Nonpoint Source Management Plan: Issues and Opportunities

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Nonpoint Source Management Plan Issues and
Opportunities

• Greg Anderson
• Nonpoint Source Coordinator
• MO DNR

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Common Nonpoint Source Impairments

• Acidity and Salts
• Heavy metals
• Low Dissolved Oxygen
• Various Urban Stormwater

• Sediment
• Phosphorus
• Nitrogen
• Pesticides

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Sedimentation and Soil Erosion
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Several water quality problems can be associated
with cattle and grazing bank instability, soil
compaction, loss of vegetation, manure and
enteric bacteria in streams.
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Overgrazing keeps grass roots short by keeping
the leaves short. Short leaves can't generate
enough energy to feed deep roots.
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Streambank erosion is often caused by loss of
riparian vegetation, grade and channel
modifications.
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In 200 years, the U.S. has lost over 1/3 of its
topsoil. About half of U.S. fertilizer simply
replaces nutrients lost to soil erosion. (NOAA
2002)
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Phosphorus
Excessive nutrient loading stimulates algae
growth, such as this filamentous blue green algae
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And causes algae blooms such as this.
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And this.
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Sediment and Nutrients - loading often varies
with landuse and management practices.
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Nitrogen
Gulf hypoxic zone - the brown water is
carrying excess nutrients and sediment
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Every year 1.57 million metric tons of nitrogen
(nitrate and organic nitrogen) enter the Gulf of
Mexico from the Mississippi basin.

• Soil mineralization
• Fertilizer (the largest annual inputs)
• Legumes and pasture
• Animal manure
• Atmospheric deposition
• Septic systems
• Municipal and industry point pollution

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Red 10mg/m3 phytoplankton pigment
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Low Dissolved Oxygen

• Fish mortality due to lack of oxygen in the
  water.
• Eutrophication and oxygen depletion
• Excessive nutrients cause increased plant growth.
  The decaying organic matter, often primarily
  phytoplankton and zooplankton, depletes oxygen in
  the system.

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Pesticides
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Pesticides find their way into streams and
drinking water supplies.
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In addition to toxic compounds, pesticides may
also contain mutagenic compounds and endocrine
disrupters. Other emerging problems include
antibiotic and hormone loading.
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Acid mine drainage, iron precipitate, heavy
metals and iron loving bacteria.
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Mine spoil eroding into stream. This spoil
contains large amounts of sulfates, manganese,
and iron in addition to contributing heavy metals
and acidic drainage.
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Urban Stormwater

• Heavy metals
• Nutrients
• Pesticides
• Sediment
• Hydrocarbons
• Others

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Urban Stormwater
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319 Nonpoint Source Implementation Program - 319
Grant

• Nonpoint Sources
• Nonprofits, Educational Institutions, Local
  Governments
• Watershed Approach - Locally Led
• Consistent with Missouris Nonpoint Source
  Management Plan

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Nonpoint Source Management Plan

• Required by the Clean Water Act

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Nonpoint Source Management Plan

• In order to prevent or control NPS pollution,
  pollutants or conditions must be identified,
  their role in water quality must be understood
  and the sources of pollutants or conditions must
  be identified.

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Nonpoint Source Management PlanComponents

• Goals and Objectives
• Prioritization
• Assessment
• Funding
• Milestones
• Partners
• Evaluation

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Nonpoint Source Management PlanRevisions

• Annual updates are required
• Fifth year requirement is a major revision

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Nonpoint Source Management Plan-Issues-

• Content - Contributions of time and input to
  write a good plan
• Committed long-term participation to follow
  through, evaluate, and adapt
• There is a great need to share watershed
  information, data, and join in committed and
  consolidated watershed based efforts

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Nonpoint Source Management Plan-Opportunities-

• Watershed approach
• A good plan
• Annual reports of accomplishments and challenges
• Opportunities to work together toward an
  honorable goal - clean water

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Questions?
Please feel free to contact me. Greg Anderson
573-751-7144 greg.anderson_at_dnr.mo.gov