Nonpoint Source Pollution

Nonpoint source pollution is land runoff from drainage, rain, and seepage and hydraulic modification. It is caused by rain or snow melt that moves through and over the ground. When the runoff moves, it collects and picks up manmade and natural pollutants and ends up spilling into lakes, rivers, streams, and coastal waters. Nonpoint source pollution can include things like motor oil, toxic chemicals, animal droppings, trash and even insecticides. Our drinking water needs to be protected. It takes the help of the community, public water systems and resource managers.

We can do small things such as posting signs in our community to let others know that any pollution in the area can contaminate our everyday drinking water. You can also be careful as to how much fertilizers and pesticides you use because the more you use, the more runs off when it rain and it is in the soil as well so when the rain washes the soil, it flows through storm drains. A great plan is to get a group together and help clean up along local rivers and streams and along side of the road.

It helps to limit the trash and bacteria that contaminates our water. Other solutions to help prevent non point source pollution and help keep our water clean is to keep all harsh chemical substances stored away from the ground and in their original containers. Also, If you happen to wash your car, don’t allow the runoff to drain into the streets or the sewage system as it will contaminate it. Opposing views of these issues are perhaps people not agreeing to get up and go volunteer because they have better things to do.

Some people see it that the city is supposed to take care of it. Some people won’t want to change the location of where they wash vehicles at. They all want convenience of course. Many people do not have proper inspections of their lawns that have been fertilized. They can be tested by professionals but people will oppose to because it will come with a fee, and others do not have their septic tanks cleaned out every few years because of the price as well.

Non point source pollution also contributes to eutrophication which is runoff that has nitrogen and phosphate in it and it stimulates the growth of algae and it can harm and kills fish and organisms. The algae grow to make a mat over the water and on the floor of the water that diminishes the light through the water so it lowers the growth and productivity of other plants. “The water becomes depleted in oxygen. When the abundant algae die and decompose, much oxygen is consumed by those decomposers.

Oxygen in the water is also lowered by the lack of primary production in the darkened, deeper waters. Lowered oxygen results in the death of fish that need high levels of dissolved oxygen such as trout, salmon and other desirable sport fish. The community composition of the water body changes, with fish that can tolerate low dissolved oxygen, such as carp predominating. As you can imagine, changes in fish communities have ramifications for the rest of the aquatic ecosystem as well, acting at least in part through changes in food webs. (Muir, P. 2009)

Some challenges that my plan faces is that it’s not very easy to get others to partake in community service and to also notice the small things they do really contribute to non point source pollution in my community. It takes a group effort to raise awareness on this issue, but if everyone pulls together, our drinking water will be cleaner, our lakes ponds and rivers will be safer to swim and fish in and the plants and animals in the habitats of our waters will be safer and not endangered by our hazardous wastes.

This plan effects the entire community and can become a very productive and positive way to protect our environment and ourselves. Our children drink the water we contaminate, even though it has passed through water treatments, it is still not clean enough to drink safely. We can also consider raising awareness groups and contacting your local news stations to get the word out to your community and also have your coworkers get involved as well. References Muir, Patricia. Oct. 2009. Eutrophication. At people. oregonstate. edu