Author Topic: Salt fertlizer pollution reads (Read 3668 times)

dew2

#1>http://www.startribune.com/rising-salt-levels-threaten-twin-cities-lakes-by-2050/419088124/

#2
A new study from the University of Minnesota suggests that household fertilizer and pet waste are the major sources of nutrients polluting Twin Cities lakes, streams and rivers.
The study was the first comprehensive look at the sources of nitrogen and phosphorus in the Twin Cities watershed and how quickly the nutrients move across the land, ending up in the Mississippi River.
Excessive nutrients can cause water quality problems, including toxic algae blooms, said Sarah Hobbie, the lead researcher on the study and a professor in the university's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior.
"Despite long-running efforts to clean up those nutrients, we continue to have poor water quality in many of our cities, including the Twin Cities," Hobbie said.

• Related: The Mississippi is pretty healthy, until it gets south of St. Cloud

The study focused on seven sub-watersheds of the Mississippi River in the St. Paul area. Hobbie's team used past work it had done in the Twin Cities, including household surveys that asked about fertilizer use, pet ownership and waste pickup habits.
They also used information about the average number and weight of pets owned by Twin Cities residents, the amount of nutrients in pet food. They also looked at fertilizer use on golf courses and college campuses.
The researchers concluded that urban watersheds are "leaky," meaning they are losing most of the phosphorus and nitrogen that flow into them every year. That's likely because of the dense network of streets and storm sewers in urban areas, Hobbie said.
"Once that phosphorus is in the street, there's nothing to hold onto it," she said. "So it's just readily washed into the storm drain system and into our surface waters, unless there's some kind of storm pond that's going to trap that phosphorus before it moves downstream."

• Special report: Minnesota's water quality problem

Phosphorus and nitrogen are probably getting into streets through leaves falling from trees or from snow melting off people's yards, Hobbie said. Trees growing next to the street act like pumps, taking up nutrients from the soil and moving them into their leaves, she said.
The trees reabsorb about half those nutrients before dropping their leaves into the street, where the nutrients are washed into the storm drain if they're not picked up by a street sweeper. Cities can help prevent nutrient pollution by sweeping the streets more often, Hobbie said.
The dominant source of nitrogen in the urban watershed is household fertilizer use, which is 10 times the amount of commercial fertilizers used by golf courses and college campuses. Reducing excessive fertilizer use is another thing people can do to help reduce nutrient pollution, Hobbie said.
The study zeroed in on pet waste as the biggest source of phosphorus in the urban watershed. People are generally good about picking up waste while walking their dog, but they often aren't as diligent about cleaning up the backyard, Hobbie said. Rain gardens also help by capturing water and filtering it before it goes into streams and lakes.
While this study focused on urban watersheds, Hobbie noted that they are a relatively minor source of nitrogen and phosphorus in the overall Mississippi River watershed compared to agricultural land.

Rebel SS

New rules coming to St. Cloud.....

Rebel SS · « *Last Edit: April 04/12/17, 10:44:19 AM by Rebel SS* »

They need to get rid of some of these "lawn company" chain idjits like Spring Green, etc. They may have applicator's licenses, but they don't know sh** about turf care. I watch these knobs in Spring, way too early, broadcast spreading weed killer granuales on top on lawns covered in leaves and winter trash, and the same in the fall...spraying herbicide on top of un-raked yards, which then washes right off the leaves and goes into the sewers with them. They apply their "programs" to everyone's yard, regardless and unaware of what the homeowner normally does. Proper mowing height, with the correct application of needed turf foods, soil prep, and proper aeration, will result in not needing herbicides and no run off.

snow1

Nothing new here,our city lakes and streams have been polluted for many years,way before my time on earth,I wouldn't eat anything out of our city lakes,fact is just about every lake in the state has consumption warnings all the way to the canadian border.

Rebel SS

Minnysoda...land of 10,000 cesspools.

delcecchi

Quote from: snow1 on April 04/12/17, 10:49:57 AM

Nothing new here,our city lakes and streams have been polluted for many years,way before my time on earth,I wouldn't eat anything out of our city lakes,fact is just about every lake in the state has consumption warnings all the way to the canadian border.

The consumption warnings are not due to nitrogen and phosphorus, but mercury from natural sources and from coal burning power plants. Occasionally the warnings are due to PCBs or other chemicals from industrial waste sources.

The Mississippi in the Twin Cities and downstream is far cleaner than it was back in the day.

And I do my part. No storm sewer, and only fertilize lawn maybe once a year, lightly.

Rebel SS

That's why ya got weeds!!! Ya got wimpy grass!!

delcecchi

Absolutely true. I also have weeds because they are pervasive in the hood.

But wimpy grass means I don't have to spend all my time mowing. Once I got carried away with fertilizer in my front yard. I was mowing like every third day. Too much monkey business.

Rebel SS

Mow it at 2 1/2", overseed every time ya fertilize, (Ys can get by with twice a year, Del) and aerate for good roots. Ya won't have weeds once ya get rid of 'em. I honestley have none, and I don't use weed killer. Seriously, ya couldn't find a piece of clover in my yard. Thick grass won't let that stuff establish.

LPS

"

Quote from: delcecchi on April 04/12/17, 11:15:58 AM

Absolutely true. I also have weeds because they are pervasive in the hood.

But wimpy grass means I don't have to spend all my time mowing. Once I got carried away with fertilizer in my front yard. I was mowing like every third day. Too much monkey business.

I don't like "monkey business" neither Del... Well maybe some kinds of monkey business but not to do with the yard..

Rebel SS · « *Last Edit: April 04/12/17, 12:13:17 PM by Rebel SS* »

Reb say man who plant seed in bush too busy to worry about yard.

snow1

Thanx for the laugh Reb! needed that.

Rebel SS

Anytime. I was waxing poetic.

mike89

waxing what???

Rebel SS

Quote from: mike89 on April 04/12/17, 01:43:59 PM

waxing what???

Waxing poetic: (def)

To "speak in an increasingly enthusiastic and poetic manner."[ ... In terms of the origin of the phrase, wax means "to grow." So it literally means to grow poetic. However over time the term has also come to imply enthusiasm as well.

dew2

OK Reb heres a waning comment
Man with hole in pocket "feel cocky"

Wax dat bottom the NL likes that I bet

Rebel SS

Dew! How could you?!

We best get back on track before that liddle mushroom hugger starts squawkin'....

mike89

Quote from: Rebel SS on April 04/12/17, 01:48:38 PM

Quote from: mike89 on April 04/12/17, 01:43:59 PM
waxing what???

Waxing poetic: (def)

To "speak in an increasingly enthusiastic and poetic manner."[ ... In terms of the origin of the phrase, wax means "to grow." So it literally means to grow poetic. However over time the term has also come to imply enthusiasm as well.

as long as it's not a Brazil wax job!!