​What Are the Most Significant Pollutants in a Watershed?

• Sediment
• Nutrients
• Pathogens and bacteria
• High temperature
• Pesticides

 
The WMP contains descriptions of each of these pollutants, and how they affect the environment.
 
Some Pollutant Sources Are Not Easily Identified During Surveys

• Locations not easily spotted from roadway
• Failing/leaking septic systems
• Direct sanitary connections to ditch or field tiles
• Lawn care practices
• Manure spreading practices

Water sheds often have what is called a Watershed Management Plan to determine how to maintain and keep the water clean.

What a Watershed Management Plan Does:

• Identifies pollutants, sources and causes
• Outlines steps and actions needed to improve water quality in a watershed.
• Provides a plan for educating the public
• Opens doors to new funding opportunities

 
The process to plan a watershed management plan:       

• Obtain mapping, and water analysis of the watershed
• Test for pollutions, sources of that pollution, and create a cause evaluation
• Figure out pollutant loading estimates
• Information & Education sessions for stakeholder input
• Make recommendations, including prioritization of projects and “action items”
• Obtain partners to help with the work!

 
Then there are Recommendations of a Watershed Management Plan. These recommendations are:

• A prioritized list of the most important objectives for that watershed
• A list of things that should be tackled right away and into the future
• It might be compared to a list that you keep to maintain your home, which includes items that must be done right away (such as a leak in the roof), and items that can wait a little longer to address (new paint in the living room).

 
Next is a Watershed Implementation Plan. This plan:

• Adds a cost estimate of fixing the problems
• List of possible funding sources and project partners.
• Most useful part of a WMP for those who want to take action steps to improve water quality.

 
An important step is the Information and Education Strategy of the watershed management plan. This step includes guidance on how to teach the people of the community how they can help improve the water and the environment 

Possible sources of pollution include:
Septic and sewer systems

• Homeowners with incorrectly installed or maintained septic systems
• Homeowners  who do not have a septic system installed on their property with their house
• Health Departments and Municipalities when sewage systems are not properly maintained
• Septic installation, inspection, and pumping companies when accidents occur
• Schools with incorrectly installed or maintained systems
• Bio-solids/septage haulers and users when accidents occur

Agriculture

• Producers with livestock who do not have recommended conservation systems in place
• Farmers who utilize manifested manure against current guidelines
• Producers with crop acreage who do not have recommended conservation systems in place 

 
Common Work Tasks to Complete in a WMP

• Compile existing watershed data
• Compile water quality analysis and field data collection
• Compile source identification
• Compile pollutant loading and reduction estimates
• Put in place the information & education strategy
• Conduct a policy analysis
• Compile BMPs and recommendations
• Form a partnership steering committee

 
How are Pollutants, Sources and Causes Identified?

• Driving and walking around to see what is on the ground (Windshield Surveys).
• Examining Aerial Photos
• Computer models
• Collecting water samples 

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