When the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, the big river pollution problems were industrial outfalls and raw sewage. Now, most of these are under control.
What’s left? NON-POINT SOURCE pollution— contaminants from all over the landscape– fertilizers, pesticides, detergents, motor oil, fluids from cars, road salt, soil eroding from damaged land, and so on.
This pollution enters rivers and streams as Stormwater Runoff in rain or snowmelt.
Much of it runs from OUR houses and yards, down the nearest storm drain, and directly to the river, untreated. Its total impact on a river can rival that of the “bad old days” of industry and sewage.
We are now the major polluters of rivers like the Hoosic! And We need to do something about it.