Urban Runoff Causes
This type of surface prevents rain and snowmelt from infiltrating into the ground.
What are impervious surfaces?
Loss of infiltration causes this immediately after wet weather.
What is flooding?
This is the most prevalent source of agricultural water pollution.
What is sedimentation?
Too much of this pollutant from agricultural runoff can cloud the water, reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches aquatic plants, which causes plants to die.
What are sediments?
To reduce water contamination from pesticides, farmers can use these techniques.
What is Integrated Pest Management (IMP)?
This characteristic of runoff from storm sewer systems destroys stream banks, damaging stream bank vegetation and aquatic habitat.
What is excessive volume or power?
Loss of infiltration from urbanization causes this during dry weather. Many native fish and other aquatic life cannot survive when these conditions prevail.
What are lower stream flows?
By applying this to fields, farmers increase the runoff of chemicals like nitrates and phosphorous into bodies of water.
What are fertilizers?
Excessive irrigation can build up this, a toxic metal that can harm waterfowl reproduction.
What is selenium?
Homeowners can prevent runoff from contaminating bodies of water by cleaning driveways, sidewalks, and roads this way, instead of using a hose.
What is sweeping?
This type of land generates 5 times more runoff than a woodland area of the same size.
What is a city?
This characteristic of water from urban runoff can be harmful to the health and reproduction of aquatic life.
What is high water temperature?
Excessive use of this practice can build up the concentration of toxic metals in water which can reduce waterfowl reproduction.
What is irrigation?
Overgrazing can destroy this, which is necessary for habitat and water quality filtration.
Farmers and ranchers can limit discharges of animal waste by storing and managing wastewater and runoff in these facilities.
What are waste management facilities?
Storm sewer system flows carry sediment loads from these and other denuded surfaces.
What are construction sites?
This pollutant that enters waterways through urban runoff originates from lawns and gardens. This can increase algal blooms in bodies of water, which can reduce the dissolved oxygen in water for aquatic life.
What are pesticides or nutrients?
These operations are a huge source of animals waste, which can enter waterways through runoff, contaminating shell fishing areas and carrying harmful bacteria.
What are animal feeding operations?
These are usually attached to the soil that is washed off of fields by runoff into streams and rivers. These can cause algal blooms and depleted oxygen in water.
What are fertilizers, pesticides or heavy metals?
To decrease polluted runoff from paved surfaces, households can develop alternatives to areas traditionally covered by impervious surfaces. These types of materials are available for driveways and sidewalks.
What are porous pavement materials?
This is the percentage of rain and snowmelt that infiltrates into the ground in urban environments.
What is 15%?
This pollutant that enters waterways through urban runoff originates from motor vehicles. This pollutant can foul drinking supplies as well as harm fish and wildlife due to the dangerous chemicals in it.
What is oil, grease, or toxic chemicals?
This can expose soils, making them prone to erosion and runoff, and destroy floodplain vegetation.
What is overgrazing?
High concentrations of this in water from runoff can cause a fatal disease in babies known as blue baby syndrome.
What is nitrate?
Developers and city planners should attempt to control the volume of runoff from new development by using these.
What are low impact development, structural controls, or pollution prevention strategies?