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Created for use with the Renew Our Waters – An Introduction to Stormwater Power Point Presentation
Adapted from the Introduction to Storm Water: Impacts to Solutions
From the Earth Partnership for Schools
Storm Water Curriculum & Teaching Guide, January 2006
We encourage you to add local interest and information. Depending on your knowledge of the topic, you may want to expand the script to include regional examples.
The script is designed to follow the powerpoint presentation. Advance a slide (by clicking your mouse) and then begin the script associated with that slide. The majority of the slides are designed to have bulleted script coming in (as animation) on a mouse click. Anytime you see an asterisk (*), on the script, hit your mouse button for the next bullet to come up.
Information in parentheses/italics is extra information for the presenter.
1 Introduction
Slide
2 Water enjoyed by everyone.
3 Every Choice
Counts
4
5
Ground
Water
Surface
Water
6 Water Cycle
1
(To be left on the screen until the presentation starts. Presentation actually begins with Slide 2.)
Northeast Wisconsin’s Waters are enjoyed by people of all ages, all year round.
(Invite students to mention ways they enjoy Wisconsin’s waters)
*click to reveal intro to next slide
Every choice counts. We all live in a watershed and play a role in the health of its land and water. One way to take part in a healthy watershed is to understand storm water issues and take positive steps to improve water running over the land in our communities. Storm water has become one of the greatest problems to the watershed environment. Today we will learn about stormwater impacts and how to reduce those impacts.
Water – clean, good tasting water is important to all of us.
*click to reveal one reason why
You may not realize it, but approximately 80% of everyone in Wisconsin drinks water from wells. We depend on having a reliable ground water supply
We also value surface water: our lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands. These two things- water from the ground and our surface waterways – are connected.
Do you remember learning about the water cycle?
*Click 6 times to reveal cycle:
It rains; water flows down into streams and lakes, evaporates, forms clouds and then becomes rain again. That’s it, right???

7 Water Cycle
2
What is often not seen is the critical part where rain or snowmelt soaks into the ground to become groundwater.
(Point out the various parts of the water cycle in the graphic)
There are two ways water travels to area lakes, streams & rivers.
*Click to reveal
Infiltration & Runoff
8 Prairie Photo When rain falls here onto natural land, especially land filled with native prairie plants
*Click to reveal
Water can soak into the ground.
This natural prairie landscape has deep root systems that act like straws and direct rainwater into the ground.
9 River photo The water moves underground, becoming ground water and eventually
*Click to reveal
Ends up in our local rivers, lakes and streams.
10 How it gets there
11 Roadway
We can see ground water once again becoming surface water most clearly through
Natural Springs like the one pictured. This water has been filtered through plants, rocks, sand and soil so it is clean when entering waterways.
Rain that falls here onto city roads, parking lots, rooftops and other hard surfaces without intervention,
*Click to reveal
Becomes urban runoff or stormwater.
12 Polluted Bay This water also moves underground but instead of making it’s way through rocks, dirt and sand it travels through a series of stormwater pipes until
*Click to reveal
It ultimately ends up in a local waterbody.
This photo of the Bay of Green Bay in Brown County was taken Tuesday, April 12,
2011 after a severe storm event the weekend before. This photo shows runoff
13 How it gets there -
Stormwater
14 How it gets there - storm drains entering the Bay of Green Bay. Although, the large sediment plumb was generated from up-stream agricultural runoff not urban runoff this photo show the significance of polluted runoff to local water quality.
It is important to note that
STORMWATER runoff is rain or snowmelt
AND
Water from things people do, like overwatering the lawn or washing their car on the driveway
Water that falls onto hard urban surfaces follows the road or parking lot to a storm drain.
*Click to reveal
As stormwater makes its way to the storm drain it picks up pollutants like oil from car leaks, fertilizers from yards and bacteria from pet waste.
*Click to reveal
Water enters the storm drain, carrying all sorts of pollutants with it.

