Protection of Water Quality in Coastal Environments

1
Protection of Water Quality in Coastal
Environments

• Dylan Elks, Heather Beall, Roey Rosenblith, Liz
  Berg, Brandt Payne, Sara Griffith

2
Outline

1. Introduction to Coastal Water Quality
2. Major Factors Influencing the Quality of Coastal
   Waters and Impacts These Factors have on Water
   Quality
3. Agriculture
4. Recreation
5. Urban
6. Industrial
7. Agencies Responsible for Maintaining Water
   Quality
8. Programs in Place to Assist in Providing Clean
   and Safe Waters

3
Water Quality

• Clean water is an important natural resource that
  is often taken for granted
• Water Quality-determined by the solutes and gases
  dissolved in the water, as well as the matter
  suspended in and floating on the water surface

• Polluted/contaminated-if human activity alters
  the natural water quality so that it is no longer
  fit for a use for which it had previously been
  suited

http//www.dhi.dk/Consulting/RiversLakes/WaterAbst
rac.htm
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Recreation andWater Quality

• Heather Beall

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Types of Recreation

• Boating
• Camping
• Walking the Dog/Pet Waste

6

• Boating
• Oil and fuel causes Hydro Carbons in the water.
• Oil based paint causes Carcinogens in the water.
• Water based paint causes mercury in the water.
• Batteries causes nickel cadmium and mercuric
  oxide in the water.

7
Hydro Carbons- From Oil and Fuel

• Oil in the water from the boat comes from the
  bilges.
• Hydro carbons is a group of several hundred
  compounds that originally come from crude oil.
• Hydrocarbons can affect the nervous system by
  causing a nerve disorder called "peripheral
  neuropathy, that can cause numbness in the feet
  and legs.
• It can also effect reproduction in a negative way.

8
Water and Oil Based Paint

• Paint can come from either the boat dock or over
  spilled fuel can cause it to peel of the boat.
• Oil Paint contains different types of
  carcinogens, which can cause cancer.
• Water based paint contains Mercury, which is a
  metal that can be come trapped in the sediment in
  the water.
• Mercury causes nerve damage to the brain and
  spinal cord.
• Mercury is especially dangerous to pregnant
  women, as it can damage fetal development.
• People are exposed to mercury mostly through
  eating fish.

9
Batteries

• Boats have batteries and can get in the water by
  it sinking, accidents and other ways.
• Small batteries the kinds that are found in
  handheld electronics can be thrown in to or
  dropped in the water.
• Batteries contain nickel cadmium and mercuric
  oxide which are toxic chemicals.
• Nickel cadmium can possibly be linked to cancer
  in females by affecting the mammary glands and
  sexual development.
• Mercuric oxide can cause difficulty breathing,
  swelling of the throat and abdominal pain.

10
Camping

• Cigarettes causes arsenic in the water.
• Ashes from camp fires cause turbidity in the
  water.
• Detergent (Clothes and body soap) cause an
  accumulation of phosphates in the water.

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Arsenic

• Cigarette are on of the leading pollutants.
• Cigarette pollution comes from people.
• Arsenic is classified as a cancer causing by the
  EPA.
• It also causes severe damage to respiratory
  system, symptoms include coughing, Dyspnea, and
  chest pain.

12
Ashes

• Ashes can comes from the camp fire that it is not
  properly extinguished.
• Ashes cause turbidity in the water.
• Turbidity causes bottom dwelling plants and
  animals to receive less sunlight then what they
  need to survive.

13
Detergents

• Detergents get in to the water because people
  wash themselves and clothes in the water.
• Detergents use phosphates to often water while
  washing.
• To much phosphates in water can peed up the
  eutrophication process (a reduction in dissolved
  oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of
  mineral and organic nutrients). This causes fish
  kills because of lack of oxygen and the death of
  other organisms.
• It also produces a nasty look (i.e. Greenfield
  Lake).

14
Walking the Dog/ Pet Waste

• The major problem that is caused by dog waste is
  fecal coliform.
• The dog waste gets into the water because of
  runoff.

15
Fecal Coliform

• Is a bacteria that is found in animal waste
  including dogs.
• It is a well known and serious problem in this
  area.
• Filter-feeding nature of organisms such as
  oysters, clams, and mussels can result in the
  bioaccumulation of bacteria, protozoa, and
  viruses and because we eat them they pose a
  problem to humans.
• This is why many shellfish beds in NC have been
  closed down.
• Fecal Coliform however, has the presence of other
  disease-causing bacteria, such as those that
  cause typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A, and
  cholera.
• Fecal Coliform is an indicator of disease
  bacteria in the water because bacteria generally
  do not survive long enough in the water.

