Water Pollution Foothill College水污染山麓学院.pptVIP

Water Pollution Definitions Impaired Waters Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires states to develop lists of impaired waters, those that do not meet water quality standards that states have set for them. Total Maximum Daily Load The law requires that states establish priority rankings for impaired waters and develop total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for them. A TMDL specifies the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive and still meet water quality standards. Pollutants from Agriculture Sediment Nutrients Pathogens Pesticides * * /owow/tmdl/overviewfs.html Point Source Pollution vs. Nonpoint Source Pollution What’s the difference? Slides by Christopher C. Obropta, Rutgers University Point Source Pollution comes from a specific source, like a pipe factories, industry, municipal treatment plants can be monitored and controlled by a permit system What is nonpoint source pollution? Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution is pollution associated with stormwater or runoff NPS pollution cannot be traced to a direct discharge point such as a wastewater treatment facility Examples of NPS oil grease from cars fertilizers animal waste grass clippings septic systems sewage cleaners from boats household cleaning products litter Pollutant Transport Mechanisms NPS pollutants build up on land surfaces during dry weather Atmospheric deposition Fertilizer applications Animal waste Automotive exhaust/fluid leaks Pollutants are washed off land surfaces during precipitation events (stormwater runoff) Stormwater runoff will flow to lakes and streams Pollutant build-up and wash off are affected by land use. Imperviousness increases runoff Land use changes impact build up Linking Land Use to Water Quality More Imperviousness = More Water What is impervious cover? roads, rooftops, parking lots, and other hard surfaces that do not allow stormwater to soak into the ground “predominant American vegetation” Impervious Cover provides a surfa