Watershed runoff carries pollutants to nearby waterbodies. This full color poster shows two landscapes, one benefiting from good management practices, the other impacted by sources of sediment and pollutants. It illustrates some of the many sources of nonpoint source pollution and ways that it can be prevented in America (size: 23" x 33"). [Only available via download.]
Find These Scenes in the CLEAN Watershed
Control Practices
- Fencing keeps livestock out of streams.
- Trees and shrubs can slow the wind and reduce erosion.
- Disturbing less area and avoiding steep slopes prevent soil erosion.
- Terracing of fields reduces the amount of exposed soil and minimizes erosion.
- Protecting existing grassed areas and trees prevents erosion.
- Controlling water volumes reduces stream bank erosion.
- Properly treating animal waste and safely applying fertilizer reduce nutrients entering lake.
- Grassed swales can trap sediments and pollutants.
- Proper logging practices help reduce erosion.
- Properly treating all waste streams keeps harmful pollutants out of water.
Environmental Benefits
- Boating, fishing and swimming can be enjoyed by all.
- Clean water is what it's all about.
- Plants and animals now have a healthy home.
- Healthy, thriving wetlands support many plant and animal species.
- A balanced ecosystem promotes healthy plant and animal communities.
Find These Scenes in the POLLUTED Watershed
Sources of Sediment
- Construction site not designed for preventing pollution.
- Exposed soils erode from water and wind action.
- High runoff erodes stream banks.
- Poor logging practices cause erosion.
Sources of Pollutants
- Agri-chemicals not applied properly.
- Unconfined livestock can pollute waterways.
- Untreated waste from industries can end up in our waters.
- Fertilizers and animal waste contribute phosphorus and other pollutants to the lake.
- Runoff from urbanized areas contain toxic pollutants.
Impacts
- Sediments become suspended in water and cause turbidity.
- Once sediment settles, it can smother plants and animal nesting and resting areas.
- Sediment can fill in valuable wetland areas.
- Nutrients can cause excessive plant and algae growth, competing for dissolved oxygen supply.
- Some pollutants can accumulate in animals causing deformities and even death.
- Sometimes only the hardier, less desirable animals can survive.
Pollutants That Attach to Sediments
- Arsenic
- Cadmium
- Copper
- Iron
- Lead
- Manganese
- Mercury
- Chromium
- Phosphorus
POSTER Descriptions: to help you decide on what poster — here's a PDF that has a description for all 7 posters.
Below are a couple questions asked by customers that you might find useful:
Where do I get my posters printed? Here are a few economical places we found:
• Fedex/Kinkos: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/office.html
• Costco: https://www.costcophotocenter.com/
• Walmart: https://www.photoprints.app/
• Sams Club: https://photo.samsclub.com/home.aspx
How do I convert my downloadable poster PDF file to a JPG file?
Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat. Go to FILE, click on Export To, choose Image, choose JPEG and save your JPEG file. Some photo centers will not accept PDF files, so you may need to convert to JPEG.