15 How it gets there - discharge pipe
16 Increasing
Surface
Runoff
17 Aerial photo of conservation subdivision
Once inside the storm drain, the water and pollutants follow a series of underground pipes. Often urban runoff, stormwater, is directly discharged into nearby water bodies without any water quality treatment.
According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency – Untreated Runoff is the biggest threat to our nation’s water quality.
Runoff can come from urban, rural or agricultural sources. Today, we are focusing on the impacts of urban stormwater runoff.
Urbanization significantly changes the water balance especially in regard to
Increasing Surface Runoff.
Before land is developed with houses, businesses and roads – 50% of the water soaks in and only 10% runs off.
Then as development takes place, more and more water runs off instead of soaking in. In a typical community, 35% soaks in and 30% runs off. In a commercial area with large roofs and parking lots, very little water soaks in – only
15%. Just about a reverse of what happens naturally.
This wasn’t as great a problem
*Click to reveal
When cities and the amount of impervious or hard surfaces were small.
(This aerial photo is of a conservation subdivision where special practices have been put in to encourage infiltration; point out the green space areas)
18 Aerial urban But as cities grew, the problem grew
(Note the increased built area and the lack of green space or lawns.)
19 Flooded stream photo
20 Street flooding photo
21 Eroded
22 stream bank photo
Green Water photo
Urbanization significantly changes the amount of hard (impervious) surface. As impervious surface increases so does the amount of stormwater runoff.
This is a photo of a flooded stream. In a natural watershed the water level in the stream will gradually rise and then fall after a rain. This is because much of the water from the rainstorm soaks into the ground and gradually enters the stream from underground.
However, when a watershed has been developed and impervious surfaces have increased. The water runs in tremendous volumes and with great force immediately following the rain event, this can flood local streams and rivers where the runoff is discharged. The water levels of these same streams and rivers will then quickly drop down because very little water soaks into the ground to later feed the stream. Therefore, in many parts of our state streams that once flowed year-round now have extreme floods in the spring and then dry up.
The change in how water flows in streams causes many problems. Flooded city streets have become more common in many communities in Wisconsin during rainy seasons in recent years. Flooding is not just a problem for cities but farmland too. Many farmers who are downstream from cities are finding their fields flooding more often, not only in the spring but sometimes several times a year.
The great force of the increased runoff causes massive erosion along stream banks.
The line of rocks shows where the original stream bank was and how much land eroded away.
Too much water isn’t our only concern; it’s also what’s in the runoff. Urbanization increases the pollutants in stormwater runoff and decreases the water quality in our local streams, rivers and lakes.

23 Nutrients
If you need to cut slides due to time constraints the slides between the two grey lines can be removed without jeopardizing the message
There are many pollutants in stormwater runoff.
Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous are substances needed for growth, but elevated levels can cause a health hazard in drinking water and stimulate excessive aquatic plant growth, which can ultimately lower dissolved oxygen levels.
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how nutrients may enter stormwater)
*click to view sources of nutrients – have students read together
24 Pathogens Pathogens are disease-causing bacteria and viruses associated with the presence of fecal matter that cause beach closures.
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how pathogens may enter stormwater)
*click to view sources of pathogens – have students read together
25 Debris
26
27
28
Sediment
Toxic
Contaminants
Thermal
Stress
29 Turning
Healthy
Streams
Debris includes plastics and other trash that threaten aquatic life and detract from recreational and aesthetic values
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how debris may enter stormwater)
*click to view sources of debris – have students read together
Sediment is eroded soil or sand which smothers aquatic habitat, carries pollutants, and reduces water clarity.
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how sediment may enter stormwater)
*click to view sources of sediment – have students read together
Toxic contaminants are compounds like heavy metals and pesticides that can threaten the health of both aquatic and human life, and are often resistant to breakdown.
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how toxic contaminants may enter stormwater)
*click to view sources of toxic contaminants – have students read together
Thermal stress is an elevation in water temperature that can harm native species while helping nonnative species to spread
(Students can be encouraged to discuss how urbanization would increase thermal
stress)
*click to view sources that elevate water temperature – have students read together
If you need to cut slides due to time constraints the slides between the two grey lines can be removed without jeopardizing the message
Healthy streams have bottoms rich with cobbles, gravels or sand and are habitats for many animals,
*Click 2 times to reveal
large ( A rusty crayfish)
*Click 2 times to reveal and small (A mayfly… the foundation of the water food chain) depend on healthy streams
*Click to reveal
Polluted runoff is turning our healthy streams….

