*>EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 (8WM-WQ) 908-F-95-001 March 1995 Kee 4Vt M S* > ' •J®* f ¦V s- ty. J'» C. IS r# L .$< J X-i' ¦•'¦ -sl %*;. . • i) I RttES . ¦ tv »*»• >11 l' coexist in wide open spaces e tim A living legacy of pur ri cowboys and cd boom tcrwi But ca ill frontier history: mountains, buffalo, and ore. > I traditions nmental expectations preserve previous waters clean? ------- * he wide-open West boasts a rich diversity of water recreation — kayaking, >er rafting, canoeing. Camping and fishing among them. Western water resources are unparalleled for thqir rugged beauty, challenging many sports and outdoor enthusiasts while inspiring artists, photographers and visitors alike. These lifestyles can continue to coexist with traditional livelihoods founded on a Western heritage of logging, mining, irrigating agriculture, building towns and roads, and raising cattle. We can keep our wetlands, wildlife and waters healthy by making adjustments in the way we live. 01 course, no particular land-use activity is restricted to the exclusive domain of these representative mountains, canyons or plains, and they all overlap. But we can help reduce polluted runoff from the mountains by: designing logging roads with drainage and erosion control to prevent equipment from driving through the stream — destroying its banks and stirring up sediments; preventing runoff from mine tailings or by channeling to filter out in settling basins and wetlands before joining the stream; bringing back the cowboy to herd cattle away from sensitive streamside areas prone to grazing damage during certain times of the year. ------- *¦ -A*%. JS. i» W rl tlF .1 ! v /• V/* *1 W JZ> a ¦.,1 • m T.^ f-jlw sr he dry, red-rock canyonlands of the West are notorious for their torrential rain- torms. These heavy downpours bring swift and sweeping runoff waters to wash the dusty landscape clean. But it's not just the dust, the soil and"the sediment this runoff carries — it's everything else in its path: livestock waste, oil spills, trash, lawn or gar- den pesticides and fertilizers, yard waste, and nutrients from leaking or overflowing septic systems, All these runoff pollutants eventually concentrate in natural or impounded bodies of water — lakes, reservoirs and groundwater. As is so common in the arid West, dammed river systems create many of our recreational waters while also serving as our water supply. We can continue to enjoy fishing and swimming our Western waters if we take care what we do to the land, for instance, by: fencing livestock off sensitive streambanks or adopting a grazing strategy ; collecting and recycling used automotive oil; building animal waste systems for concentrated livestock; . leaving or cultivating'buffer strips of native vegetation along shorelines and roadways Wfilter runoff: using only the amount of lawn or garden pesticides and fertilizers needed; regularly pumping septic systems to keep them operating efficiently. m ------- HBWBBSteto ' hile much of the Western plains may seem flat for as far as the eye can see, here, too, rainwater and snowmelt run off the land to settle in low-lying areas and water basins, largely in the form of "prairie potholes." Water, whether from irrigation or precipita- |jj| tion, carries with it on its downhill journey the refuse of our lives and lifestyles — from our farmlands and construction sites as well as from our very own streets and yards. We can reduce runoff from the plains and throughout the West by: only irrigating when needed; leaving grassy waterways to absorb runoff in tilled fields, practicing conservation tillage to reduce soil exposure and erosion; retarding soil erosion at construction sites by mulching bare dirt piles and strategically placing silt fences or hay bales; keeping green space between development and water bodies; composting and recycling household waste; properly disposing of pet waste and household toxins lik<> paint and cleaners; leaving grass clippings on the lawn as a natural soil fertilizer; encouraging street sweeping to prevent refuse from entering street drains and ending up in a waterway; collecting or safely diverting downspout runoff; washing cars on the lawn to absorb runoff and turning the hose off when not in use. ------- (£ ONTACTS for more information about Waters of the West in EPA Region VIII: Regional NPS Program David Rathke U.S. EPA Region VIII 999-18th St. (8WM-WQ) Denver, CO 80202-2466 (303)293-1703 Regional NPS Montana Operations Office Dick Blodnick U.S. EPA Region VIII Federal Bldg. Drawer #10096 301 S. Park Helena, MT 59626 (406)449-5486 ext. 231 Regional Tribal NPS Program Barbara Burkland U.S. EPA Region VIII 999-18th St. (8WM-WQ) Denver, CO 80202-2466 (303)293-1656 Our waters need your help now! Greg Sandness No. Dakota Dept. of Health] 1 200 Mjpouri AveJH||^| Bismarck; North Dakota 58505 (701)328-5232 Jack Thomas Montana Water Quality Bureau t. of Health and ironmental Sciences swell Bldg Montana 59601 )444-5319 o. Dakota Dept. of Environment & Natural Resources 523 E. Capitol, Joe Foss Blda. Pierre, South Dakota 57501 [605)773-4216 Beth Pratt Dept. of Environmental Quality NPS Program mmmmm 122 W. 25th, Herschler 4th Floor Cheyenne Wyoming 82002 (307^777-7079 address Roy Gunnell Utah Dept. of Environmental Quality Division Water Quality 288 North, 1460 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4870 (801)538-6146 Greg Parsdns Cob Dept. of Public Health Woler Quality Control Division 4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South Denve Colorado 30222 Oiigind paintings: Ruth Bush Text: lano M. Sidiy Brochure Design: lute Sulfivai Scully ------- Ride Herd on Runoff — Protect Our Waters of the West might think of water pollution only in terms dumped into a body of water from an easily seen source, like a pipe. This identifiable point- source pollution is in fact just part of the problem, now largely controlled by regulations and a permit system since passage of 1972's landmark Clean Water Act first targeted our nation's waters to attain a "fishable- swimmable" standard. Rain Drains Terrain ore than 20 years later, many waters in the West — and across America as well — remain polluted, murky, muddy, or green with algae. The culprit? Polluted runoff, or no/jpoint-source pollution, so-called for its indefinite, diffuse origins as rain and snowmelt wash over the landscape and carry with it all that's in its path to our lakes, streams and groundwater. Be a Solution to NONPOINT POLLUTION: Prevent Polluted Runoff at its Source l^^e all contribute to the problem, knowingly or not; virtually whatever natural and manmade pollutants we put or leave on the land can end up in our water, including: • sediment • oil and grease • fertilizers • pesticides • toxic chemicals • trash • animal wastes BECAUSE WATER RUNS THROUGH IT, Help Stop Polluted Runoff a 've 'n a watershed—a deep or shallow basin of land that ultimately drains into a low lying body of water. Whether the boundaries of your Western watershed are defined by steep mountains, jagged canyons or gently rolling plains, water runs through it. But you help determine if that water . , . | runs land polluted or sparkling clean by making oug t ul lifestyle changes in how you manage the land and conduct your activities. Yes, Out West you can have your fish and cattle too! ------- |