Waterborne Pollutants in the Scioto River 1 Examples of pollutants carried by stormwater Waterborne...

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Waterborne Pollutantsin the Scioto River

Examples of pollutants carried by stormwater

Waterborne Pollutants in the Scioto River

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• Rainwater carries away liquid and solid pollutants. Some are visible and some are not.

The Problem

• This polluted water runs through the streams, to the rivers, and ultimately to the sea.

• Waterborne litter presents a hazard to wildlife and boaters, and clutters the riverbanks.

• Plastic, metal and glass flotsam can last for decades once in place on the riverbank.

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Agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater taint the river water before it reaches town.

The Problem

Sometimes the river foams like dishwater.

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Agriculture and development disturb soil and dump silt into the streams. The silt puts an extra load on the drinking-water treatment systems.

The Problem

The river runs brown with suspended sediment. Once washed away, the topsoil is lost forever.

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Because runoff washes away pollutants, the water is not clean when it reaches the streams.

The Problem

Poorly-maintained vehicles leak or spill a variety of fluids, many of them toxic.

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Every winter, the roads are covered with tons of salt, all of which will wash into the streams. This changes the chemical composition of the water.

The Problem

More population = more roads = more salt.

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Obsolete and overburdened sewage systems overflow into the river.

The Problem

This happens in downtown Columbus, but individual septic systems can also overflow.

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Natural litter such as logs and sticks always occurs on the rivers. Artificial litter mixes in with it, and travels wherever the river will take it.

The Problem

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Anything large or small that floats can be carried anywhere on the water. All of it will be deposited somewhere.

The Problem

Can

Bottle

Truck wheel

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Large dumped items that may or may not float can be moved by the force of ice jams and related flooding.

The Problem

Ice blocks Ice box

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The litter may come from far away. It washes from storm sewers, to streams, to the river.

The Problem

Some of it can be physically dangerous, like fishing line.

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The litter washes up wherever the high water leaves it, still mixed with sticks.

The Problem

Not all of it floats on the surface. Some of it gets snared in branches, giving a hint of how much is unseen in the water.

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If the litter isn’t caught somewhere along the way, it will reach the ocean. It can travel around the world for years before finally washing up.

The Problem

Many groups around the world are fighting this problem.

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Communities and groups are beginning to try to reduce their pressures on the watershed. Federal and local laws protect water quality.

The Solution

Highway crews and property managers are adopting more efficient methods to salt roads. It saves them money.

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Construction companies are required to control sediment running off of worksites.

The Solution

Farmers are converting to environmentally friendly methods such as no-till farming.

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The Solution

Recycling opportunities divert useable materials from the solid waste stream.

Consumers can choose to buy reusable containers, instead of single-use disposables.

3 liters in 108 grams vs. 85 grams

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River cleanups can net huge amounts of trash. This leaves things cleaner here, but it also intercepts material that would continue downstream.

The Solution

You never know what may turn up.

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People are becoming involved in their communities and taking action to improve them.

The Solution

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Waterborne Pollutants in the Scioto River 1 Examples of pollutants carried by stormwater Waterborne...

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