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70-709: NCCF may refer to: North Carolina Coastal Federation , a citizen's group for protecting the coasts of the US State of North Carolina North County Correctional Facility , a maximum security county jail in Los Angeles County, California National Center for Children and Families , an alternate name for the National Center for Children in Poverty. Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation Topics referred to by

140-403: A 120,000-acre project to strip-mine peat bogs from Albemarle to Pamlico sounds. Through the assembly of concerned scientists, fishermen and environmentalists, the proposal was defeated in 1984 and today many of the formerly targeted areas are now national wildlife refuges. The North Carolina Coastal Federation empowers coastal residents and visitors from all walks of life to protect and restore

210-591: A collaborative effort with Audubon North Carolina, the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation and the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund to purchase 17 acres of Jones Island, an island located in the middle of the White Oak River. Shortly after the purchase, the island was turned over to the NC State Parks System through a memorandum agreement for the federation to mutually administer an education program for students and adults. Jones Island

280-938: A local program specifying design requirements, construction practices and maintenance requirements for buildings and properties is in Santa Monica, California . Erosion controls have appeared since medieval times when farmers realized the importance of contour farming to protect soil resources. Beginning in the 1950s these agricultural methods became increasingly more sophisticated. In the 1960s some state and local governments began to focus their efforts on mitigation of construction runoff by requiring builders to implement erosion and sediment controls (ESCs). This included such techniques as: use of straw bales and barriers to slow runoff on slopes, installation of silt fences , programming construction for months that have less rainfall and minimizing extent and duration of exposed graded areas. Montgomery County , Maryland implemented

350-486: A plan to restore the water quality in these areas and actively works to reduce stormwater pollution. Central Coast Accomplishments: The federation's central coast branch completed projects in the evaluation and reduction of stormwater flow into the White Oak River Watershed by advocating and implementing low impact development . The Coastal Advocacy Institute: The Coastal Advocacy Institute

420-527: A portion of it may infiltrate as it flows overland. Any remaining surface water eventually flows into a receiving water body such as a river , lake , estuary or ocean . Urbanization increases surface runoff by creating more impervious surfaces such as pavement and buildings that do not allow percolation of the water down through the soil to the aquifer . It is instead forced directly into streams or storm water runoff drains , where erosion and siltation can be major problems, even when flooding

490-434: A single water sample and conducting chemical or physical tests on that sample. In the 1950s or earlier, hydrology transport models appeared to calculate quantities of runoff, primarily for flood forecasting . Beginning in the early 1970s, computer models were developed to analyze the transport of runoff carrying water pollutants. These models considered dissolution rates of various chemicals, infiltration into soils, and

560-630: A small time period. Reduced crop productivity usually results from erosion, and these effects are studied in the field of soil conservation . The soil particles carried in runoff vary in size from about 0.001 millimeter to 1.0 millimeter in diameter. Larger particles settle over short transport distances, whereas small particles can be carried over long distances suspended in the water column . Erosion of silty soils that contain smaller particles generates turbidity and diminishes light transmission, which disrupts aquatic ecosystems . Entire sections of countries have been rendered unproductive by erosion. On

630-421: A surface stream without ever passing below the soil surface. It is distinct from direct runoff , which is runoff that reaches surface streams immediately after rainfall or melting snowfall and excludes runoff generated by the melting of snowpack or glaciers. Snow and glacier melt occur only in areas cold enough for these to form permanently. Typically snowmelt will peak in the spring and glacier melt in

700-438: A waste of agricultural chemicals, but also an environmental threat to downstream ecosystems. Pine straws are often used to protect soil from soil erosion and weed growth. However, harvesting these crops may result in the increase of soil erosion. Surface run-off results in a significant amount of economic effects. Pine straws are cost effective ways of dealing with surface run-off. Moreover, Surface run-off can be reused through

770-476: A watercourse is unable to convey the quantity of runoff flowing downstream. The frequency with which this occurs is described by a return period . Flooding is a natural process, which maintains ecosystem composition and processes, but it can also be altered by land use changes such as river engineering. Floods can be both beneficial to societies or cause damage. Agriculture along the Nile floodplain took advantage of

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840-450: A well defined channel. Soil surface roughness causes may cause runoff to become concentrated into narrower flow paths: as these incise, the small but well-defined channels which are formed are known as rills. These channels can be as small as one centimeter wide or as large as several meters. If runoff continue to incise and enlarge rills, they may eventually grow to become gullies. Gully erosion can transport large amounts of eroded material in

