What Is the Effect of Excess Silt Deposits in Streams?

What Is the Effect of Excess Silt Deposits in Streams?

Bibliography

http://water.epa.gov/type/rsl/streams.cfm

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/wqg/sri/sediment5.pdf

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/technical/nra/nri/?cid=nrcs143_014201

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/agriculture_facts.cfm

http://nebeginningfarmers.org/farmers/land/land-environment-facilities-tutorial/know-your-soils/soil-structure-texture/

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/issue/sediment

Data

Above is a representation of the proportions of sediment, and how much can go into our water. Each element varies by size and can build up differently. Loam is the ideal soil, but when there is more silt, then it becomes excess.

Solutions

By: Jenna Reitenbach & Savannah Scott

The least harmful solution for silt in streams is a filtering device that can be placed in areas near the stream so the excess does not go into the actual water. Silt barriers have also been created for construction sites so silt from construction, a common cause, is prevented. However, there aren't many ways to reverse the damage that sediment has done to a body of water, but it can be prevented and monitored. In the Chesapeake bay, it was critical that the source of the sediment was found and analyzed so there could be a stop to the excess. So far, it has been found that about 50% of the silt in the Chesapeake is coming from the stream banks and the other 50% is coming from agriculture.

Cause and Effect

Silt has a major effect on our streams, and it has been like this for a long time. The cause in this that occurs is the sediment becomes built up at the bottom of a water channel, then becomes more dense. The effect of this is major damage to aquatic life and the general health of the stream. Also, humans can impact this process. The water can become more toxic then it already is when pollutants from fertilizers and runoff go into the streams and cause more damage. There is a long term effect on these silt deposits, and this has been the reason for many streams becoming unhealthy and unattainable.

Abstract

Background

Silt has been around ever since the creation of streams and other bodies of water. Where there is a stream, there is most likely also at least some silt. Silt is created when sediment is mixed in with the load of water and the substance is a very small size. For our project, we investigated how silt can be a harmful thing to streams. Silt can be harmful in cases where there is too much, or excess, silt deposits. When this happens, the water can become dangerous for the aquatic life in the water and also for the surroundings. This can cause fish to die, fish eggs to be lost, and SAV’s may not be able to get a source of sunlight as the silt is murky and blocks off the sun to the bottom of the water. We can conclude that excess silt in streams can be very harmful and has a negative effect on the body of water, and is an issue that needs to be resolved. Also, this is an issue in Maryland in such places as the Potomac river and Chesapeake bay, so silt can happen anywhere that there is a body of water.

Streams are very important to our world. They provide nutrients for soil, protect against flooding, and supply us with continuous water for drinking and other uses. However, they have not always been the easiest to maintain. Silt, a fine clay-like substance that runs through streams and other bodies of water, can be a major issue to the use of these streams. Silt is a type of sediment that runs in many streams. Although sediment is natural and does not contain anything that seems to be harmful, when present in mass amounts, silt can be a threat to the aquatic life and vegetation in a stream or river. In fact, silt and sediment is the leading pollutant in our waterways today, and greatly affect not only water quality, but everything that uses the water as a habitat.