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Routes of pollution into the Reservoir
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December 11, 2007
Dear Councilmembers;
It should be obvious to everyone that water in a reservoir gets polluted from any or all of about six paths:
- direct deposition of pollution into the water body by human action - like discharges from boats and docks;
- indirect deposition of pollution into the water body - via particles carried in the air;
- direct discharges from pipes - "point sources";
- direct runoff from shoreline lands and culverts(*) - "non-point sources";
- direct runoff from creeks - "non-point sources";
- decomposition of objects in and under the water, and in the bottom sediment;
Local governments have the authority and ability to control almost all of these - recognizing that air pollution from China probably does not fall in that category, but similar airborne deposition from local burning, is controllable.
Action on each of these sources is required.
(*) culverts are technically not "point sources", so their category has been changed.
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Groups of lands in the Reservoir Watershed:
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December 11, 2007
Dear Councilmembers;
It should be obvious to everyone that water in a reservoir gets polluted from actions on watershed lands, which may be characterized in three major groups, in relation to the risks and resolution of reservoir pollution:
- forested, undeveloped lands which will remain forested and undeveloped, thus in the best conditions;
- undeveloped lands which were forested but have been clearcut, and thus are subject to substantially higher erosion from exposed soils and roads; (*)
- undeveloped lands which will be developed, thus becoming polluters;
- developed lands which are the major contributors of pollution, thus needing retrofits;
Action on each of these groups is required.
(*) item added after original post.
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