Scioto River                     
  Valley Federation    

Water Quality

The quality of the water in Ohio streams continues to be degraded by encroachment, hydro modification, sedimentation and pollution.

Stream Encroachment
Using land too close to rivers and creeks is harmful to habitat, stream wildlife and to water quality. Stream encroachment includes removal of riparian forests, floodplain development and unrestricted stream access by livestock.

Hydro modification
Alteration of the flow within a stream is known as hydro modification. Activities that directly modify streams including channel straightening, channel relocation, dam construction, dredging, in-stream sand and gravel mining, water withdrawal and the addition of water from point-source discharges. The removal of streamside forests and development can also cause alteration of stream flow.

Hydro modification is a very big problem in Ohio and especially on the upper Scioto River. Many people are very concerned by these types of projects. Many of them are undertaken due to the "that's the way we've always done it" mentality for perceived drainage benefits.

But there are better ways to accomplish the project's goals rather than needlessly destroy the stream for dubious cost savings. Typically the cost savings for these projects are incomplete because they don't consider the money required 10, 20 and 30 years in the future because a stream has been destabilized.

Sedimentation

By weight, silt is the most common pollutant in Ohio streams. Excess amounts of soil erosion harm stream habitats and wildlife. Silt can bury spawning and feeding areas and clog the gills of fish, amphibians, insects and mollusks. Excessive amounts of sediment can wash into streams from construction sites, cropland, stream banks, gullies, pastures and non-vegetated areas.

Pollution
Pollution that enters a stream from a pipe or distinct location is known as "point-source" pollution. "Non-point source" pollution enters a stream through surface runoff. Storm water runoff washes pollutants such as lawn and agricultural fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides off land and into streams.

What can you do to prevent water pollution? Plenty. Click on this link to learn more.

Storm water Management
Did you know that a one-acre parking lot can produce 16 times more runoff than a meadow of equal size? Urban development has a profound influence on the quality of our water. Development dramatically alters the local hydrologic cycle. Trees, meadow grasses, and agricultural crops that had intercepted and absorbed rainfall are removed, and natural depressions are graded to a uniform slope. Cleared and graded sites erode, and are often severely compacted, which means rainfall is rapidly converted to storm water runoff.

The situation worsens after construction. Roof tops, roads, parking lots, driveways and other impervious surfaces no longer allow rainfall to soak into the ground. Consequently, most rainfall is converted directly into storm water runoff, which is discharged to streams, reservoirs and lakes.

Impervious surfaces also accumulate pollutants deposited from the atmosphere, leaked from vehicles or wind blown from adjacent areas. These pollutants are quickly washed off and rapidly delivered to downstream neighbors.

Common Storm water Pollutants
Nutrients - Elevated concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen promote algae growth that blocks sunlight from underwater grasses and depletes oxygen in bottom waters.

Suspended Solids - Deposited and suspended sediments can have adverse effects on aquatic life in streams, lakes and rivers. Sources include erosion of stream banks and construction sites. Sediment also transports other attached pollutants.

Organic Carbon - Organic matter, washed from impervious surfaces during storms, can present problems in slower moving downstream waters. As organic matter decomposes, it can deplete dissolved oxygen thereby having an adverse impact on aquatic life.

Bacteria - Bacteria levels in storm water runoff routinely exceed public health standards for water contact recreation and may increase the cost of treating drinking water supplies.

Hydrocarbons - Vehicles leak oil and grease that contain a wide array of hydrocarbon compounds, some of which can be toxic to aquatic life at low concentrations.

Trace Metals - Cadmium, copper, lead and zinc are routinely found in storm water runoff. These metals are toxic to aquatic life and can accumulate in the sediment.

Pesticides - A number of currently used and recently banned insecticides and herbicides have been detected in urban waters, at concentrations that approach or exceed toxicity thresholds for aquatic life. Residential and commercial lawn care is the primary source.

Chlorides - Salts that are applied to roads, parking lots and sidewalks in the winter months appear in runoff at much higher concentrations than many freshwater organisms can tolerate.

Thermal Impacts - Impervious surfaces may increase temperature in receiving waters, adversely impacting aquatic life that requires cold and cool water conditions.

Trash and Debris- Considerable quantities of trash and debris are washed through the storm drain networks, drainage ditches, and directly into streams. It accumulates in streams, rivers and lakes, detracting from the natural beauty and posing health risks to all wildlife.