16
Conclusion

• To help reduce boat pollutants in the water just
  recycle oil, use oil absorbent pads in the bilge
  and report all spills if they happen to occur.
• To help reduce camping pollutants be sure to
  extinguish a camp fire properly, dont throw
  cigarettes in any place but trash can or
  cigarette disposal sites and dont wash clothes
  or your self in the water.
• To reduce Fecal Coliform in the water pick up
  your pets waste and place it in a proper disposal
  place.

17
Urban Runoff and its Affects on Water Quality

• Roey Rosenblith

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Accessing the Problem

• National Water Quality Inventory reports that
  runoff from urban areas is the leading source of
  impairments to surveyed estuaries and the third
  largest source of water quality impairments to
  surveyed lakes.
• 2010 more than half of the Nation will live in
  coastal towns and cities

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Why is Urban Runoff a Problem

• Natural Landscapes have a varied and porous
  terrain that decrease the flow of water from
  precipitation to major estuaries and ocean
  inlets.
• Nonporous urban landscapes like roads, bridges,
  parking lots, and buildings don't let runoff
  slowly percolate into the ground. Water remains
  above the surface, accumulates, and runs off in
  large amounts.

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This leads to

• Increased pollutant loads in the form of
• Sediments -gt New Construction (constitute the
  largest volume of pollutant loads)
• Oil, Grease, Toxic Chemicals -gt Automobiles
• Nutrients and Pesticides -gt Lawns and Gardens
• Viruses and Bacteria-gt Failing Septic Systems
• Road Salts
• Consequences
• harm fish and wildlife populations
• kill native vegetation
• foul drinking water supplies
• make recreational areas unsafe.

21
Two Designations of Urban Runoff Point and
Non-Point

• Two Laws that control urban runoff
• Point Source Pollution(PSP)
• National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
  permit program of the Clean Water Act, which
  regulates stormwater discharges
• Non-Point Source Pollution (NPS)
• Clean Water Act. In states and territories with
  coastal zones, programs to protect coastal waters
  from nonpoint source pollution also are required
  by section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act
  Reauthorization Amendments.

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Storm Water Management

• Wilmington Storm Water Management Budget

                            
23
Storm Water Management

• Sewage System in Wilmington goes to treatment
  plant before being discharged into Cape Fear
  River.
• But Storm Water goes straight into the River or
  intercoastal water way without treatment.

24
NPS pollution

• Nation's leading source of water quality
  degradation.
• Often the combined effects of residential
  neighborhoods are far greater then polluting
  industries

25
Low Impact Development (LID)
Graphic courtesy of Prince Georges County
Department of Environmental Resources

• New Concept in Storm water Management
• Developed in 1990s in Prince Georges County,
  Maryland
• site design strategy with a goal of maintaining
  or replicating the predevelopment hydrologic
  regime through the use of design techniques to
  create a functionally equivalent hydrologic
  landscape.

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Bioretention

• Grass buffer strips
• reduce runoff velocity and filter particulate
  matter.
• Sand bed
• provides aeration and drainage of the planting
  soil and assists in the flushing of pollutants
  from soil materials.
• Ponding area
• provides storage of excess runoff and facilitates
  the settling of particulates and evaporation of
  excess water.
• Organic layer
• decomposition of organic material by providing a
  medium for micro-organism growth to degrade
  petroleum based pollutants.

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Grass Swales

• application is primarily along residential
  streets and highways. They function as a
  mechanism to reduce runoff velocity and as
  filtration/infiltration devices stopping
  sedimentation.
• Nearly three times less expensive then
  traditional structural water conveyance systems

29
Vegetated Roof Covers

• multilayered constructed material consisting of a
  vegetative layer, media, a geotextile layer and a
  synthetic drain layer.
• Actually extend roof life
• Decrease urban heating
• Decrease land needed for stormwater runoff
  controls
• Decrease urban runoff by 50 percent in temperate
  climates

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Wayne Community College, Greensboro NC
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Permeable Pavements

• Permeable pavements allow stormwater to
  infiltrate into underlying soils promoting
  pollutant treatment and recharge, as opposed to
  producing large volumes of rainfall runoff
  requiring conveyance and treatment.
• Startup Cost is a Problem blocks and stones
  range from 2 to 4, whereas asphalt costs 0.50
  to 1