910-654: Is NCCF's partnership with NOAA and other environmental organizations to design and implement the Jokey's Ridge Living Shoreline and Oyster Reef Restoration Project in the Outer Banks of NC. Actions on Polluted Runoff: One of the major focuses regarding advocacy is to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that enters the waters along the coast of NC. The federation works with local communities, schools and environmental organizations to develop strategies to decrease stormwater runoff in coastal waterways. Stormwater runoff

980-597: Is also home to numerous fishery projects, student camping excursions and field trips for students and tourists. Student Involvement in Restoration Projects: Nearly 5,000 students have helped plant marsh grasses, create oyster reefs and implement rain gardens to reduce water contamination from stormwater runoff. The students establish and continue to monitor the projects throughout their volunteer experiences. Through this program students are able to gain hands-on experience while helping to restore

1050-472: Is also monitoring proposals which could allow for oil and gas explorations across the coastal watersheds. Actions on Beach Protection: With hurricanes being prevalent along the coast of NC, The dune lines prevent overwash and cause erosion. Furthermore, this prevents the marsh and estuaries from getting the nutrients and sand deposits it needs to survive. NCCF continuously supports safeguards along NC's coastal beaches and islands. One example of such an action

1120-412: Is an internship program through the federation in which students have the opportunity to learn about current issues from world-renowned scientists, nonprofit professionals and coastal management experts. Interns also partake in summer projects to further help NCCF in its mission to protect the coast. Jones Island Environmental Education and Restoration Area: In October 2007 the federation entered into

1190-500: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages North Carolina Coastal Federation The federation's current executive director, Todd Miller, started the federation in 1982 after receiving a grant from the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation to preserve N.C.'s sounds and wetlands. Shortly after the federation began, it spearheaded a movement to oppose

1260-478: Is establishing stormwater reduction measures at current areas of stormwater pollution and creating LID ordinances for recent development in addition to retrofitting current projects. Such efforts include the construction and installation of wetlands, rain barrels, bio-retention areas, large cisterns and rain gardens with the goal of protecting and restoring the coastal swimming waters and shellfish population from bacterial pollution. Restoration Efforts: Since 2005

1330-442: Is exacerbated by surface runoff, leading to a number of down stream impacts, including nutrient pollution that causes eutrophication . In addition to causing water erosion and pollution, surface runoff in urban areas is a primary cause of urban flooding , which can result in property damage, damp and mold in basements , and street flooding. Surface runoff is defined as precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail ) that reaches

1400-561: Is not. Increased runoff reduces groundwater recharge, thus lowering the water table and making droughts worse, especially for agricultural farmers and others who depend on the water wells . When anthropogenic contaminants are dissolved or suspended in runoff, the human impact is expanded to create water pollution . This pollutant load can reach various receiving waters such as streams, rivers, lakes, estuaries and oceans with resultant water chemistry changes to these water systems and their related ecosystems. As humans continue to alter

1470-442: Is otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain because it models the interactions among hydrologic variables (with different probability distributions), resulting in a population of values representing likely long-term outcomes from runoff processes and the potential effects of various mitigation measures. SELDM also provides the means for rapidly doing sensitivity analyses to determine the possible effects of varying input assumptions on

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1540-462: Is required, to minimize escape of pollutants into sanitary or stormwater sewers . The U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA) requires that local governments in urbanized areas (as defined by the Census Bureau ) obtain stormwater discharge permits for their drainage systems. Essentially this means that the locality must operate a stormwater management program for all surface runoff that enters

1610-432: Is the stochastic empirical loading and dilution model (SELDM) is a stormwater quality model. SELDM is designed to transform complex scientific data into meaningful information about the risk of adverse effects of runoff on receiving waters, the potential need for mitigation measures, and the effectiveness of such management measures for reducing these risks. SELDM provides a method for rapid assessment of information that

1680-661: Is the most significant water quality issue along the coast, specifically in the White Oak River and other coastal waters, as the influx of pollutants threatens the wellbeing of the ecosystem. Actions on Habitat & Water Quality Restoration: Currently there are numerous state agencies partnering with federation studying ways to implement "living shorelines" and promote healthy estuary , beach and shoreline management. Northeast Coast Issues: The Mattamuskeet Drainage District in Hyde County spans over 42,500 acres and discharges water through major tributaries and canals into

