farmer used a heavy amount of fertilizer then it could run off into the creek which would cause eutrophication which could potentially kill off many of the organisms living in the creek (as this would cause a large boom in algae population). Lastly a way humans can affect the creek (or rather has been affecting the creek already) is through littering in general, when observations were being made on the creek numerous pieces of trash were discovered, plastic bags, beer cans, and a twelve pack of a beer box. Littering will pollute the creek which can kill organisms and damage the surrounding ecosystem. Animals or small organisms that use the creek as a water source no longer will be able to as it is now polluted. Even though littering was discovered around the creek it was minimal enough that this did not hamper the water quality enough to bring it down from a excellent to