32
Agencies Responsible for Maintaining Water
QualityLiz Berg
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Outline

• Overview of Different Regulations that protect
  water quality
• Clean Water Act (1977)
• Rivers and Harbors Act(1899)
• Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
  (1972)
• Specific agencies that govern by these
  regulations
• Federal and NC State

34
Clean Water Act (1977)

• Provides a comprehensive system for the
  regulation of the U.S. with the objective of
  restoring maintaining the chemical, physical,
  and biological integrity of the nations waters

• Gives federal regulations that prohibit the
  discharge of any waste from a point source into
  navigable waters of the U.S., unless a permit is
  obtained

http//www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6en/w/cwa.htm
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Rivers and Harbors Act (1899)

• Various sections establish permit requirements to
  prevent unauthorized obstruction or alteration of
  any navigable water of the U.S.

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g
http//www.poa.usace.army.mil/co/CoOrg/p_i_book/ho
onalo1.jpg
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Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
(1972)

• Regulate the transportation for dumping of
  material into ocean waters and transportation.
• Unless authorized with a permit, this Act
  prohibits
• Transportation of material from the U.S. for the
  purpose of ocean dumping
• Dumping of material transported from outside the
  U.S. into the territorial sea

37
EPA

• Sets standards for federal water quality programs
  to make sure the states individual programs are
  operating in accordance with federal guidelines
• Under the Marine Protection, Research and
  Sanctuaries Act
• EPA charged with developing ocean dumping
  criteria and recommended sites for ocean dumping

38
EPA

• Clean Water Act
• Authority to implement pollution control programs
  such as setting wastewater standards for industry
• Section 320
• Directed the EPA to attain and maintain water
  quality in estuaries
• Includes protection of public water supplies,
  wildlife, and requires new control of point and
  non-point sources of pollution to supplement the
  existing controls

39
EPA

• Amendment to the CWA in 2000, gave provisions to
  reduce the risk of illness to users of the
  Nations recreational waters
• EPA authorized to award program development
  grants to eligible states and local governments
  to support microbiological testing and monitoring

40
United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

• Given regulatory Authority by
• Clean Water Act (1977)
• Rivers and Harbors Act (1899)
• Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act
  (1972)

http//tsc.wes.army.mil/ID_Resources_DoD/Point_Of_
Contact_Web_List_New.asp

• The Corps is involved in civil work, funds come
  from the annual Energy and Water Development
  Appropriation

41
USACE

• Rivers and Harbors Act (1899), Section 13
• Gives Corps authority over the dumping of trash
  and sewage into navigable waters
• Corps permits the deposit of trash or sewage into
  waters
• Limits and conditions for these acts are outlined
  within each permit
• Section 10, Rivers and Harbors Act
• Covers work which would affect the course,
  location, condition or capacity of navigable
  waters
• Actions that require Section 10 permits
• disposal of dredging material
• modifications to waters

42
USACE and the CWA

• CWA- gives Authority for the Corps of Engineers
  to issue general permits on a state, regional, or
  national basis for any category of activities
  which are similar to nature, will cause only
  minimal environmental effects when performed

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USACE and Marine Protection, Research and
Sanctuaries Act (1972)

• Permits issued, after public hearings, to dump
  dredge materials into the ocean waters
• If determined that the dumping will not endanger
  human health, welfare, or the marine environment

44
State Agency

• North Carolina Department of Environmental and
  Natural Resources (NCDENR)
• Classifies the states waters, and determines the
  water quality by measuring against the standard
• Division of Coastal Management (DCM)
• Deals primarily with storm water

http//www.ci.wilmington.nc.us/pubservices/stormwa
ter/OutreachHomeSWRunoff.htm
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Division of Coastal Management

• Responsible for several programs including
• Permitting and enforcement
• CAMA land-use Planning
• N.C. Coastal Resources
• Grants for marine sewage pumpout
• Work to protect, conserve and manage NCs coastal
  resources through an integrated program of
  planning, permitting, education and research

46
Programs in Place to Assist in Providing Clean
and Safe Waters

• National, State, and Local
• By Brandt Payne

47
National Programs

• Marine Protection,Research and Sanctuaries Act,
  which enables
• Ocean Dump Site Monitoring
• Federal Coastal Nonpoint Program
• National Sea Grant College Program

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Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
Ocean Dumping Act
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Ocean Dump Site Monitoring

