Mud is a major source of pollution in our streams and lakes. Photo by John Jablonski III

When I first heard Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Executive Director John Jablonski say that “mud is pollution,” I was completely confused. The word pollution brings to mind Love Canal, acid mine runoff, Erin Brockovich and the Cuyahoga River burning in the 1960s.

But not mud.

Through the sustained efforts of many stakeholders, the industrial pollution that caused those tragic 20th century incidents has been significantly reduced. Today, our pollution looks different. Look at the picture here in the Chautauqua region, and I’m sure you’ll agree. That vast amount of mud in Chautauqua Lake is certainly pollution.

I have learned that the soils of our Chautauqua watersheds are glacially-deposited with high percentages of silt. This makes the soils highly erodible. We can find exposed soil in construction sites, road ditches, farm fields, yards, stream banks and poorly vegetated forest floors. When rainstorms pummel the exposed soil, each raindrop causes a mini explosion, releasing soil particles. Mud is actually these soil particles carried in water. If there is no barrier to slow the water and drop out the soil particles, the water will carry its load of mud to the nearest road ditch or stream. With our watersheds’ hilly terrain and erosive soils, the muddy rain water flows downhill. Add water from other sites, such as paved surfaces and compacted lawns, and the flow downstream accelerates. When the force of the water exceeds the strength of the streambank, even more soil erosion occurs. In addition to degrading the health of the stream itself, the mud continues downstream to our lakes and eventually settles out in the form of sediment, which reduces the depth of the lakes over time. Back to the exposed soil. These particles carry nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals into our streams and lakes. These minerals act as nutrients to feed invasive plants and algae blooms, negatively impacting the health and our enjoyment of the lakes. Eurasian watermilfoil, the most abundant invasive plant in Chautauqua Lake, thrives by this periodic onslaught of silt and fresh nutrients. SUNY-Brockport research on Conesus Lake showed that, where nutrient and stream erosion control practices were in place on tributaries, the abundance of milfoil declined near the mouth of such streams in subsequent years.

So, what can be done to stop polluting our lakes with mud? A lot.

¯CWC and its partners, the Soil and Water Conservation District, Chautauqua County, the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, have worked together to complete ten stream bank erosion control projects over the last three years on tributaries to Chautauqua Lake.

¯Erosion control laws have been adopted by the towns of Chautauqua, Ellery and North Harmony and the villages of Bemus Point, Celoron, Lakewood and Mayville. State stormwater and erosion control regulations affect larger excavation sites.

¯All excavation contractors now must have personnel that have completed a State erosion control class.

¯Most local highway departments are employing some degree of erosion control on their construction and routine ditching projects.

¯The Soil and Water Conservation District regularly hydroseeds excavated ditches for many municipalities.

As a landowner, you can protect the watershed from “mud pollution” by seeding and mulching bare spots in your yard and installing rain gardens and waterfront buffers. And if you see mud running into the streams or lakes, call the local municipality and ask them to help stop the mud pollution or call a NYSDEC Conservation Officer at 851-7000.

The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a not-for-profit agency dedicated to preserving and enhancing the water quality, scenic beauty and ecological health of the lakes, streams, wetlands and watersheds of the Chautauqua region. For more information, call 664-2166 or visit chautauquawatershed.org or facebook.com/chautauquawatershed.