About the Organizer
James H. Baker
Chickasaw Group, Sierra Club
P.O. Box 111094
Memphis, TN 38111
Phone: 901-826-2448
Email James.
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With a flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder a rainstorm begins. We normally think of rain as a good thing. It is when that rainfall mobilizes a source of pollution that the trouble begins. That trouble may take the form of silt and sediment washing off of various land disturbing activities such as construction, stream bed alterations and various farming practices to automotive oil, coolant, and other materials washing off of hundreds of acres of impervious surfaces, such as parking lots in our cities. According to the EPA's National Water Quality Inventory Report to Congress, storm water pollution is the largest source of coastal pollution in the United States.
What are four common sources of storm water pollution that are seen by the Tennessee Water Sentinels in the urban setting of Memphis, Tennessee?
 - Silt and sediment: A major source of silt and sediment is construction sites. While some developers try to control sediment on their sites, others do not do a good job at all.
Silt and sediment chokes streams and fish and aquatic life. According to the 2006 305(b) report put out by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, over 5,800 stream miles in Tennessee are adversely affected by silt and sediment.
- Street litter and other debris: Recyclable beverage containers, fast food containers, and almost everything else imaginable, gets tossed out by people that have not been educated in litter prevention. Litter chokes lakes and streams and causes visual pollution.
- Yard waste: When some people mow their yards, they sweep or dispose of yard waste into the street or a drainage channel. When yard waste washes into streams, it decomposes, and robs the water of oxygen that is needed for fish and other aquatic life.
- Household Hazardous Waste: A few people still use the storm drain to dispose of used motor oil. However, it doesn't take much oil to ruin water. About 1 gallon of used motor oil can pollute a million gallons of water, drastically increasing the costs of treatment to make that water fit for human consumption. Fortunately, many people have learned that many automotive parts stores now have places for do-it-yourselfers to take their old oil. They can also take it to a household hazardous waste disposal event.
People should learn this simple rhyme; "storm drains are for rain". It is a surprise to some people, but many cities do not treat their storm water at wastewater treatment plants. When it rains, there are unbroken connections from the storm drains to Earth's oceans. The cycle of storm water pollution is broken at source, not before the drain empties into a river.
For more on storm water, see:
http://www.sierraclub.org/cleanwater/reports_factsheets/ stormwater_factsheet.pdf
In addition to monitoring the Mississippi River at Memphis data obtained from sampling (pdf), the Tennessee Water Sentinels are on the alert for storm water pollution and we notify local and state pollution control agencies to eliminate the problem and help keep the streams in and around Memphis cleaner.
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There are lots of ways to help the Tennessee Water Sentinels!
The Tennessee Water Sentinels Campaign is based with the
Chickasaw Group of the Sierra Club in Memphis. The project
is currently working in and around the city of Memphis in
various urban streams. We're looking for interested folks
to help conduct research, participate in public outreach
events, and become volunteer water-quality monitors. There
are plenty of ways to help! For more information, contact
James Baker at (901) 826-2448, or tn_water_sentinel@yahoo.com
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