Refuse piles up in Little Rock’s Coleman Creek following a heavy rain.
Mary Hightower, UA System Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service has posted an online educational video series on the problems created by stormwater and the importance of preserving water quality.
Most of the 11 podcasts are between two and six minutes long and include information on watersheds, storm drains, stormwater, composting and instructions on how to build rain barrels and rain gardens.
“Stormwater can be very problematic, whether you’re a property owner or anyone who wants to improve water quality,” said John Pennington, Washington County extension agent. “Development requirements and pollution prevention practices can vary from county to county, state to state and watershed to watershed.”
Urban areas have it the hardest, he said, noting that stormwater flows down storm drains, becoming concentrated and flowing faster, because there is no porous substrate or vegetation to slow it down. This mass of stormwater can empty directly into creeks and streams, blast out streambanks and cause severe flooding.
The best thing to do, Pennington said, is to practice good water quality management.
“Since watersheds drain into major bodies of water where people live, work and play, it is everyone’s responsibility to maintain water quality,” he said.
The podcasts will be available for several months and were paid for by the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Podcasts available
- Composting to Protect Water Quality (6:03 minutes)
- How to Build a Rain Barrel to Protect Water Quality (7:28 minutes)
- How to Build a Rain Garden to Protect Water Quality (6:03 minutes)
- How to Calibrate the Fertilizer or Pesticide Spreader to Protect Water Quality (9:38 minutes)
- Measuring the Yard to Protect Water Quality (4:17 minutes)
- Protecting Water Quality by Properly Managing Pet Waste (2:20 minutes)
- Protecting Water Quality from Stormwater Runoff (4:22 minutes)
- Soil Testing to Protect Water Quality (2:39 minutes)
- Using Rain Barrels to Protect Water Quality (2:57 minutes)
- Using Rain Gardens to Protect Water Quality (3:24 minutes)
- What is a Watershed (5:51)
