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Watershed 1

Watershed 1. Eric Peterson. Agenda What is a watershed? How does water move through a watershed? What is the connection between watersheds and water quality? How do we protect our watershed?. What is a watershed? . Geographic area within which all water drains to a common point.

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Watershed 1

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  1. Watershed 1 Eric Peterson

  2. Agenda What is a watershed? How does water move through a watershed? What is the connection between watersheds and water quality? How do we protect our watershed?

  3. What is a watershed? Geographic area within which all water drains to a common point.

  4. Watersheds are defined by structure and by function

  5. Geography Size, latitude, longitude, elevation, aspect Elements of watershed structure Climate Formation - volcanic, sedimentary, basic rock types, soil types and depth, erosion potential Geology Total precipitation, precipitation patterns Vegetation / Animals Type, native/non native, riparian areas, uplands, patterns of use and migration Human uses Development and land use patterns

  6. Collect Process and store Transport Functions of watersheds • Water • Sediments, soils • Dissolved minerals, metals, nutrients • Biological material

  7. What watershed are we in now? Lower Bear River Watershed Bear River Watershed

  8. Watersheds are nested • The scale you work at depends on the question you want to answer

  9. What is causing “dead zones” in the Gulf of Mexico?

  10. What is causing the scum in my back yard pond?

  11. Watersheds are the logical geographic unit for planning:

  12. What is the connection between watersheds and water quality? Everything that happens in a watershed can affect the quality of the water downstream ….“we all live downstream”

  13. Water quality is regulated through Clean Water Act (1972) Waters of U.S. must be “fishable and swimmable” by 1983 Eliminate all pollution discharge to waters by 1985 Cuyahoga River, June 22 1969 http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/06/cuyahoga_river_fire_40_years_a.html

  14. Distilled? Safe to drink ? Crystal clear? What is Clean Water?

  15. There is no single definition of clean water. The Clean Water Act defines clean water according to how we use it.

  16. How do we use water? Beneficial uses: Drinking water Agriculture Recreation Fisheries and other aquatic life Aesthetics Industry

  17. Monitoring Elements to Consider: • Physical • Biological • Chemical

  18. Protecting Beneficial Uses Through the Implementation of a TMDL

  19. Resources and Links • http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/index.htm • extension.usu.edu/waterquality • Utah Water Watch – http://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/htm/citizen_monitoring/uww • bearriverinfo.org • http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/index.cfm

  20. For more information, contact USU Water Quality Extension at (435)797-2580 or visit http://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/ • Utah Water Watch • SSS Workshops • Advance Macro Workshops • CMAP

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