Sediment and Erosion Problems in Our Watersheds Have you ever
seen dirty or muddy water running off construction sites into
local streams? Although a small amount of cloudiness is natural
in some streams, particularly after a large rainstorm, too much
sediment can cause problems. Excessive amounts of sediment in
our streams can be caused by: - Runoff from construction sites
or land-disturbing activities - Physical dumping of soil and
debris Problems caused by excessive sediment in streams include:
- Unsightly waterways - Loss of important topsoil - Stream bank
instability - Smothering of the spaces between rocks where fish
lay their eggs - Cloudy water, which prevents fish from seeing
their food - Abrasion of fish and other stream life - Reduced
flow-carrying capacity in the stream channel due to sediment
settling (which increases the potential for flooding) -
Diminished water quality - Other pollutants carried by or
attached to the sediment (such as phosphorus and petrochemicals)
Sometimes frogs are smothere