FACT: Although each storm sewer inlet in urban areas contributes only a small number of pollutants (non-point source pollution), when added together, pollution concentrations often exceed the limits established for industries and wastewater treatment plants (point source pollutionQuestions & Answers (FAQ)
What is stormwater runoff?
Stormwater runoff is the rain that flows off streets, parking lots, rooftops and lawns. Stormwater is collected by storm drains and drainage ditches and flows into the nearest stream, river, or lake.
What is the problem with stormwater runoff pollution anyway?
Stormwater runoff picks up pollutants and debris as it flows across rooftops and lawns, streets and parking lots. When it rains, pollutants wash directly into our streams, rivers and lakes. Some of these pollutants include oil and grease, harmful bacteria, fertilizers, toxic chemicals and other contaminants that are harmful to both people and aquatic life. A common misconception is that water running off streets and into a storm drain goes to a wastewater treatment plant. It does not. In fact, stormwater typically receives no treatment.
What is the source of all these pollutants?
We all are! The fact is that all of us are part of the stormwater pollution problem. Many of the things that we do every day -- taking care of our lawns, driving our cars, washing our vehicles and walking our pets -- contribute to the stormwater pollution. Businesses also contribute to stormwater pollution. Since we are all part of the problem, we all need to be part of the "solution to stormwater pollution."
Isn't new development the cause of all these problems?
Though there are some problems associated with sediment from construction sites in the Sheboygan County area, many of our current water quality problems are caused by runoff from older, developed areas. We can't solve our problems unless we work together to address the impact of all types of stormwater pollution.
How can we solve the problem?
Take action to keep soapy water, chemicals, motor oil, yard wastes, trash and other pollutants out of storm drains. Get involved in community and organizational efforts. Adopt best management practices at your place of business. Learn about the effects of stormwater pollution. Know where the storm drains in your neighborhood go. Support the efforts of your local government to address the problems of storm water runoff in the community. Support the work of the Sheboygan Waters Campaign. When all of us begin to take action, the water quality of the region's streams, rivers and lakes will improve.
Why is stormwater pollution sometimes called NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION?
Pollutant sources can be classified into two categories; point source and non-point source pollution. The distinction between the two categories is based on how each source can be traced, tracked and regulated. Since the early 1970’s when American policy began focusing on trying to curb the effects of pollution and disregarded the notion that the solution to pollution is dilution, each category at different points in time has been targeted and defined. Read below to learn about the differences in each category and how they have been addressed in American policy.
The federal and state Clean Water Acts were passed in the early 1970’s specifically to clean up point source pollution discharges from industry and sewage treatment plants. Factories and sewage treatment plants are two examples of point source pollution, where pollution enters the water from a specific, known and traceable source.
All other types of water pollution are lumped together in a category called non-point source pollution. This source can not be traced to a specific spot and therefore is far more difficult to maintain and regulate. Our daily choices and activities that fail to be considerate and conscientious of our environment such as not picking up after your pet can be categorized under as a source of non-point source pollution. Pollutants from this source wash from the land during rain storms, enter into the storm drains, discharge into our water bodies and travel across the state in streams and rivers. The Environmental Protection Agency now considers non-point source pollution the number one threat to water quality in the United States.
What is the difference between a SANITARY SEWER and a STORM SEWER or DRAIN?
A common misconception is that many believe that rainwater that is collected in the streets and stormwater conveyance system travels to a wastewater treatment center and is treated before it is released back into the natural environment. For the majority of communities throughout the United States this type of system does not exist. The following paragraphs provide an explanation of what common systems do actually exist and where the water ends up.
Separate storm sewers systems, are designed to collect stormwater runoff outside of homes and businesses and convey the water through a network of open drainage ditches (swales), drainage tiles, culverts and storm sewer pipes directly to streams, rivers and lakes. The stormwater laced with yard clippings, erosion sediment, fertilizers, pesticides, heavy metals and bacteria goes untreated and empties into to our waterbodies.
