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Working to Improve Water Quality What can we do to help improve the Chesapeake Bay?

Working to Improve Water Quality What can we do to help improve the Chesapeake Bay? David O’Brien NOAA Fisheries Service Gloucester Point, VA. Chesapeake Bay. The nation’s largest estuary Nation’s most biologically diverse estuary; > 3600 species of plants and animals

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Working to Improve Water Quality What can we do to help improve the Chesapeake Bay?

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  1. Working to Improve Water Quality What can we do to help improve the Chesapeake Bay? David O’Brien NOAA Fisheries Service Gloucester Point, VA

  2. Chesapeake Bay The nation’s largest estuary Nation’s most biologically diverse estuary; >3600 species of plants and animals Over 17 million people live in the watershed

  3. ChesapeakeBayImpact Crater 35 MYA

  4. Tributaries change course

  5. Impact crater location

  6. Geologic investigation

  7. Geologic disturbance

  8. What Is a Watershed?

  9. Nature of Contaminant Inputs Nonpoint Source Origin of discharge is diffuse Discharge may be transient in time Runoff from cropland Effluent from septic systems Highway de-icing salts Point Source Inputs with well defined point of discharge Discharge is usually continuous Leakage from landfills and storage tanks Wastewater treatment facilities Industrial inputs

  10. Surface Water Runoff When lawns replace forest - flooding moresevere

  11. Stormwater Retention Reduce runoff Groundwater recharge • Rain gardens • Green roofs • Rain barrels • Pervious surfaces

  12. Municipal Wastewater treatment

  13. SAV Restoration - Planting

  14. Wetland restoration

  15. Oyster restoration efforts

  16. Oyster Gardening

  17. Scoop the Poop!

  18. How Can We Help Improve Water Quality at Home?

  19. 87 million pounds pesticides 100million tonsfertilizer Each year! Did You Know ??? 30 - 60 % all potable water used for lawns Mowing lawn 1 hour = driving 20 miles 25 - 40 % landfill space used for grass clippings

  20. Consumption of Natural Resources • Lawns use 30% water in East; 60% in West • Droughts, water restrictions • Mowers use 58 million gallons gas/yr. • Minerals –fertilizers, soil amendments • Organic matter-leaves, grass clippings filling landfills

  21. Goals of a Sustainable Landscape • Prevent nutrient and sediment runoff • Conserve natural resources • Maximize ecological function • Look attractive

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