30 Into
Unsuitable
Homes
Into Unsuitable Homes
Again, notice the bottom of this stream, rich with cobbles, gravels and sand…
*Click to reveal
Soil from runoff fills in the spaces between the rocks eliminating important habitat. What was once a vibrant stream with deep holes, rocky riffles and clean bottoms is now a muddy bottom where little can live except for very hardy worms and insects.
*Click to reveal
Soil and Fertilizers together do the same thing they do on land – grow plants.
These plants can cause significant problems for aquatic life, like fish, when they grow excessively.
What we do at home, at school and at work affects our lakes, streams and rivers. 31 Dump no waste, drains to stream.
32 Decrease
Quantity
33 Less Hard
Surface
We can decrease the quantity of polluted runoff entering our rivers and lakes.
The more concrete or blacktop property has, the more water will run off the property and into storm drains and ditches.
*Click to reveal benefits – 2 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
34 Rain Gardens A Rain Garden is a shallow depression planted with native plants. They collect and temporarily hold runoff water, promoting infiltration and removing pollutants.
*Click to reveal benefits – 1 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
35 Rain Barrels A rain barrel captures water that flows from a home’s roof through downspouts.
Water collected can be used to water plants throughout the yard
*Click to reveal benefits – 2 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
36 Redirect
Down Spouts
Redirect downspouts onto an unpaved surface.
*Click to reveal benefits – 1 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
37 Water less When watering is needed use a sprinkler that shoots low to the ground. Sprinkle soil, not the street.
*Click to reveal benefits – 2 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
We can increase the quality of runoff entering our rivers and lakes 38 Increase
Quality
39 Mowing
40 Fertilizing &
Weed
Control
Grass clippings that are entering our local waterways are contributing to the green algae blooms we are seeing in waters throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
To help keep grass clippings out of the stormwater
*Click to reveal “To keep grass clippings out of the stormwater”
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 2 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
Chemicals and weed killers are not needed for a healthy lawn, and they’re one of the main reasons we have green algae in our lakes and streams.
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 3 fly ins.
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)

41 Pet Waste Pet waste is not only an unpleasant find on yard or sidewalk, but it carries bacteria that contribute to beach closings in the summer.
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 3 fly ins.
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
42 Car Washing When you wash your car in a driveway or street, wash water flows into the storm drain and directly into local rivers – along with dirt, emission and detergent
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 3 fly ins.
43
44
Vehicle
Maintenance
Mindful
Driving
45 Household
Hazardous
Waste
46 Dump no waste – drains to stream
47 Credits
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
From time to time, we’ve all notices an oily sheen on water in streets and parking lots. It’s the result of small leaks, accumulated residues, and fuel overfills from our cars. When a vehicle is maintained, fewer leaks spill onto streets and highways and fewer contaminants enter our stream.
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 1 fly in.
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
We all know air quality is affected by vehicle emissions. But did you know emissions affect water quality?
Tiny particles emitted from tail pipes settle on roadways, wash into storm drains then flow to rivers and streams. Street sweeping can minimize the impact of this pollution but rain and melting snow still carry contaminants to storm drains.
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 3 fly ins.
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points)
Certain household chemicals, when not used up properly become household hazardous waste. Products such as: Cleaning products and wash water, food oils and grease, automotive oil, grease and waste fluids, paint, petroleum-based solvents, rodent baits, batteries, herbicides, pesticides, concrete wash water, and sidewalk salt contain the same chemicals as strictly regulated industrial wastes.
*Click to reveal what students can do to impact water quality – 3 fly ins
(Encourage student participation reading bulleted points – Make sure to read
between each bullet)
Handle with Care - To avoid the potential risks associated with household wastes, always have an adult monitor the use, storage and disposal of products with potentially hazardous substances.
Dispose of properly - All of the counties in Northeast Wisconsin have Household
Hazardous Waste drop off programs or collection days, often referred to as Clean
Sweep days or programs. Contact your local environmental, health or solid waste agency for instructions on proper use and disposal.
Use less – The quantity of waste from a single household may be small but that quantity adds up fast considering the number of households in Northeast
Wisconsin
If you wouldn’t dump it in the river, don’t let it touch parking lots, soil or any other place where it can be washed into a ditch or storm drain. Every choice we make counts.