Point source: Built in or settled pollutant discharge facilities. In other words, single and identifiable source of pollution. For example, industrial wastes or certain chemicals such as mercury can be discharged from industrial discharge pipes to rivers or lakes. Waste disposal pipes can be another example.
Non-point source: Release of potential pollutants from a range of activities without a single or definite source. Agricultural facilities can be considered as non-point sources. Stormwater runoff, especially during heavy rainfall, in agricultural land/farmland may contain harmful substances such as pathogens and nutrients, and then enters waterways. Also, sedimentation is one of the main form of non-point source pollutions.
Probabilistic …show more content…
In terms of TMDLs, sedimentation and inorganic nutrients are two of the most common stressors in Virginia streams. Sedimentation is the most common problem in Virginia streams with 39% stream miles. Mostly rainwaters carry sediments and soil particles into streams, lakes, and rivers, and then these particles are transported by flowing water. In other words, this stressor is one of the main forms of nonpoint source pollution, also do not have any water quality criteria. VDEQ uses benthic community to assess if there is any sign of sedimentation, generally. Main reasons of sediment inputs are erosion, improperly managed construction sites, and some farming practices. Nutrients are another important problem for Virginia streams. While nutrients are important for plants and animals to live, and grow, excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus may cause certain problems such as decreasing of dissolved oxygen, fish kills, emerges of nuisance algae, and even human health problems. Fertilizer runoff from farmlands and other possible open spaces can be one of the most possible reason to excessive nutrients. Algae community is used as an ecological indicators of water quality to measure the effects of nutrients in streams by
Non-point source: Release of potential pollutants from a range of activities without a single or definite source. Agricultural facilities can be considered as non-point sources. Stormwater runoff, especially during heavy rainfall, in agricultural land/farmland may contain harmful substances such as pathogens and nutrients, and then enters waterways. Also, sedimentation is one of the main form of non-point source pollutions.
Probabilistic …show more content…
In terms of TMDLs, sedimentation and inorganic nutrients are two of the most common stressors in Virginia streams. Sedimentation is the most common problem in Virginia streams with 39% stream miles. Mostly rainwaters carry sediments and soil particles into streams, lakes, and rivers, and then these particles are transported by flowing water. In other words, this stressor is one of the main forms of nonpoint source pollution, also do not have any water quality criteria. VDEQ uses benthic community to assess if there is any sign of sedimentation, generally. Main reasons of sediment inputs are erosion, improperly managed construction sites, and some farming practices. Nutrients are another important problem for Virginia streams. While nutrients are important for plants and animals to live, and grow, excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus may cause certain problems such as decreasing of dissolved oxygen, fish kills, emerges of nuisance algae, and even human health problems. Fertilizer runoff from farmlands and other possible open spaces can be one of the most possible reason to excessive nutrients. Algae community is used as an ecological indicators of water quality to measure the effects of nutrients in streams by