Everyone lives in a watershed. Quite simply, a watershed is an area of land that drains into a river or lake. Much of the rainwater that falls in a watershed runs across or through the ground to become part of the critical water resources that we depend upon for our daily needs. A significant amount of rainwater is intercepted and transpired by plants or is evaporated. Because the land surface of a watershed comes into contact with all water flowing into streams and lakes, materials on the land can become mixed with water causing pollution. Though there are some natural sources of pollution coming from land, most of the land-based or nonpoint pollution sources result from our use of the land. Examples of these range from sediment arising from farm fields to oil running off parking lots.
In the past, we could trace most of the major water pollution problems to large municipal sewage treatment plants and industrial discharges. Now that pollution controls at many of these sites are effective, our attention turns to the land-based pollution sources. These dispersed sources can only be addressed on a watershed basis. For example, increased surface runoff created by impervious surfaces causes excessive flooding and the destruction of our natural waterways. Better design of storm water management facilities can help reduce this problem and protect riparian habitat. Riparian habitat is critical to the overall aquatic health of the stream.
Protecting watersheds is both simple and complex. It is complex because improvements must come from each one of us—not just a few industries. Individual changes, however, are simple. Residents can stop littering, safely manage fertilizers and herbicides, safely dispose of motor oil and household hazardous wastes, and have septic systems pumped out. Municipal officials can adopt land use regulations that encourage the protection of open space and natural riparian stream corridors, establish effective stormwater management systems, and reduce impervious surfaces. Land managers can work to recreate natural buffers and habitat. If we all work together, we can help protect our watersheds.
