Polluted Runoff Originally published generically by The Wisconsin Association of Lakes reworked for UpperNemahbin.com by Steven R. Libbey
Polluted Runoff In Upper Nemahbin
Despite Wisconsin being the first state in the country to enact strong polluted runoff rules, runoff remains Wisconsin's leading water quality problem.
What is Runoff?
Runoff is excess water that comes from hard surfaces like roof tops, driveways, parking areas, patios, and compacted soils. Runoff water can wash fertilizer, eroded soil, car fluids, and other pollutants into Upper Nemahbin Lake. Polluted runoff can come from both agricultural and urban sources, and is serious and continual problem for lakes like ours.
As the amount of hard surfaces increase within a watershed (often because of low density development), there is less green space for water to soak into the ground, and polluted runoff problems increase. Reducing the amount of wetlands within the watershed and replacing natural shorelines with traditional manicured lawns increases polluted runoff problems (wetlands and shorelands act as natural pollutant filters).
Impacts polluted runoff has on Upper Nemahbin
Some of the negative effects polluted runoff has on lakes include excess nutrients (such as phosphorus) which:
Sediments eroded from construction sites, developed areas, and cropland negatively affect our lakes by:
What you can do to reduce polluted runoff in Upper Nemahbin
Upper Nemahbin Lake Management District Members can help reduce the amount of polluted runoff: