Drops of Water June 1999

Drops
Of
Water

Issue 31 June 1999

This newsletter appears monthly in 45,000 households throughout the watershed. Printing is done by The Chronicle, and distribution is by the Chronicle, the Olympia Daily Olympian, the Tenino Independent, the Rochester Sun News and the Aberdeen Daily World. This is an early edition available only to WWW users. Please send us your Drops of Water feedback.

The first people to find errors in spelling or word structure receive a free map of the Chehalis watershed. Send us an e-mail note telling us about the error.

Inside this issue:

Chehalis River in Hot Water
Conservation Easements: Top Land Protection Tool
Fresh Water In Washington
Did You Know?
Floods:
Seals, Sea Lions, and Salmon
Wet weather septic system checks
The Chehalis River Council is Looking for Volunteer Monitors!
Water Quality: Field and Laboratory Methods
Youth Corner
Youth Corner answers
Coming Events
Forests Offer Tree-mendous Benefits

Chehalis River in Hot Water

Temperature control strategy developed for the Upper Chehalis River

Kahle Jennings, Wa. Dept of Ecology

Water temperatures in some areas of the Upper Chehalis River Watershed (WRIA 23) have become so warm during June and July that it can not support all the life-cycle stages of cold water fish (salmon, steelhead, and trout). In some cases, the temperatures are so warm that they can be lethal for these species.

Under the Clean Water Act, every state has its own standards designed to protect water quality. Most of the upper Chehalis River is classified in the State Water Quality Standards as Class "A" waters. Class "A" waters should support migration, rearing, and spawning of cold water fish species. Temperatures in these waters should not be warmer than 18.0 degrees C (64.4° Fahrenheit). When natural river conditions cause the temperature to exceed 18.0 degrees C, no temperature increases due to human activities can be allowed that will raise the receiving water temperature by greater than 0.3 degrees C.

Water quality monitoring shows that temperature criteria are exceeded in at least 19 segments of 9 different streams in the upper Chehalis River watershed. The following streams are included on Washington State's 1998 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters because portions of them violate the temperature criteria of the State Water Quality Standards:

Black River
Chehalis River (mainstem)
Chehalis River, South Fork
Dillenbaugh Creek
Lincoln Creek
Newaukum River
Salzer Creek
Scatter Creek
Skookumchuck River

Temperature data collected in the Upper Chehalis River Basin show a definite pattern of seasonal variation. Most of the year temperature criteria are met. The critical period for temperature in the Upper Chehalis River Basin is in the months of June and July.

When a lake, river or stream fails to meet water quality standards the Federal Clean Water Act requires that the state place the water body on a list of "impaired" waters, and that an analysis called a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) be prepared. A TMDL evaluates the water quality problem and the pollutant sources that cause the problem. The TMDL determines the amount of a given pollutant that can be discharged to the water body and still meet standards. The goal of a TMDL is to ensure the impaired water will attain water quality standards so that is supports designated beneficial uses.

THE UPPER CHEHALIS RIVER TEMPERATURE TMDL

The Upper Chehalis River TMDL has been developed for heat (i.e. incoming solar radiation). Heat is considered a pollutant under Section 502(6) of the Clean Water Act. Heat generated by the amount of solar radiation from sunlight reaching the stream provides energy that raises water temperatures. A decrease in shade is the result of a lack of adequate riparian vegetation and causes a subsequent increase in solar radiation and thermal load. Human activities that contribute to degraded riparian vegetation conditions include agricultural activities, residential and urban development, and silvicultural activities. The Upper Chehalis River temperature TMDL establishes goals for a shade as a surrogate measure for incoming solar radiation. This study found over 30% of riparian vegetation has been lost or reduced in the upper basin.

Two other factors that influence the distribution of heat are assessed in the study: instream flow and channel morphology. Low flows may contribute to high temperatures by reducing the volume of water that can absorb incoming heat. Channel shape and condition may also influence heat distribution. With increased sediment loads, stream channels may become wider and shallower allowing more thermal radiation to be absorbed by the water surface.

The Upper Chehalis River system has had base flows established for the protection of instream uses (e.g. salmonid habitat) at 14 locations by state rule. Recent assessments of compliance with that rule show that streams are not meeting these flows between 33 to 77 days per year. The water rights and claims exceed the critical low flow conditions (7Q10) by 400%.

Both of the additional factors evaluated, instream flow and channel morphology, had an important effect on stream temperatures. However, neither will be used in setting load allocations. The significant issue of over-allocation of the instream flow resources will be difficult to solve short of court adjudication. The stream morphology that is not considered good for anadromous fish habitat cannot be quantitatively linked to a manageable pollutant as required by EPA guidance for TMDLs. Even if the sediment load were reduced enough to narrow the stream channel width, riparian vegetation would have to be introduced and grown to existing heights to achieve the results obtained by the modeling analysis.

It has been shown that managing riparian shading alone can achieve stream temperature standards. Therefore, the load allocation and implementation strategy will be based on restoring and maintaining riparian shade. If a future assessment can show a quantifiable link between sediment load and stream channel morphology, the TMDL may be revised to trade allocations between the shade measure established and sediment management practices. Likewise, if water rights can be returned to the river through conservation or adjudication, the TMDL may be revised to trade allocations between the shade measure established and the higher flows.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

The modeling results and the loading capacity show that existing shade levels are not sufficient to meet stream temperature standards throughout the Upper Chehalis River Basin. First, the existing riparian vegetation must be maintained. In addition, some sort of restoration will be needed to achieve the shade levels set as load allocations.

The passive restoration strategy involves the protection of existing riparian areas as reserves combined with some silvicultural work to reach the existing vegetative potential rapidly. The strategy would be to allow existing species to attain old growth stage without species replacement. For existing confers at an average site index of 100, that would be a Western Hemlock dominated forest of 200 years with a height of 125 feet. For existing hardwoods at an average site index of 100, that would be a Red Alder dominated forest of 60 years with a height of 100 feet. The results of a passive restoration approach would be that all listed segments would meet temperature standards by the time existing vegetation reached old growth stage.

Even though passive restoration has been shown to eventually meet standards, active tree planting must still be conducted so that all riparian corridors have riparian shade. The model assumed that non-forested land uses had a 50% density of hardwoods. The passive restoration assumed that this increased to 85% density. This means that reaches that are now devoid of trees should be planted to help achieve the higher density for these lands.

The public is invited to comment on this draft study until June 4, 1999. An electronic copy of the draft Upper Chehalis River Basin Temperature TMDL may be obtained by E-mailing Kahle Jennings at kjen461@ecy.wa.gov. To obtain a paper copy of the TMDL, contact Cathy Brockmann at 407-6270.

Written comments should be postmarked no later than June 4, 1999 and mailed to:

Kahle Jennings

Department of Ecology,

Southwest Regional Office

P.O. Box 47775

Olympia, WA 98504-7775

Comments will also be accepted through electronic mail at kjen461@ecy.wa.gov through June 4, 1999.

For further information call (360) 407-6269

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS: TOP LAND PROTECTION TOOL

Janet Strong, Chehalis River Basin Land Trust

Local and regional land trusts nearly quadrupled the acreage they protected with conservation easements from 1988 to 1998, according to Land Trust Alliance's 1998 National Land Trust Census. As of 1998, local and regional land trusts held 7,392 conservation easements, protecting approximately 1.4 million acres, compared to just 290,000 acres protected in 1988. The 1998 figure represents a 378 percent increase compared to 1988.

Those are the large figures and the future looks bright for the conservation of natural lands, but what does it mean for the individual landowner? Well, last year I donated a conservation easement on my seven acre forest next to my house. I would like to share some of my thoughts on why I did that. First of all, I enjoy my woods immensely. It is home to deer and elk, owls, pileated woodpeckers and songbirds, raccoons, mice, moles, squirrels and banana slugs. Several kinds of trees, shrubs and ground cover enrich it, especially in the spring when all is flowering. Each time I walk into it I see something I hadn't noticed before. It is home to me, too.

Much of the lands surrounding my forest have been logged and/or cleared. It stands there as valuable cover and living quarters for lots of creatures who no longer find enough habitat on the surrounding lands. And each year it gets a little closer to becoming a fully mature forest. I want it to keep right on growing into a more valuable wildlife sanctuary, ultimately into an old-growth parcel, well beyond my lifetime. So I have entrusted its fate in the hands of the Chehalis River Basin Land Trust with a legally binding conservation easement. This document is filed with the county along with the deed and will "run with the land" as does any other easement. The easement limits what can be done with this seven acres to those activities which do no harm to the forest habitat and inhabitants. The land trust will ensure that these instructions are followed.

How do I feel about all this? Sure, I gave up the right to log it or turn it into pasture or to subdivide it. But, I feel good about knowing that my little forest, with all its varied features and residents, will stay a forest for a long, long time. I, and whoever lives here after me, will always be able to walk around in its cool shadows, listening to the tapping of the woodpecker, the chattering of the wren, following the new elk trails, admiring the flowers and the mosses and watching the growth and changes as it becomes a better and more interesting place to be.

FRESH WATER IN WASHINGTON

Miles of rivers and streams:

73,886

Number of lakes:

4,174

Statewide total lake area:

466,296 acres

Statewide total wetland area:

907,709 acres

Did You Know?

The runoff from a one-acre meadow during a 1" rainstrom would fill an 80 square foot office to a depth of 2 feet 8 inches.

The run off from a one-acre paved parking lot would fill six offices, floor to ceiling.

Floods:

A variety of human activities, such as filling wetlands and covering land with impervious surfaces, can lead to increased surface runoff and flooding. When water is not allowed to percolate into the soil, groundwater sources are not adequately recharged. This can contribute to a shortage of available water for domestic uses.

Seals, Sea Lions, and Salmon

Mike Kelly, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

At just about every public presentation I've given recently, this question comes up: Why aren't we doing anything to stop seals from eating salmon? I never have a good answer, so I've decided to do some digging and find out what the story is. Besides, what better way to find out if anyone reads my little articles than to maybe generate a few phone calls with a controversial topic?

Luckily, I didn't have to dig too far. The National Marine Fisheries Service document cited below summarizes pretty much everything that the federal government, local agencies, and other entities know about the topic. The report describes feeding habits, behavior, known impacts, ecological considerations, information gaps, and describes some specific attempts to control predation by seals and sea lions. Most of what I say comes either from this report, or from recent newspaper accounts. You can view the report on-line at: http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/pubs/tm/tm28/tm28.htm#toc

Obviously, the federal government is considering the issue. Officials are looking at the issue, especially with recent Endangered Species Act listings for salmon, and increasing populations of seals and sea lions. The report states: In the 1994 Amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Congress directed that a scientific investigation be conducted to "determine whether California sea lions and Pacific harbor seals a) are having a significant negative impact on the recovery of Salmonid fishery stocks which have been listed as endangered species or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act . . . , or which the Secretary finds are approaching such endangered species or threatened species status; or b) are having broader impacts on the coastal ecosystems of Washington, Oregon, and California." It is the results of this investigation that make up the report.

The amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act also made it possible, under very strict conditions, for states to "lethally remove" problem seals and sea lions. These conditions were met at the Ballard Locks in Seattle, however no sea lions have yet been killed. After several different attempts to frighten and intimidate the sea lions, and after careful studies to document the problem, the state captured three of the five most notorious sea lions in 1996 and shipped them off to a park in Florida (the other two have not returned). With the prime suspects gone, the strategy now is to emit sounds that irritate sea lions to keep newcomers out of the locks. (Once they learn to catch salmon at the locks, they tend to ignore the sounds.) Since then, observations of predation by sea lions at Ballard have declined dramatically, and numbers of steelhead observed going up the fish ladder have actually increased. Of course, we have only two seasons of observations to go by, but it appears that the strategy is working.

The thing that biologists are careful to point out about the Ballard situation is that it was not a general problem with sea lions; it appears to have been a problem with a few individual sea lions. Many other sea lions are observed in adjacent waters of Puget Sound, however they do not appear to be feeding on steelhead. I personally think that this is a very important point. Let me explain why.

The report stresses that we need to consider the fact that we are managing ECOSYSTEMS.

Fading fast (hopefully) are the days when we simply managed one species, or other natural element, and expected everything else to remain the way we want it.

We have been burned too many times by not considering the broader implications of our management actions. (Just look at the problems we caused by removing logs from streams, thinking that it would help salmon by making it easier for them to swim up stream.) We have learned that ecosystems are very complicated things to manage indeed. Here is an excerpt from the report that gives examples of what ecosystem considerations we may face with managing seals and sea lions.

"..reduction of pinniped (seals and sea lions, etc.) numbers may increase the population of other predators of commercial fish, thus reducing the population of the commercial fish because predatory fish are greater consumers of fish than marine mammals or sea birds. For example, South African Cape fur seals feed on both anchovy and squid, and if the fur seal population were reduced, the squid population which also consumes anchovies would increase and cause a reduction in anchovies available to the fishery. In another example, because Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions are predators of lamprey, decreasing the seal and sea lion population could increase the lamprey population. Lampreys are parasites which can affect both growth and survival of salmonids; consequently, pinnipeds may benefit certain salmonid populations by limiting the lamprey population."

So, it may be painful to sit and watch a seal kill salmon all day, but what if that seal also eats hundreds of lamprey, and other predatory fish? He may be more valuable to the salmon population alive than dead. Nature is messy and complicated. We are seeing more and more that the adage "everything is connected" looks to be true. Surprising relationships are being discovered in nature all the time - things that we would never have predicted. Anyway, had there been widespread "lethal removal" of sea lions at Ballard , other problems may have resulted.

So, the federal government has decided that it may be necessary to permanently remove seals or sea lions in certain cases, but we need to answer several questions first. Is the level of predation enough to jeopardize the run of fish? Is there some man-made constriction (like the locks at Ballard, or a hatchery intake, etc.), or other situation that makes the salmon easy prey? And if so, can the man-made problem be corrected? Which animals are really doing the most damage? Is there some other way to keep them away from the area? So far Ballard is the only place where all these questions have been answered. (By the way, the answers were: yes, yes, no, those five, and no.)

Whether you hate those salmon-eating-stink-breaths, or are a big time pimped hugger, or fall somewhere in between, you've got to hand it to them - they are SMART. They learn to ignore and outwit our best attempts to fool and frighten them. When they've been captured and moved (as far as from Ballard to California), they have come right back and have been impossible to catch again. And in at least one case when researchers threw firecrackers, or "seal bombs," the sea lions began to surface in an unpredictable pattern - like a fighter pilot using evasive maneuvers.

Anyway, there are clear reasons why we don't just shoot the seals and sea lions to save the salmon. However, we humans create all sorts of difficult situations, and are forced to make difficult decisions as a result. You won't find me advocating the "lethal removal" of seals or sea lions anytime soon, but I am certainly willing to help examine a particular situation. So, call me if you know of a place, or places, in the Chehalis River Basin where seals or sea lions are preying on salmon that are concentrated due to a man-made structure. I can at least help you document the situation, and perhaps some alteration can be made to the structure, or some other non-lethal measure can be taken.

Mike Kelly, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chehalis Fisheries Restoration Program, 360-753-9560.

Reference National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). 1997. Investigation of Scientific Information on the Impacts of California Sea Lions and Pacific Harbor Seals on Salmonids and on the Coastal Ecosystems of Washington, Oregon, and California. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-NWFSC-28, 172 p.

Wet weather septic system checks

By Teri King, Washington Sea Grant Program

Some things are much easier to observe during wet weather than any other time. Leakage into your septic system and lot drainage are two such things. If you have effluent or solids pumps as part of your system, now is a good time to check for leakage into the system. If you have controls that record the number of times the pump starts and the length of time it stays on, record those numbers. More than the usual number of cycles or a longer run-time can indicate a problem. Call your installer or your local health department if you have questions about how to interpret the results.

If you don't have system controls that record information, listen to hear if the pump seems to be starting too frequently to be explained by the water usage in your home. Remember, your drainfield was not designed to handle household sewage and large volumes of water leaking into your system.

For septic systems without pumps, look at the drainfield area to see if water is accumulating. Make sure that roof drainage, driveway run-off and any water running onto your property isn't impacting your septic system.

Excess water from all sources is a major cause for temporary or intermittent septic system failure. If your drainfield area is saturated in wet weather, minimize your household water use as much as possible. Shorten the length of showers and reduce laundry washing and anything other household water uses that are avoidable.

Although septic systems are traditionally placed out of sight, homeowners need to know where they are and how they function. By learning and using simple maintenance and care techniques owners can avoid inconvenient problems and costly repairs.

The Chehalis River Council is Looking for Volunteer Monitors!

The Chehalis River Council's volunteer river monitoring program is now starting up, and we are looking for interested volunteers. The idea behind the program is that each volunteer will pick a site along a river or stream in the Chehalis Basin where they will regularly monitor the river's hydrology, water quality, and ecology. The program consists of:

1. General observations of river flow conditions, sediments, bank erosion, stream-side vegetation, fish habitat, wildlife, and human uses;

2. Hydrologic measurements of water level, stream width, depth, and velocity;

3. Water quality sampling using kits designed for educational monitoring.

Volunteers will keep a log of their observations in a field notebook, and submit a short report to the Chehalis River Council at the end of each year. The goal is to create a basin-wide network of river watchers who will exchange information and work together to improve conditions in the rivers and streams of the Chehalis Basin.

To begin the program we will be holding a training/orientation seminar at the Centralia Library on Thursday, June 17th at 7:00 pm. If you are interested in participating or have questions, please call Rob Schanz at (360) 291-3725.

Water Quality: Field and Laboratory Methods

Rob Schanz, Chehalis River Council

The following is the second in a series of lessons developed by the Chehalis River Council to educate students and the general public about measuring water quality.

This curriculum was funded through a grant from the U.S. EPA, and is part of a program run through the Onalaska School District for students throughout Lewis County. Other lessons include:

- Developing Sampling Plans

- Quality Assurance/Quality Control

- Data Interpretation

These are all available on the internet at www.crcwater.org/onalaska.

This lesson is designed to give you an overview of the different kinds of field and laboratory methods people use. The important idea to learn here is that each method has advantages and disadvantages. As you would expect, inexpensive and easy-to-use methods are usually not as accurate, while highly accurate methods often cost a lot. It is important to understand this tradeoff so that you can select a method that fits the goals of your water quality project.

The three major types of methods are field test kits, calibrated instruments, and laboratory analysis.

FIELD TEST KITS

Field test kits measure water quality in the field, and require very little training or equipment. The exact methods vary, but most involve adding tablets to a 5- to 10-milliliter water sample. The tablet contains a chemical that reacts with the water sample, causing it to change color after a short period of time. The concentration of the chemical you are measuring is then shown by the intensity of the color. For example, in the GREEN test kit dissolved oxygen is measured by adding two tablets to a sample. If the sample remains clear, there is very little dissolved oxygen. If it turns pinkish/orange dissolved oxygen is about 4 mg/l, and if it turns deep orange dissolved oxygen is above 8 mg/l.

These test kits are great teaching tools, but are too imprecise and inaccurate for detailed scientific studies. For example, the GREEN test kit can tell you if dissolved oxygen is above 8 mg/l, but cannot tell you if it is 8, 9, or 10 mg/l. Given that the State water quality standard for dissolved oxygen in Class AA waters is 9.5 mg/l, there is no way to use the kit to tell if a Class AA stream is meeting water quality standards. It's also difficult to get repeatable results, since different people will see different colors depending on their eyesight and the amount of light.

Field test kits are most often used for educational monitoring and as a quick way to identify gross water quality problems. They are not appropriate for studies designed to measure changes in water quality or to check if a water body is meeting water quality standards.

CALIBRATED INSTRUMENTS

Calibrated instruments are portable battery-powered instruments with a probe that can be dropped into a stream to get a digital water quality reading. These instruments are relatively easy to use, and are moderately expensive. Once purchased they can be used over and over, and in the long run are cheaper than test kits if you are measuring a lot of samples. These types of instruments are available for only a few water quality parameters, including dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and conductivity.

These instruments are accurate if they are calibrated frequently in the laboratory. Calibration is done by checking the meter against a sample with a known concentration of what you are measuring (this kind of sample is known as a standard solution ). If the instrument reading is in error, the instrument is adjusted to match the correct value. Calibration should be done using a range of standard solution concentrations, to ensure that the instrument reads both low and high concentrations correctly.

A big advantage to many calibrated instruments is that they can be used directly in the stream or river, thus avoiding errors that occur when you handle samples. For instance, when you collect a dissolved oxygen sample you have to be very careful not to trap extra air bubbles in the sample bottle. With a dissolved oxygen probe you don't have this worry - you can simply drop the probe into the river and get a direct reading of dissolved oxygen.

Calibrated instruments are used in almost all scientific water quality studies to get field measurements of dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, and conductivity. They are sufficiently accurate to measure changes in water quality and to identify if waters are meeting water quality standards. The main drawback is that good field instruments are not available for most chemical parameters, including coliform bacteria, nitrates, phosphates, metals, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, and petroleum byproducts. In scientific studies these must be measured in the laboratory.

