STORM DRAINS

STORM DRAIN Water that enters storm drains goes directly into the lake. The water is not cleaned or filtered before it enters the lake.

STORM DRAINS This is the storm drain by the Henry Street Bridge. This is after 1 inch of rain. Any dirt, oil, or other pollutants on the road will wash directly into Mona Lake.

STORM DRAINS Water from sprinklers will run into storm drains and pick up pollutants along the way.

STORM DRAINS

PESTICIDES Farmers use crop duster planes to spray pesticides on their crops.

PESTICIDES Pesticides are sprayed on crops to keep insects from eating the fruits and vegetables. Pesticides run off into nearby lakes when it rains.

FERTILIZER Farmers spread fertilizers on their crops to make the fruits and vegetables grow bigger and more quickly. Farmers make more money if their crops yield more food/acre.

FERTILIZER Your parents may spread fertilizer on your lawn with a tool like this. Fertilizers make the grass really green.

FERTILIZER Your parents may spread fertilizer on your lawn with a tool like this. Fertilizers make the grass really green.

FERTILIZER leads to EUTROPHICATION This is an algal bloom on the south send of Mona Lake.

FERTILIZER leads to EUTROPHICATION Fertilizers make the algae grow too quickly. Plants grow like crazy in the water. Plants eventually die because the algae on top blocks sunlight from penetrating to the bottom plants. Bacteria decompose the dead plants and use all the oxygen in the water. Fish die and the water becomes shallower, warmer, muckier. Eventually the lake fills in.

FERTILIZER leads to EUTROPHICATION This lake is quickly “aging” toward becoming land again. This process is called SUCCESSION.

FERTILIZER Many towns have passed laws making fertilizers with phosphorous illegal. Muskegon passed this law last year, but it was overturned. Ask your parents to purchase phosphorous free fertilizers.

MANURE Today many farms are overcrowded. Cattle don’t have a large open area to roam. The manure the animals produce can be a huge risk to water quality.

MANURE Manure stored in the open, like this, will runoff into lakes and rivers. The nutrients in manure act the same as fertilizer and cause algae blooms in the lakes.

MANURE Good farming practices include building a lagoon with a plastic liner to hold the waste where it can be treated and used in beneficial ways.

MANURE Good farming practices include building a lagoon with a plastic liner to hold the waste where it can be treated and used in beneficial ways.

INDUSTRY and ACID RAIN Exhaust from factories mixes with rain and causes acid rain. Laws have been passed making factories responsible for filtering the exhaust.

CARS and ACID RAIN What could you and your family do to reduce this problem? Cars are the leading cause of acid rain.

DAMAGE from ACID RAIN Acid rain kills trees. Acid rain weathers rocks.

IMAGINE what ACID RAIN does to WATER!