pets & wildlife Waste management
All animals produce waste, and the destiny and treatment of that waste can have an impact on local water quality. In the Kiefer Creek Watershed, animal waste is likely one of the culprits behind the high bacteria levels in the creek. Even though there are other sources of bacteria in the watershed that need to be addressed, animal waste management is one of the easier and less expensive ways to reduce to total bacteria load. Animals, both wild and domestic, surface apply waste throughout the watershed, and they always have. As the watershed becomes more developed, however, the type, amount, and natural processing of the waste has changed.
With increased development in the watershed, there is an equal reduction in natural land cover, which is well suited to digest bacteria from mammals. In a natural watershed the bacteria is broken down and re-purposed by the flora & fauna, and only a small amount of bacteria makes it into the stream channel. As a watershed changes from natural to developed, its capacity to naturally digest animal waste diminishes, whether they are native wild animals, or domesticated animals brought in with development.
Dogs typically poop in yards in neighborhoods and in other lawn areas, such as parks and grassy strips along roads. Because of the direct drainage that the stormwater infrastructure system creates within the watershed, it is reasonable to assume that bacteria from pet and wildlife waste is being be picked up by rainfall and carried quickly from the compacted lawn areas to the stream. This creates an unnatural loading in Kiefer Creek, and therefore may be part of the imbalance in bacteria and nutrient loading. This poses a risk to people swimming in Kiefer Creek and potentially an even greater risk to dogs that swim and drink from Kiefer Creek, a common occurrence in Castlewood State Park.
Dogs typically poop in yards in neighborhoods and in other lawn areas, such as parks and grassy strips along roads. Because of the direct drainage that the stormwater infrastructure system creates within the watershed, it is reasonable to assume that bacteria from pet and wildlife waste is being be picked up by rainfall and carried quickly from the compacted lawn areas to the stream. This creates an unnatural loading in Kiefer Creek, and therefore may be part of the imbalance in bacteria and nutrient loading. This poses a risk to people swimming in Kiefer Creek and potentially an even greater risk to dogs that swim and drink from Kiefer Creek, a common occurrence in Castlewood State Park.
ESTIMATED DOG WASTE LOAD
It is difficult to determine just exactly how many dogs there are In the Kiefer Creek Watershed, and so it is difficult to estimate their potential impact on the watershed. We can however begin by making an educated guess. There are around 4000 housing units. If every fourth house has an average sized dog, which poops about .32 lbs/day, then every day dogs in the watershed are pooping a total of 3,200 lbs every day (1000 dogs x .32 lbs/day).
It is difficult to determine just exactly how many dogs there are In the Kiefer Creek Watershed, and so it is difficult to estimate their potential impact on the watershed. We can however begin by making an educated guess. There are around 4000 housing units. If every fourth house has an average sized dog, which poops about .32 lbs/day, then every day dogs in the watershed are pooping a total of 3,200 lbs every day (1000 dogs x .32 lbs/day).
ANIMAL WASTE CLEAN-UP
The more frequently and thoroughly animal waste is removed from mown lawns and other impervious surfaces, the less likely it is to contaminate local waters. We believe that this waste is at greatest risk of washing into a stream during rainfall, so cleanup prior to rainfall is key.
We also believe that landowners could make an additional impact by cleaning up wildlife waste from yards and impervious surfaces periodically. There are many deer, raccoons, birds, and other small and medium sized mammals in the watershed that all poop. When the native wildlife defecates on a non-native mown lawn, sidewalk or driveway there is the potential for this waste to be carried quickly through the stormwater system and into the stream channel, by a rain event. So it makes sense to clean up this waste periodically, ideally before it rains. Most people will clean up animal waste of any kind on their patio or sidewalk, now we just need to get them to consider doing the same in their yards.
We also believe that landowners could make an additional impact by cleaning up wildlife waste from yards and impervious surfaces periodically. There are many deer, raccoons, birds, and other small and medium sized mammals in the watershed that all poop. When the native wildlife defecates on a non-native mown lawn, sidewalk or driveway there is the potential for this waste to be carried quickly through the stormwater system and into the stream channel, by a rain event. So it makes sense to clean up this waste periodically, ideally before it rains. Most people will clean up animal waste of any kind on their patio or sidewalk, now we just need to get them to consider doing the same in their yards.
NATIVE HABITAT
When a deer poops in the woods the waste is digested and absorbed into the ecosystem as a beneficial, soil building, plant feeding building block of the flora and fauna of the watershed. We know this because relatively unimpacted reaches of streams in the Ozarks are typically capable of meeting bacteria water quality standards. When a deer poops on a lawn sloped towards a storm drain and then it rains the bacteria from the waste is carried into the stream, contributing to elevated bacteria levels. If there are more woods, then it is less likely that the waste will fall on a mown lawn or impervious surface and more likely that it will be beneficially assimilated into the ecosystem. By converting mown lawns back to the native forests, wildlife contributions of bacteria to Kiefer Creek will be reduced, bacteria loading from domestic animals will likely be reduced as well.
When a deer poops in the woods the waste is digested and absorbed into the ecosystem as a beneficial, soil building, plant feeding building block of the flora and fauna of the watershed. We know this because relatively unimpacted reaches of streams in the Ozarks are typically capable of meeting bacteria water quality standards. When a deer poops on a lawn sloped towards a storm drain and then it rains the bacteria from the waste is carried into the stream, contributing to elevated bacteria levels. If there are more woods, then it is less likely that the waste will fall on a mown lawn or impervious surface and more likely that it will be beneficially assimilated into the ecosystem. By converting mown lawns back to the native forests, wildlife contributions of bacteria to Kiefer Creek will be reduced, bacteria loading from domestic animals will likely be reduced as well.