Water Quality
Clean
Water...It Starts with You
Agriculture
We
depend on clean water. Not only does it provide a home
for plants and animals, and drinking water for people,
but it provides recreation, tourism and job opportunities.
Many of us don't realize how our daily activities affect
the water quality in our local marine and fresh water bodies. |
|
Did
You Know?
- If
you live in an area with storm drains... when you wash
your car, the soapy water and debris can run off your driveway
into a storm drain that empties directly into local water bodies.
- If
you have an onsite sewage system such as a septic system... that
is not properly sized, constructed or maintained, the
drainfield can
become plugged which can cause partially treated wastewater
to surface on your lawn or in ditches which lead to local
water bodies.
- If
you live on a farm or ranch... livestock manure,
sediments and improperly applied pesticides and fertilizers
can contaminate local water bodies.
- If
you are a boater... the dumping of sewage, leaking
fuel and oil and using toxic cleaning products can threaten
water quality, especially near the shoreline.
These are just a few examples of nonpoint source pollution. It
is different from point source pollution which comes from
well defined sources, such as a sewage pipe or industry pipe.
Nonpoint source pollution comes from many places. It's not
easy to identify or control, and all of us, often without
knowing, contribute to it. Although progress has been made
in reducing nonpoint and point source pollution, nonpoint source pollution remains a leading threat to water quality
in BC.
It All Adds Up
Small amounts
of nonpoint source pollution from each one of us may not seem
to be a problem. But the combined effects of pollutants from
almost four million British Columbians is threatening our clean
water resources. Closed beaches, contaminated shellfish beds,
fish kills and unsafe drinking water are just some of the environmental
impacts.
We can reduce nonpoint source pollution. You can make a difference
as an individual or by joining or forming a community stewardship
group which cares for a local waterbody. BC Environment (now
called Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection) has produced
five CLEAN WATER brochures:nonpoint source
pollution, urban runoff, onsite sewage systems, agriculture
and pleasure boating. All provide tips that people can
follow to reduce or prevent nonpoint source pollution. This
brochure focuses on agriculture and water quality.
Clean Water...It starts with you!
The
Natural Flow of Water
In
the natural environment, rain and melted snow run over
the land into surface waters or seep down through the soil
to become ground water. As the water seeps down it is absorbed
and cleansed by soil, plants and bacteria. Surface runoff and
ground water feed our streams, rivers and lakes.
Imagine the Effects...
- Nutrients
in manure and fertilizers which are carried by runoff into
water bodies can cause an increase in the growth of algae and
aquatic plants.
- Bacteria
or parasites in manure, carried by runoff to nearby surface
waters, can spread diseases among herds. They can also pose
a health
threat
to humans by making water unsafe for drinking or swimming.
- Nitrates
from fertilizer and manure can seep into ground water making
well water unsafe to drink.
- Pesticides,
gasoline and other hazardous chemicals accidentally spilled
or improperly used or stored can seep down and pollute ground
water or be carried by runoff into streams, rivers and lakes.
Some
of these chemicals can become concentrated to toxic levels
in the fatty tissues of fish and other aquatic life and can
move up the food chain.
- Livestock
grazing and loitering on streambanks for long periods can damage
vegetation, deposit manure and cause soil erosion along the
banks. This can degrade water quality and destroy fish habitat.
What Can You Do About It?
The people on
the cover are building a fence to keep livestock from the streambank.
You too can do your part to keep water clean. Follow these
tips to reduce nonpoint source pollution around your farm or
ranch.
- Reduce the
use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides by adopting integrated
pest management techniques and nutrient management plans. These
plans are designed to help you use your farm's manure more
efficiently as a fertilizer. The plan includes an estimate
of total manure nutrients produced on your farm in one year
and makes recommendations on how to match this with your crop
nutrient requirements. If you must use chemicals, follow instructions
carefully and avoid applying them close to the edge of a waterbody.
- Plant cover
crops and/or relay crops to use excess soil nutrients and hold
soil in place over the winter.
- Practice
conservation tillage, contour farming or strip cropping.
- Follow the
Code of Agricultural Practice for Waste Management and have
a Best Agricultural Waste Management Plan prepared for your
farm. This type of plan outlines what actions are necessary
to ensure your farm is in full compliance with the code. The
plan includes manure storage calculations, a farm layout map
and site specific recommendations.
- Locate confined
animal facilities away from water bodies. Divert incoming and
outgoing runoff from these facilities.
- Construct
adequate manure storage facilities.
- Do not spread
manure during wet weather (fall and winter), on frozen ground,
in low-lying areas prone to flooding, within 3 m of ditches,
5 m of streams and 30 m of wells, or on land where runoff is
likely to occur. In some situations, greater setbacks from
water courses may be required.
- Install
barrier fencing to prevent livestock from grazing on streambanks.
- If livestock
must cross streams, provide graveled or hardened access points.
- Provide
alternate watering systems, such as troughs, dugouts or nose
pumps for livestock.
- Maintain
or create a buffer zone of vegetation along a streambank, river
or lakeshore and avoid planting crops right up to the edge
of a waterbody.
- Protect
and preserve natural wetlands in your area. Use natural swales
and hollows as sediment traps.
- Do not alter
natural water bodies or shorelines or build ponds or dams without
proper guidance and authorization from your nearest regional
office of Water, Land and Air Protection, Water Management.
Our individual actions add up!
You Can Make a Difference!
Protect
clean water supplies by preventing nonpoint source pollution
in the first place. It will take all of us working together
cooperatively with neighbours, in our communities and with
all levels of government to keep water clean.
Clean Water...It
starts with you!
updated: September 17, 2001
