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News Flash!
News Flash!
Although it is a natural process, too much algae growth too quickly is no good.
It consumes much needed oxygen and nutrients that the rest of the aquatic life in the lake needs to survive. It is also a tell tale sign of what we are doing to our water supply. When algae grows as quickly as it has been in our lake, this is not a natural process, but one which has been created by the lifestyle habits of everyone who lives in this vast watershed.
Lake Wallenpaupack is our area's watershed. The lake is 5,700 acres in size and its watershed area is about 220 square miles. Our watershed spreads out over four counties; Pike, Wayne, Lackawanna, and Monroe. So you don't have to live on the lake to impact the watershed. What you do in communities miles away affects not only the quality of Lake Wallenpaupack's water but all the water in the area; streams, rivers, ponds, others lakes, and ground water. Pretty much what water doesn't evaporate will eventually find it's way into the watershed either from other bodies of water flowing down to the watershed or from the same underground water we tap for our wells.
The simple definition of a watershed is the area of land that catches rain, snow and other runoff and drains or seeps it into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater. According to the water quality book put out by the Pike County Conservation District;
A watershed can be compared to a large basin that captures all precipitation (rain, snow, etc.) that falls within its boundary. A watershed boundary is formed by highpoints in the landscape, where an unbroken, continuous ridgeline creates a divide between adjacent basins. Each watershed has its own uniqueness based on climate, differences in topography (flat vs. rolling hills or mountainous), the types of plants and soil found there and, very importantly, both past and present land use activities that have taken place. Examples of land use activities include commercial, industrial and residential development, farming, mining, logging, and recreational activities.
Watershed pollution comes in many forms. Here are just a few.
Stormwater runoff flows across the landscape picking up pollutants from soil sedimentation, fluids leaked from automobiles like the oil you see on the roads during a rainfall, road deicing chemicals, lawn & garden chemicals, garbage and other debris. Stormwater carries and distributes these items into our waterways.
Soil Erosion & Sedimentation occurs naturally by wind and water wearing away the soil over time. When wind and water slowly wear away the soil they carry the fine soil particles called sediment and drop them of at other locations, creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. In nature this process takes along time. If left solely to nature it would take centuries before there was a noticeable change.
Unfortunately these days we have a swift moving erosion & sedimentation problem that has been greatly accelerated by residential and commercial land development. The current building and development boom removes vegetation, trees and grasses that hold the ground together and exposes bear soil to the erosive forces of stormwater runoff and wind.
This runoff carries particles into water areas smothering and killing aquatic life. In some cases it actually clogs the gills of fish. The runoff will bring fertilizers and naturally rich soil to areas it's not supposed to be and throw nature out of balance by feeding algae growth. Algae blooms in water and chokes out other species by using up precious oxygen.
Household Hazardous Wastes include all those cleaning products you use on a regular basis, also paint & stain products, car fluids, batteries and any other chemical products and fluids you throw away that end up in a land fill, will seep into the soil and ground water. It will eventually make it's way back to you through the water you drink and bathe with, or the water that falls back to the earth in the form of rain as it nurtures the foods we eat, both plants and animals.
Lawn & Garden Chemicals kind of fall under the same situation as the above household chemicals. All those fertilizers and weed killers and other pesticides meant to kill things will not only kill your weeds and bugs but will harm you too. They are very toxic chemicals if they can kill hardy weeds with two feet deep roots. These chemicals do make their way back into our soil and water supply and eventually to the watershed as evidenced by all the algae growth I see on Lake Wallenpaupack every year.
