12/3/2023 0 Comments Chesapeake house rest stopFecal bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.Stormwater runoff collects an often-toxic mix of pollutants including: Meanwhile, forests, meadows, wetlands, and other natural filters are disappearing, and manmade filtration systems to control runoff have not compensated for the loss. ![]() ![]() The amount of land covered by parking lots, roads, roofs, and driveways continues to grow. Polluted runoff from stormwater is one of the primary sources of pollution still on the rise in our region. Why Is Stormwater Runoff Pollution Increasing in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? One inch of rain falling on an acre of hardened surface produces 27,000 gallons of runoff.Īgricultural runoff from farmland, which carries nutrients from fertilizers and animal manure into rivers and streams, is also a problem. By contrast, close to 100 percent of the rain that falls on concrete and other hard surfaces produces runoff. ![]() Only 10 to 20 percent of rain that falls in forests, fields, and other natural areas runs off, with the rest absorbed by soil and plants, where it is filtered before reaching aquifers or local waterways. If the draining water doesn’t evaporate or soak into the ground where it can be filtered, it flushes straight into local creeks, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay, adversely affecting water quality and aquatic life. And much of it starts right in the urban and suburban neighborhoods where we live.Īs rainwater and snowmelt run off our streets, parking lots, lawns, and other surfaces, they pick up pet waste, pesticides, fertilizer, oil, and other contaminants. Polluted runoff is one of the most harmful sources of pollution to the Bay and its waters.
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