Siltation: Why Should I Care about Mud?
A leading cause of water pollution in KY is sediment runoff from construction sites. Sediment runoff rates from construction sites are usually 10-20x higher than those of agricultural lands and 1000-2000x higher than those of forested lands.
If developers don’t properly prevent erosion or control sediment from exiting their sites, it violates federal law and degrades the quality of human & aquatic life.
(Illegally slashed to allow muddy water off site)
(Illegally tracked off site)
What Can You Do?
See Something –
- Mud or rock in any road or
- Failing, damaged, overwhelmed, compromised silt fences or
- Mud(dy)/water flowing under silt fences or
- Failure to maintain (6” depth of) gravel at each house/construction site entrance
Say Something – Contact MSD
- Colette.Easter@louisvillemsd.org
- Bob.Stauble@louisvillemsd.org
- With address/location of violation(s) and name of development
- Photos are very helpful
Impacts of Excessive Sediment
On Humans
- Causes property damage, reduces property values
- Clogs stormwater pipes & natural storage/floodplain, resulting in increased flooding
- Increases drinking water treatment costs & decreases availability
- Increases life-threatening (to pets/humans) algal blooms
- Decreases recreational enjoyment
On Aquatic Life/Animals
- Prevents fish, mussels, and animals from getting sufficient oxygen
- Leads to wildlife habitat loss
- Damages gills
- Suffocates fish/insect eggs
- Prevents plants from making & animals from finding food
- Soaks up heat and harmful chemicals, leading to algal blooms
“Any soil that is not protected from rainfall or runoff may be vulnerable to erosion and become a source of sediment pollution.”
“Historically, when stream levels rose, water escaped into the floodplain, where energy was dissipated and water was absorbed into the ground. However, because of development, there are more hard, impervious, man-made structures like roads and rooftops in both urban and rural areas, and streams in both landscapes now handle more stormwater compared to those in natural settings.”
– PennState Extension
“Sediment washing into streams is one of the biggest water quality problems in Kentucky. Sediment muddies up the water, kills or weakens fish and other organisms, and ruins wildlife habitat. It is not difficult to reduce erosion and prevent sediment from leaving construction sites. “
– KY Erosion Prevention & Sediment Prevention Guide
“Human disturbances increase the volume of stormwater generated through the addition of impervious surfaces such as parking lots, rooftops, and paved streets. For example, a typical paved driveway 15 by 50 feet can generate over 230 gallons of stormwater runoff during a half inch rainfall. This volume of stormwater is enough to fill a 60-gallon bathtub almost four times!”
“Siltation is a leading cause of impairment to Kentucky’s waterways with much of the suspended sediments originating at construction sites.”
– Reducing Stormwater Pollution
Multiple government agencies and inspectors acknowledge the lack of inspectors or enforcement officers required to adequately ensure compliance. The overall system is designed for developers to self-regulate. Ultimately, the community and ecosystem depend on developers to do the right thing even when no one is looking. That has worked out pretty well for them and not too well for everyone else.
The community must step up. Louisville Keep Your Fork continues to inform people and encourage community engagement. Reach out with any questions.