Down the gutter —
Quality control for water
Allison Clarke, posted April 18, 2007
A single drop of rain or a bit of oil from a car doesn’t stop when it hits the pavement, roof or grass. Eventually, it drains down through a gutter and into a larger body of water. There is no filtration or treatment plant to go through first. Every spray of pesticide on unwanted weeds and every sud from a car washed outside goes into streams and lakes.
“The main issue [of water quality and pollution] from the city doesn’t really come from one or two nasty companies,” said Scott Hamilton, urban conversationalist. “It comes from typical household activities.”
As more of Columbia is developed, the more necessary it is to be cautious of water quality and how the Columbia area watersheds are being maintained. Hamilton, who is part of the Hinkson Creek Watershed Restoration Project, explained that not only do increasing amounts of impervious surfaces harm the water, but also the removal of topsoil for new construction sites doesn’t allow the water to soak in.
“The reason the impervious surfaces are so bad is basically we’re not recharging our groundwater,” Hamilton said. “When all this was prairie and fields, a lot of that water got soaked up and that contributed to seeps and springs. Now that we’ve paved over a lot of that we don’t have these. Not only are we getting all this runoff from driveways and streets, but we’re ultimately drying up our streams because the water all comes at once.”
The rushes of water create flashy streams. Flashy streams are bodies of water that are only filled when there is a storm or another sudden increase of water. These streams end up looking, as Hamitlon said, “like chocolate milk.” The high water velocity erodes dirt, rocks and other sediment, which creates an environment that has difficulty supporting many organisms.
“A lot of people don’t understand that water going directly into our streams is a bad idea,” Hamilton said.
Private individuals can aid in improving the water quality of Columbia area lakes and streams in many ways. Implementing more organic methods of gardening and reducing the amount of lawn chemicals used can greatly influence water pollution levels. Also, things such as directing gutter downspouts at grassy areas instead of directly onto a driveway or street can allow rainwater more time to soak into the ground.
One method to prevent excess runoff is installing a shallow depression in an area that receives a high volume of water, called a rain garden.
“The idea of the rain garden is that they can absorb and contain and even filter the water that is coming out of hard surfaces,” said Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, a senior research scientist in the division of plant science at MU.
Rain gardens are human-made depressions that can slowly release water, thus reducing the amount of runoff. Some gardens are designed to hold water year-round while others, called dry rain gardens, stay wet only after a heavy rain.
“It’s a great way to improve water quality and reduce pollution with land that wouldn’t otherwise be used,” said Krista Marshall, a senior biology major who recently helped install a rain garden at Bradford Research and Extension Center.
“They’re actually pretty easy to put in as long as you’re willing to use a shovel,” Marshall said. “Once you pick out all the plants you want to use and where you want to build it; it can definitely be a weekend project.”
Anyone who lives in the Hinkson or Bonne Femme watersheds may be eligible for a cost-share program to help fund water management projects.
The Bonne Femme Watershed Project enables approved individuals wishing to implement better water management practices to pay only 40 percent of the cost. For more information visit the Bonne Femme watershed Web site or contact Terry Frueh at 573-886-4330.
Individuals in the Hinkson watershed can apply for a $100 grant to build a rain garden. To learn more about the Hinkson Watershed Restoration Project visit their Web site or contact Hamilton at scott.hamilton@mdc.mo.gov.