LABORATORY ANALYSIS

There are many laboratory methods, but the one thing they all have in common is that they require lots of specialized training and equipment. Laboratory analysis is needed when you are studying water quality parameters that cannot be measured with field instruments, and when you need a high level of accuracy.

Most water quality scientists do not do their own laboratory analysis, and have to send their samples to special laboratories. A few methods such as titration for dissolved oxygen can be done in conventional high school laboratories. However, techniques for measuring metals and toxic chemicals use expensive equipment available only in specialized private, government, and university laboratories. Examples of this kind of technology include gas chromatography for measuring organic chemicals (solvents, petroleum products), and atomic absorption for measuring metals (copper, lead, iron).

For the field specialist the important thing to know about these methods is how the sample should be handled. Laboratory methods all have very specific ways in which the sample must be treated. Many require that the sample be put on ice and analyzed within a few hours. Some require that a chemical fixative be added to the sample immediately after it is collected. Others need special sampling bottles made from a specific type of material. In all cases it is important to avoid accidental contamination from your hands or other sources. Laboratories usually supply clean sample bottles, and will tell the field specialist how to handle the samples.

Youth Corner

Fun facts

Did you know .....

The largest dinosaur was the Brachiosarus (brack'e'o'soreus), which weighed 100,000 pounds, was forty-five feet tall and eighty feet long.

The smallest dinosaur was the Compsognathus (comp-sog-nay-thus). It was twelve inches long and looked like a bird without feathers.

M&M candies. were named after the last initial of their creators, Forrest Mars and Bruce Murries. In 1940 they created this candy for the U.S. Military.

French fries are not named after the country of France. "Frenched" means cut up into narrow strips before frying. These long, thin potatoes are named for the cooking term.

JOKES

What did the baby light bulb say to the mama light bulb?

I wuv you watts and watts!

I heard a man at the grocery store he had married an angel. His wife was always harping!

If there was an airplane crash in the center of the Columbia River, on the

Washington-Oregon border, where would you bury the survivors?

You don't bury survivors!

What does a 2,000 pound parrot say?

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

Puzzle for June

Graphics are off - can't display the quiz This is a different kind of puzzle. To find the words, start with one letter and connect to others. they are not in a straight line. There are sixty-four words hidden in this puzzle. See how many you can find.

Youth Corner answers

Graphics are off cannot display the answers

Coming Events

June

Water Quality Improvements throuogh BMPs - conducted by WaDOE Specialist

July

Fooding Revisited - conducted by Larry Kunzler.

Contact the CRC office for (M-W-F afternoons) 360-273-6137 for place and time.

Forests Offer Tree-mendous Benefits

Trees provide a host of benefits, even in urban areas, such as flood control, streambank stabilization, shading, wildlife habitat and pollution control just to name a few. Many benefits are quantifiable. Some examples:

Cities with an adequate urban forest can save 4 percent on heating costs and an additional 10 percent on cooling.

Deciduous trees provide shade and can save 10-50 percent on a single home's summer cooling costs.

Evergreen trees block winter winds and can save 20 percent on a home's winter heating needs.

One acre of trees can remove 40 tons of carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes to global warming, a year.

One acre of trees annually produces enough oxygen to sustain more than 1,000 people.

Trees reduce stormwater flow by intercepting rainwater on leaves, branches and trunks. Some of the intercepted water evaporates back into the atmosphere, and some soaks into the ground, thereby reducing the total amount of runoff that must be managed in an urban area.

A medium-size tree can absorb up to 400 gallons of water a day.

Retaining forest area and buffers has reduced stormwater costs in Fairfax County VA, by $57 million.

A single urban tree can provide the following economic benefits each year: air conditioning: $73; controlling erosion and storm water: $75; wildlife shelter: $75; and controlling air pollution: $50.

On average, trees add 5-7 percent to the value of a house lot.

Energy savings of 10 percent can result by increasing tree cover as little as 10 percent to buffers near buildings.

Trees provide $5.3 million in direct summer energy savings to residential homes in Dade County, FL. If live oaks were put in place of palms, those savings would increase 20 percent.

A single mature tree releases about 100 gallons of clean water vapor per day into the atmosphere and provides the cooling equivalent of nine room air conditioners operating at 8,000 BTUs per hour for 12 hours a day.

Sources. Chesapeake Bay Program, American Forests, U.S. Forest Service

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