SECT 



Water Quality 



Sediment is the number one 

 polluter of streams in Montana. 

 Other pollutants include 

 chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, 

 nutrients, minerals, and salifjiti/. 

 Human-caused changes in 

 temperature, such as ivarming or 

 cooling, are also considered 

 pollution. AU of these pollutants 

 limit the way that water can be 

 used by humans and other life. 



How We Impact Water Quality 



• Point source pollution enters a stream from a known point, such as a discharge pipe, and is 

 usually municipal or industrial in nature. It accounts for approximately 10 percent of water 

 pollution in Montana. 



• Non-point source pollution enters streams from dispersed 

 areas, such as windblown sediment and runoff from roads 

 or crop lands. It accounts for 90 percent of stream 

 pollution. Non-point source pollution is usually 

 associated with poorly planned land management 

 activities. 



^ess. 



Effects of Our Impact 



• Can eliminate entire aquatic communities and make 

 water unsafe for human use 



• Increases temperature, which can biologically 

 suppress stream systems 



• Increases costs of water treatment, and reduces 

 usefulness of pumps and ditches 



• Affects water quality downstream because effects 

 tend to accumulate throughout watershed 



^- 



^nent 



assess 



process 

 the 



"^SSec;^,^ 



"''"""' ^ha,.r:''^^n^s. 



^Okfof. 



species Ti, "^^(^earp , 



Uiater 



-abs, 



boater 



^''/. a 



'8 this 

 ■s.oll'^Sanic 



"fe cal,ZS"^isrns 



"lualit 



ojce 



y. 



'ndh 



'ator 

 good 



cates 



Lessening Our Impact 



Protect riparian areas- 

 nutrients from runoff 



-they filter non-point source pollution such as sediments and 



Adopt the Best Management Practices (BMPs) for agriculture, grazing, timber harvesting, 



and mining to minimize pollutants entering streams and rivers 



Obtain permits before starting any activity that may impact water quality 



19 