1750-513: Is the unconfined flow of water over the ground surface, in contrast to channel runoff (or stream flow ). It occurs when excess rainwater , stormwater , meltwater , or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil . This can occur when the soil is saturated by water to its full capacity, and the rain arrives more quickly than the soil can absorb it. Surface runoff often occurs because impervious areas (such as roofs and pavement ) do not allow water to soak into

1820-473: The Pamlico Sound and Intracoastal Waterway . Stormwater runoff is a major concern due to the high concentrations of bacteria and nutrients from agriculture and other nearby sources that lead to water contamination. The federation is working with farmers to restore wetlands and reduce discharges of farm drainage to the estuaries. Southeast Coastal Issues: Titan America is proposing to build one of

1890-434: The soil is saturated and the depression storage filled, and rain continues to fall, the rainfall will immediately produce surface runoff. The level of antecedent soil moisture is one factor affecting the time until soil becomes saturated. This runoff is called saturation excess overland flow, saturated overland flow, or Dunne runoff. Soil retains a degree of moisture after a rainfall . This residual water moisture affects

1960-489: The 1960s, and early on contact of pesticides with water was known to enhance phytotoxicity . In the case of surface waters, the impacts translate to water pollution , since the streams and rivers have received runoff carrying various chemicals or sediments. When surface waters are used as potable water supplies, they can be compromised regarding health risks and drinking water aesthetics (that is, odor, color and turbidity effects). Contaminated surface waters risk altering

2030-505: The Earth's surface; eroded material may be deposited a considerable distance away. There are four main types of soil erosion by water : splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion and gully erosion. Splash erosion is the result of mechanical collision of raindrops with the soil surface: soil particles which are dislodged by the impact then move with the surface runoff. Sheet erosion is the overland transport of sediment by runoff without

2100-589: The Habitat Restoration and Preservation Program is the development of "living shorelines" which serve as alternatives to standard shoreline bulkheads . In addition, the Program aims to protect and restore coastal water quality through watershed hydrology projects. Northeast Coast Issues: Durrant's Point is an area of land protecting Hatteras Harbor, which was disappearing at a rate of 5 to 10 feet per year due to significant erosion. In March 2011,

2170-609: The Intracoastal Waterway. It helped prevent the establishment of industrial mines across the coast, specifically on the Cape Fear River located north of Wilmington . It is currently teaming up with doctors, environmental groups and thousands of concerned citizens in opposing a project from Titan America to create a large cement kiln that would release toxic substances into the water and air, projected to destroy over 1,000 acres of coastal wetlands. The federation

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2240-641: The U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976, and later the Water Quality Act of 1987 , states and cities have become more vigilant in controlling the containment and storage of toxic chemicals, thus preventing releases and leakage. Methods commonly applied are: requirements for double containment of underground storage tanks , registration of hazardous materials usage, reduction in numbers of allowed pesticides and more stringent regulation of fertilizers and herbicides in landscape maintenance. In many industrial cases, pretreatment of wastes

2310-486: The White Oak River near the town of Swansboro, is part of Hammocks Beach State Park . This unique island serves as a center for environmental education and restoration projects led by the federation and the N.C. State Parks System. Students come to Jones Island to rebuild natural habitats and learn about the native ecology of the island. Typical projects include planting marsh grasses such as Spartina and building oyster reefs in an effort to create "living shorelines" around

2380-670: The climate through the addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, precipitation patterns are expected to change as the atmospheric capacity for water vapor increases. This will have direct consequences on runoff amounts. Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater, landscape irrigation, and car washing created by urbanization . Impervious surfaces ( roads , parking lots and sidewalks ) are constructed during land development . During rain , storms, and other precipitation events, these surfaces (built from materials such as asphalt and concrete ), along with rooftops , carry polluted stormwater to storm drains , instead of allowing

2450-528: The estuaries along NC's coast. Northeast Coast Education: Teaching students the importance of reducing stormwater runoff has been a key component of NCCF. Students created rain gardens as a means of reducing stormwater runoff into waterways at numerous schools throughout the coastal regions including: Columbia Middle School, First Flight Elementary School, First Flight Middle School, Kitty Hawk Elementary School, Manteo High School and Manteo Middle School. Central Coast Education: Jones Island, located on

2520-490: The extremely ancient soils of Australia and Southern Africa , proteoid roots with their extremely dense networks of root hairs can absorb so much rainwater as to prevent runoff even with substantial amounts of rainfall. In these regions, even on less infertile cracking clay soils , high amounts of rainfall and potential evaporation are needed to generate any surface runoff, leading to specialised adaptations to extremely variable (usually ephemeral) streams. This occurs when

