USING THE ENVIROSCAPE^® NONPOINT SOURCE/RUNOFF MODEL TO SHOW STREAM RESTORATION AND SALMON HABITAT ENHANCEMENT

Nonpoint Source/Runoff Model Familiarization
SHEA Materials

If you are not familiar with the Enviroscape^® Nonpoint Source/Runoff model, please click here for a quick review. This will enable you to see the bigger picture that the NPS model is able to represent to an audience, including the origin of man-made pollutants from various sources and the application of best management practices.

There are many ways to deliver visual messages with the EnviroScape model. The following activity is meant to show adaptation of the NPS model to demonstrate the impact of growth on the overall health of a watershed and the benefits of riparian areas to enhance and encourage salmon habitat.

Salmon Habitat Enhancement Activities (SHEA)

We begin with a relatively undisturbed environment before much development has occurred and the landscape is largely unchanged.

RELATIVELY UNDISTURBED ENVIRONMENT

The forestry area has heavy tree growth, with trees in the stream, log jams, root wads, clean gravel substrate. There is good water flow and riffles in the stream meander at the top near the forestry area. Natural canopy and cover from the riparian areas and LWD create shaded, protected areas for spawning and juveniles.

(Sponge cloths can be placed to demonstrate shallow or forested wetlands and a square of green felt used to cover the industrial area, parking lot and pavement areas).

This is a good place to tell stories about the way that our ancestors remember the wilderness around us.

Salmon spawn in a bed they have made just below the stream meander. The sun won't make the water temperature too high because of the shade canopy of trees. Rain won't wash out the redd because the LWD and stream meander slow the water down. The eagle and other predators aren't able to hunt the salmon easily because of the protection of trees. All seems to be in natural balance.

GRADUAL CHANGES WITH EARLY DEVELOPMENT

There is gradual change as a community begins to build-up, roads go in and a farmer clears some land and brings in livestock. The watershed appears to be healthy. (Note - the farmer is using a riparian buffer and fencing between his cattle and the stream).

MORE DEVELOPMENT

As development takes place on the landscape, the environment gradually changes. (Shown below as a worst-case scenario. This dramatic visual statement has a great deal of impact. However, you could choose to show development with more best management practices in place to find a more reasonable balance. The activity would still be effective and engaging).

The forestry area is clear cut --- silt happens. Water temperature rises.

The population increases. A heavy equipment operator clears land for development -- heavy rains come -- more erosion and silting happen -- stormwater runs off into storm drains. A golf course is constructed filling in some shallow wetland areas.

The factory adds a shift and has some environmental compliance problems --- point source pollution is released into the watershed. (Note: factory replaces green felt in upper right corner of landscape map)

Transportation increases. Road residue builds up and rain carries it into the watershed, adding to the pollutant load.

The farmer sells his land. The new owner increases the area for livestock by clearing the ripaarian buffer and fence, furrows the field, plants crops and uses a lot of herbicides and fertilizers. More erosion and silting -- and fecal matter from cattle in and near the streams -- and the tractor spreads manure.

New farmer sells stream front land to a developer. Houses are constructed on the streambanks and culverts are built. (Not pictured).

More water is used for houses, businesses and irrigation --- there is less water in waterbody (tide is out).

The homeowner changes oil from the car and pours it down the storm drain --- the pollutants go directly into the stream and watershed.

The golf course uses more fertilizers than necessary --- rain carries excess down into the watershed.

The boater in the bay has a gas leak - The wastewater treatment plant has an overflow --- clarifying tanks dump sewage into the river. The roadside is littered.

Time for Salmon to spawn and lay eggs. She may have difficulty finding the home stream because the chemical composition of the water changes the smell. The salmon goes upstream in the lower stream.

Salmon has difficulty due to culverts from houses now on the riverbanks on what was previously farmland. Salmon makes a redd anyway, which is exposed in an area of the lower stream. (Not pictured below)

No shade, no nutrients from LWD, no protection from predators or insects for food. Snowmelt washes redd out.

*ONE WAY TO FULLY ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE IS TO HAVE EACH INDIVIDUAL PLAY A ROLE IN THE STORY...

*Role-playing could include: Water quality technician taking a sample in pre-development and again after substantial development; Farmer cultivating the field; Transportation worker placing erosion control blankets on the side slope of a road; Homeowner dumping oil into the storm drain; Golf course maintenance worker using fertilizers on the grees; logger clear-cutting an area in the forest -- another logger selectively cutting and maintaining a buffer; etc.

DISCUSSION

IS THIS WHERE WE LIVE…OR A PART OF WHERE WE LIVE?

CAN SALMON LIVE THIS WAY?
WHAT ABOUT THE 137 SPECIES THAT DEPEND ON SALMON?

WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR US? FOR OUR GRANDCHILDREN? FOR THE SALMON?

HOW WILL WHAT WE DO TODAY EFFECT TOMORROW?

RESTORATION

The forest is replanted and grows.

A crew of youth and adults do streamside restoration, rebuild riparian buffers and add logjams and gravel where they are needed.

Residents on the riverbank set houses back and remove culverts, then plant native vegetation. (Not pictured above).

The farmer builds a fence and manure containment area for his livestock and constructs a wetland area and retention pond to capture runoff with fertilizers and herbicides for recirculating back into his field.

The golf course switches to using less toxic herbicides. The construction company uses silt fencing and berms to minimize erosion. The transportation department plants vegetation for slope stabilization and erosion control.

People are more aware and more careful about what they do.

The factory is in compliance.

IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS JUST ONE CONDENSED STORY -- AN EXERCISE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS ACCOMPANIED BY VISUAL EXPLORATION.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE YOUR OWN STORY AND PLEASE ELABORATE. THE MORE PERSONALIZED YOUR STORY IS TO YOUR COMMUNITY, THE MORE PEOPLE WILL CONNECT WITH IT.

THIS IS POSSIBLE IN THE REAL WORLD -- AND IT BECOMES MORE PROBABLE IF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTEDNESS IN ALL WE DO.

NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION IS EVERYBODY'S PROBLEM, AND IS NOT GENERALLY UNDERSTOOD.

WE HOPE THAT THIS UNIQUE, INTERACTIVE LEARNING TOOL -- ENVIROSCAPE -- CAN HELP YOU BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE FOR CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND SALMON HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Teren MacLeod
800-869-7834 ext 554

teren@terendipity.com