• Trees and other vegetation along a riverbank can help capture runoff flowing towards a river by helping the water percolate into the soil before it enters the stream.   Soil acts to clean the water that passes through it.
• The section of vegetation along the edge of streams is called a riparian buffer.  A good minimal width for the riparian buffer is 50 to 100 feet
• The way animals get their drinking water can also affect a stream.  If the animals walk into the river to drink water, they can cause erosion of the stream bank, or they can cause the amount of bacteria in the water to increase by defecating directly into the water. To prevent pollution from animals, watering tanks should be set up further away from the stream.
• Solar power, where available can be used to pump water from the stream or well to fill these tanks.
• Fertilizers and other chemicals used on crops, bug and weed sprays used around the home, can be reduced by using appropriate amounts
• Safe disposal of empty containers and any other chemicals in designated areas is important to ensure that none of the chemicals leaking into the ground. For safe disposal information contact your nearest county extension office
  http://extension.missouri.edu/

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Missouri Department
of Natural Resources

Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN)
Send comments to: mowin1@missouri.edu
205 Agricultural Engineering
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: (573) 882-0085
Toll Free: (MO only): 1-877-H20-shed (426-7433)
Fax: (573) 884-5650

Page last updated August 26, 2008