2590-533: The federation creates several acres of new oyster reefs to improve coastal water quality and provide valuable habitat for oysters and other important marine species. Contributions to Science: The federation is currently working on a large wetlands restoration project in North Carolina at North River Farms in Carteret County to reduce direct agricultural discharges into estuaries. Furthermore,

2660-489: The federation focuses efforts on restoring the water quality of the Pamilco Sound area. More specifically the federation works on projects to minimize the amount of bacteria that contaminates this vast underwater ecosystem. Southeast Coast Accomplishments: Bradley and Hewletts Creeks are currently the subjects of bacteria pollution, with stormwater runoff being the predominant source. The federation helped to devise

2730-417: The federation has worked alongside over 1700 volunteers to restore Hammock's Beach State Park by planting over 43,000 saltmarsh plants—including black needlerush, salt meadow hay and smooth cordgrass—to help prevent erosion along the vulnerable shoreline. In addition, the federation created over 700 feet of oyster shell bag sills and released more than 10,000 bushels of loose oysters in shallow waters. Each year

2800-399: The federation is working with scientists at N.C. State University and U.S. Geological Survey to gain scientific understanding of carbon sequestration through the creation of wetlands in efforts to mitigate climate change . Concrete seawalls, bulkheads and revetments are examples of hardened structures traditionally used to stabilize shorelines that ironically increase erosion rates, reduce

2870-586: The federation partnered with Dare County officials and volunteers to install a low-profile granite sill spanning over 320 feet to divert wave energy and protect recently restored and existing marsh. Central Coast Issues: Beacon Island, located in the Pamlico Sound, is home to one of nine nesting sites of the Brown Pelican in the state of N.C. Beacon Island supported approximately 423 nesting pairs of Brown Pelicans in 2011. In efforts to address

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2940-404: The fertile top soil and reduces its fertility and quality of the agricultural produce. Modern industrial farming is another major cause of erosion. Over a third of the U.S. Corn Belt has completely lost its topsoil . Switching to no-till practices would reduce soil erosion from U.S. agricultural fields by more than 70 percent. The principal environmental issues associated with runoff are

3010-757: The first local government sediment control program in 1965, and this was followed by a statewide program in Maryland in 1970. Flood control programs as early as the first half of the twentieth century became quantitative in predicting peak flows of riverine systems. Progressively strategies have been developed to minimize peak flows and also to reduce channel velocities. Some of the techniques commonly applied are: provision of holding ponds (also called detention basins or balancing lakes ) to buffer riverine peak flows, use of energy dissipators in channels to reduce stream velocity and land use controls to minimize runoff. Chemical use and handling. Following enactment of

3080-500: The form of water pollution to even more sensitive aquatic habitats. Secondly, runoff can deposit contaminants on pristine soils, creating health or ecological consequences. The other context of agricultural issues involves the transport of agricultural chemicals (nitrates, phosphates, pesticides , herbicides, etc.) via surface runoff. This result occurs when chemical use is excessive or poorly timed with respect to high precipitation. The resulting contaminated runoff represents not only

3150-628: The ground. Furthermore, runoff can occur either through natural or human-made processes. Surface runoff is a major component of the water cycle . It is the primary agent of soil erosion by water . The land area producing runoff that drains to a common point is called a drainage basin . Runoff that occurs on the ground surface before reaching a channel can be a nonpoint source of pollution , as it can carry human-made contaminants or natural forms of pollution (such as rotting leaves). Human-made contaminants in runoff include petroleum , pesticides , fertilizers and others. Much agricultural pollution

3220-422: The growth of elephant mass. In Nigeria , elephant grass is considered to be an economical way in which surface run-off and erosion can be reduced. Also, China has suffered significant impact from surface run-off to most of their economical crops such as vegetables. Therefore, they are known to have implemented a system which reduced loss of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in soil. Flooding occurs when

3290-399: The high central plateau of Madagascar , approximately ten percent of that country's land area, virtually the entire landscape is devoid of vegetation , with erosive gully furrows typically in excess of 50 meters deep and one kilometer wide. Shifting cultivation is a farming system which sometimes incorporates the slash and burn method in some regions of the world. Erosion causes loss of

