PERMEABLE SURFACE ⇨ RESERVOIR/LAKE

What’s the Story?

Whoa! Slow down! When water from precipitation that is steady or intense falls on a permeable surface like soil, it is likely to create runoff or cause erosion. Erosion is when soils and loose debris are carried along and the land is worn away by the flow of moving water, often leading to the nearest body of water. Erosion is prevented or minimized by protecting natural environments like forests, wetlands, and riparian areas (buffers of vegetation along the edge of a waterway) - the plants hold the soil firm, stabilize the ground, slow the movement of water, and help filter pollutants. The most effective plants are typically those that are native or natural to the area in a healthy and intact ecosystem, as compared with ornamental plants, lawns, and farm fields. Although soil is “natural,” it can be considered a type of pollution. When bodies of water are filled by runoff that carries sediments from the land, the quality of the water is impacted (this is known as “turbidity”).

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