Sanitary Sewers collect wastewater inside homes and business and convey the water through a network of pipes to a wastewater treat plant. The wastewater is filtered and cleaned by removing organic matter, nutrients, bacteria and pathogens.
What is the water cycle?
Water is always being recycled through our environment through the continuous movement called the water cycle. It moves through the atmosphere, earth’s surface and subsurface water and vegetation. The water cycle begins when water from lakes, ponds, and ocean is warmed by the sun and evaporates into water vapor. This invisible vapor rises into the atmosphere, cools and changes back into water droplets, through the process called condensation. After the water vapor condenses in the air, clouds form. As more water vapor cools and condenses, water droplets accumulate. Enough accumulation spurs rain storm events. A portion of the rain runs offs of the land and discharges into the streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. Another portion infiltrates into the ground recharging groundwater reservoirs used to feed streams and lakes and drinking and irrigation wells or is sucked up by plant roots. The water cycle perpetuates by continuous evaporation. Water stored in plants resurfaces back to the atmosphere through the process of transpiration. Transpiration is the process of how plants lose water out of their leaves when the sun shines down on them.
The earth's water cycle contains 326 million cubic miles of water. Nearly 97 percent is saltwater found in the earth's oceans. Two percent is glacial ice. That leaves about one percent available for humans as fresh water from streams, rivers, lakes, the atmosphere and groundwater reservoirs. According to the EPA, approximately 21% of the available freshwater lies in the Great Lakes Basin. Breaking that down even further, Lake Michigan makes up approximately 21% of the Great Lakes volume. As citizens in close proximity to Lake Michigan it is our responsibility to perpetuate the quality of this beneficial backyard resource.
What is a watershed?
A watershed is a land area that drains into a stream, river, or lake. Raise your hand if you live in a watershed! Do you all have your hands raised? Great! Because we all live in a watershed. No matter whether you live in the city or the country, our land is sloping toward a stream, river, lake, and the sea. With gravity continuously at work, the water falling on your driveway is always trying to flow to the final resting place being the sea.
When water falls as rain or snowmelts, it quickly runs together into small streams. Eventually these small streams flow into each other and form rivers. Rivers, in turn, meet to form larger rivers. From an airplane you can easily see how this stream network is organized. It’s kind of like a tree lying on its side with many branches attached to a main trunk. Pick out any location in any stream and all the land that contributes water up to that point is called its drainage basin or watershed. The watershed of a small stream, one you can cross wearing only rubber boots, might be only a couple of acres in size. On the other hand, if you need fishing waders to get across, the stream is probably draining a square mile or more of land. If scuba gear is required, you know the stream has a large drainage area. Knowing where your water comes from is important, especially if any problems occur upstream. Hydrologists,scientists who study the movement of water, have devised a system for classifying the position of streams in a watershed. The uppermost channels with no tributaries are designated first-order streams. A second order stream is formed when two first order streams meet. Third-order streams are created when two second-order streams join, and so on. A network is formed by all the streams in the watershed and people can easily see how they connect. Like nesting dolls, small watersheds are part of larger watersheds, which in turn are part of even larger watersheds.
In Wisconsin all water is being conveyed to the Atlantic Ocean either by the Mississippi River Watershed which feeds part of the Gulf of Mexico Watershed or through the Lake Superior and Lake Michigan Watersheds with the latter two being apart of Great Lakes Watershed. Click on the link to see the three major watersheds in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Watersheds.
In Sheboygan County, all water drains to Lake Michigan. Eight watersheds can be found throughout the county. The watersheds are listed below:
- Sauk and Sucker Creek Watershed
- Black River Watershed
- Onion River Watershed
- North Branch of the Milwaukee River Watershed
- East and West Branches of the Milwaukee River Watershed
- Sheboygan River Watershed
- Pigeon river Watershed
- Manitowoc Watershed
To determine what watershed you live in click on EPA’s Surf Your Watershed website.