• Ocean dump sites specifically designated by the
  EPA for dredged material disposal under section
  102 of the MPRSA
• Purpose
• Requirements
• Ocean Dumping and Dredged Material Management
  Partners

50
National Coastal Nonpoint Source Program

• By NOAA and the EPA
• Section 6217 Protecting Coastal Waters
• Requirements

51
National Sea Grant College Program

• NOAA Research with reseach partnrers
• 30 colleges involved
• Explores/Investigates ocean habitats and
  resources

52
North Carolina Programs

• North Carolina Sea Grant Extension Program
• Wetlands Restoration Program
• North Carolinas Clean Water Management Trust
  Fund
• North Carolina Nonpoint Source Management Program

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North Carolina Sea Grant Extension Program

• Provides professional, coordinated, and
  responsive efforts focused on the coastal
  ecosystems, communities, and economies

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Wetlands Restoration Program

• Run by the Division of Coastal Management
• Utilizes Geographic Information Systems
• NCWRP conservation easement

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North Carolinas Clean Water Management Trust
Fund

• Established by the General Assembly in 1996
  (Article 13A Chapter 113 of the N.C General
  Statutes)
• Minimum of 30 million

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• Received approval on August 13, 2003
• Administered by the Division of Water Quality and
  the Division of Coastal Management

57
Local Programs and Citizen Groups

• Landfill Constructed Wetlands Project
• The Tidal Creeks Program

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Landfill Constructed Wetlands Project

• Run by the Department of Environmental Management
  and New Hanover County
• Primary purpose

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The Tidal Creeks Program

• How the project began
• Primary goal
• Budget
• Locations

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More References

• http//ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/urbanpho.html
• http//www.perc.ca/waste-line/rrr/home/water.html
• http//www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts123.html
• http//www.burningman.com/preparation/event_surviv
  al/protecting_the_environment.html
• http//www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/forestry/420-151/420-15
  1.htmlL2
• http//www.svtc.org/resource/news_let/merc00s.htm
• http//www.charityguide.org/charity/fewhours/toxic
  ity.htm
• http//www.batteriesdigest.com/nickel_cadmium.htm
• http//www.epa.gov/maia/html/fecal.html
• Environmental Quality of Wilmington and New
  Hanover County Watersheds 2002-2003. Michael A.
  Mallin, CMS Report 04-01
• Action Guide for Boaters. Joan Saxe, A
  publication of the Portland Harbor Marine Debris
  Council, 1997.

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references

• http//www.ee.enr.state.nc.us/EECenters/eecCFRiver
  Watch.htm
• http//www.co.new-hanover.nc.us/dem/demlandfill.as
  p
• http//dem.ehnr.state.nc.us/nps/CNPSCP/background.
  htm
• www.nhcgov.com/PLN/PLNtidalcreeks.asp
• www.nclm.org/EnvironmentalWebsite/cwmtf.htm
• http//dcm2.enr.state.nc.us/Wetlands/restore.htm

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References

• lthttp//www.usace.army.mil/public/htmgt. Nov. 20,
  2004.
• lthttp//www.usace.army.mil/inet/functions/c w/cecw
  o/reg/mprsa103.htmgt. Nov. 20, 2004.
• lthttp//www.co.dar.nc/Planning/CAMA.htmgt. Nov.
  20, 2004.
• NCDENR, Division of Coastal Management.
  lthttp//www.nccoastalmanagement.net/Facts/runoff.h
  tmgt. Nov. 4, 2004.
• North Carolina Water Quality. lthttp//surfrider.o
  rg/stateofthebeach/05- sr/state.asp?zoneSEstate
  NCcatwqgt. Nov. 4, 2004
• Introduction to the Clean Water Act.
  lthttp//ces.ncsu.edu/whpaper/WQswine.htmlgt. Nov.
  4, 2004

63

• FEMA, Environment Historic. lthttp//www.fema.gov
  /ehp/cwa.shtmgt. Nov. 21, 2004.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National
  Estuary Program. lthttp//www.epa.gov/nep/gt.
  Nov. 20, 2004.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Laws and
  Regulations. lthttp//www.epa.gov/region5/water/c
  wa.htmgt. Nov. 4, 2004.
• Section 13, United States Code Title33.
  lthttp//www.hudsonwatch.net/fyi.htmlgt. Nov. 4,
  2004.
• Stormwater Management Roles and Regulations.
  lthttp//www.ehnr.govgt. Nov. 20, 2004.