3360-492: The impacts to surface water, groundwater and soil through transport of water pollutants to these systems. Ultimately these consequences translate into human health risk, ecosystem disturbance and aesthetic impact to water resources. Some of the contaminants that create the greatest impact to surface waters arising from runoff are petroleum substances, herbicides and fertilizers . Quantitative uptake by surface runoff of pesticides and other contaminants has been studied since

3430-399: The importance of native ecology and hydrology on local water quality. The Federation's Habitat Restoration and Preservation Program works to maintain, rebuild, and uphold N.C.'s most threatened ecosystems while raising public attention to the inherent worth and beauty of coastal environments. The projects include work with oyster reefs, wetlands, and longleaf pine forests. A large focus of

3500-681: The island. These projects also improve water quality through oysters' ability to filter 50 gallons of water per day. Southeast Coast Education: Through collaboration with the federation, Alderman Elementary School in Wilmington, N.C., implemented a rain garden to catch stormwater runoff and improve the water quality of nearby areas. Six additional rain gardens were installed in the year of 2011 at Bradley Creek Elementary School, also located in Wilmington. These collective projects have diverted over 100,000 gallons of stormwater runoff and served as an educational link between hands-on experiences and

3570-576: The largest cement producing and strip mining industries in the U.S. on the Cape Fear River . Emissions from the facility would release large amounts of mercury into the air and water supply that would threaten local ecosystems and approximately 1,000 acres of coastal wetlands. This project is also projected to negatively impact surface and groundwater quality throughout the Cape Fear River Basin. Central Coastal Issues: One of

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3640-616: The marsh areas. One such approach NCCF takes is advocating for the construction of "living shorelines" when necessary. Living shorelines are new alternatives to stabilize shorelines that utilize organic materials such as oyster reefs, coir fiber logs, wetland plants, stones, sand fill, and submerged aquatic vegetation. Living shorelines protect surrounding intertidal and riparian environments, improve water quality by filtration of runoff, decrease erosion rates and create terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Stormwater runoff Surface runoff (also known as overland flow or terrestrial runoff )

3710-768: The metabolic processes of the aquatic species that they host; these alterations can lead to death, such as fish kills , or alter the balance of populations present. Other specific impacts are on animal mating, spawning, egg and larvae viability, juvenile survival and plant productivity. Some research shows surface runoff of pesticides, such as DDT , can alter the gender of fish species genetically, which transforms male into female fish. Surface runoff occurring within forests can supply lakes with high loads of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus leading to eutrophication . Runoff waters within coniferous forests are also enriched with humic acids and can lead to humification of water bodies Additionally, high standing and young islands in

3780-577: The most beautiful rivers on the N.C.'s coast is the White Oak River , which is polluted by stormwater runoff pollution. Numerous areas of the river are closed to the harvest of oysters and clams because of bacteria contamination caused by land uses that cause polluted stormwater runoff. Northeast Coast Accomplishments: Through grant funding and other collaborations with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,

3850-786: The most devastating of natural disasters. The use of supplemental irrigation is also recognized as a significant way in which crops such as maize can retain nitrogen fertilizers in soil, resulting in improvement of crop water availability. Mitigation of adverse impacts of runoff can take several forms: Land use controls. Many world regulatory agencies have encouraged research on methods of minimizing total surface runoff by avoiding unnecessary hardscape . Many municipalities have produced guidelines and codes ( zoning and related ordinances ) for land developers that encourage minimum width sidewalks, use of pavers set in earth for driveways and walkways and other design techniques to allow maximum water infiltration in urban settings. An example of

3920-848: The municipal separate storm sewer system ("MS4"). EPA and state regulations and related publications outline six basic components that each local program must contain: Other property owners which operate storm drain systems similar to municipalities, such as state highway systems, universities, military bases and prisons, are also subject to the MS4 permit requirements. Runoff is analyzed by using mathematical models in combination with various water quality sampling methods. Measurements can be made using continuous automated water quality analysis instruments targeted on pollutants such as specific organic or inorganic chemicals , pH , turbidity, etc., or targeted on secondary indicators such as dissolved oxygen . Measurements can also be made in batch form by extracting

3990-476: The need for Monte Carlo models to simulate stormwater processes because of natural variations in multiple variables affecting runoff quality and quantity. The benefit of the Monte Carlo analysis is not to decrease uncertainty in the input statistics but to represent the different combinations of the variables that determine potential risks of water-quality excursions. One example of this type of stormwater model

