Is algae bad?

• No!• Algae helps us by;• taking in waste from the water (ex. Animal

poop) • providing oxygen and• being a food resource for animals.

Animals that eat algae

• Frogs and salamanders• Crayfish• Aquatic insects• Snails• Mussels• amoebas

How too much algae effects the water

• As the number of algae grows – the number of bacteria that feed on decaying organisms grow.

• These bacteria use the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water.

• Oxygen-loving organisms die off!

Why are lakes important?

• They provide our nation with 70% of its drinking water.

• Provide water for industry, irrigation, and hydropower

• Provide habitat to many species• Fishing industry • Countless recreational activities

What are ways to reduce eutrophication?

• To be most effective, eutrophication control measures should be aimed at reducing the levels of nutrients reaching a waterbody rather than treating the waterbody once a problem has occurred

• Buffer zones requirements are recommended considerations in land use management plans

• control of animal waste and fertilizer management can help reduce nutrient concentrations.

Clean Water Act Action Plan

• Outlines how EPA will strengthen the way it addresses the water pollution challenges caused by numerous, dispersed sources, such as:

• concentrated animal feeding operations• sewer overflows • contaminated water that flows from industrial

facilities • construction sites • runoff from urban streets

Goals of the Plan

target enforcement to the most significant pollution problems • improve transparency and accountability by

providing the public with access to better data on the water quality in their communities, and

• strengthen enforcement performance at the state and federal levels

What is Clean Water Act?

• The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters.

• The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972.

• .

• The recommendations of EPA and USDA call for states to establish water quality criteria for nitrogen and phosphorus

• At the watershed level, the plan promotes local stewardship and provides grants and incentives to citizens involved in restoration. A major emphasis is on protecting wetlands and stream corridors through community-level support of stewardship efforts.