How to Improve the Health of Our Streams?Other sections of this website explain why healthy streams are important to our community, and the problems impairing stream health in our community. Now we turn to solutions to these problems: Watershed Restoration through Best Management Practices (BMPs). For the purposes of Stream Conservation, we can categorize BMPs into groups of practices meant to improve:
The following list includes examples of BMPs that you can implement at your home or workplace in order to improve the quality/quantity of stormwater leaving your property. If you are interested in managing stormwater on your property, HCSWCD can help! Contact Adam Lehmann by phone (513-772-7645) or e-mail ([email protected]). Also, see our BMP Resources Page. Water quantity BMPs are designed to detain stormwater and either 1) release it slowly to reduce flashy flows downstream, or 2) facilitate infiltration of the stormwater into the soil where it can recharge the groundwater.
Water quality BMPs are designed to keep potential pollutants out of streams. This is achieved by 1) keeping potential pollutants covered and out of the flow path of stormwater, or 2) separating pollutants that have already been picked up by stormwater through settling in detention areas or filtering through soil or a similar medium.
Stream stewardship BMPs - If you have a stream flowing through your property (no matter how small!!!) there are very important actions (or inactions) that you can take to contribute to a healthy steam for you and your community.
Stream restoration - can involve reshaping the form and flow path of a stream to achieve channel stability and/or to improve habitat for aquatic wildlife. "Geomorphic stream restoration" requires engineered designs and earth moving activity within a stream also requires permitting at the federal, state, and local levels. If you are interested in investigating stream restoration options on your property HCSWCD can offer free consultation to local residents and organizations. |