4060-730: The pressing issue of erosion, NCCF has partnered with Audubon North Carolina to rebuild the nesting habitat of the Brown Pelican through a grant from TogetherGreen. Additional funding providers include the Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership, NOAA and Restore America's Estuaries . Southeast Coast Issues: In the Lockwood Folly River watershed there is an influx of pollution from stormwater runoff. Such runoff can contain sediments, fecal bacteria and other pollutants that enter

4130-504: The rate of rainfall on a surface exceeds the rate at which water can infiltrate the ground, and any depression storage has already been filled. This is also called Hortonian overland flow (after Robert E. Horton ), or unsaturated overland flow. This more commonly occurs in arid and semi-arid regions, where rainfall intensities are high and the soil infiltration capacity is reduced because of surface sealing , or in urban areas where pavements prevent water from infiltrating. When

4200-444: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title NCCF . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=NCCF&oldid=1213770925 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

4270-484: The seasonal flooding that deposited nutrients beneficial for crops. However, as the number and susceptibility of settlements increase, flooding increasingly becomes a natural hazard. In urban areas, surface runoff is the primary cause of urban flooding , known for its repetitive and costly impact on communities. Adverse impacts span loss of life, property damage, contamination of water supplies, loss of crops, and social dislocation and temporary homelessness. Floods are among

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4340-414: The shoreline's capacity to undergo natural processes and minimize estuarine habitats. NCCF feels that the best approach to battle erosion issues is to plan for erosion to occur and build as distant from the water's edge as possible. However, when this isn't possible NCCF supports utilizing stabilization techniques that induce the least amount of damage to natural ecosystems and uphold the natural structure of

4410-402: The soil on an up-slope portion of a hill, the water may flow laterally through the soil, and exfiltrate (flow out of the soil) closer to a channel. This is called subsurface return flow or throughflow . As it flows, the amount of runoff may be reduced in a number of possible ways: a small portion of it may evapotranspire ; water may become temporarily stored in microtopographic depressions; and

4480-442: The soil's infiltration capacity . During the next rainfall event, the infiltration capacity will cause the soil to be saturated at a different rate. The higher the level of antecedent soil moisture, the more quickly the soil becomes saturated. Once the soil is saturated, runoff occurs. Therefore, surface runoff is a significantly factor in the controlling of soil moisture after medium and low intensity storms. After water infiltrates

4550-470: The summer, leading to pronounced flow maxima in rivers affected by them. The determining factor of the rate of melting of snow or glaciers is both air temperature and the duration of sunlight. In high mountain regions, streams frequently rise on sunny days and fall on cloudy ones for this reason. In areas where there is no snow, runoff will come from rainfall. However, not all rainfall will produce runoff because storage from soils can absorb light showers. On

4620-579: The tropics and subtropics can undergo high soil erosion rates and also contribute large material fluxes to the coastal ocean. Such land derived runoff of sediment nutrients, carbon, and contaminants can have large impacts on global biogeochemical cycles and marine and coastal ecosystems. In the case of groundwater, the main issue is contamination of drinking water, if the aquifer is abstracted for human use. Regarding soil contamination , runoff waters can have two important pathways of concern. Firstly, runoff water can extract soil contaminants and carry them in

4690-567: The ultimate pollutant load delivered to receiving waters . One of the earliest models addressing chemical dissolution in runoff and resulting transport was developed in the early 1970s under contract to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This computer model formed the basis of much of the mitigation study that led to strategies for land use and chemical handling controls. Increasingly, stormwater practitioners have recognized

4760-461: The water quality and critically important natural habitats of the N.C. coast. Actions on Industrial Development: The federation has joined with numerous groups to help aid in the protection against water contaminants such as mercury and phosphates. The federation helped stop the construction of a sulfur plant in Morehead City that was to be built along the port wall, located directly on

4830-489: The water to percolate through soil . This causes lowering of the water table (because groundwater recharge is lessened) and flooding since the amount of water that remains on the surface is greater. Most municipal storm sewer systems discharge untreated stormwater to streams , rivers , and bays . This excess water can also make its way into people's properties through basement backups and seepage through building wall and floors. Surface runoff can cause erosion of

4900-552: The watershed and lead to problems within the ecosystem. To confront this issue, the federation has partnered with residents to build and implement two large rain gardens that will catch stormwater runoff from the surrounding paved areas of marinas, parking lots and roads. Low Impact Development : The federation works on multiple projects supporting Low Impact Development (LID) , a fairly recent strategy in reducing and preventing stormwater pollution in land development. Through collaboration with coastwide partners and governments, NCCF

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