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Ditching & Soil Disturbance

Ditching & Soil Disturbance

Ditching & Soil Disturbance pertains to large-scale changes to the terrestrial landscape through channeling for irrigation, grading for roads & construction, and mining which disrupt and dislodge soil and can lead to sediment runoff into the watershed.

CMap

The Agriculture Sector includes both animal and crop production. Agriculture, aquaculture and forestry policies regulate and control agriculture, aquaculture and forestry. Civil Engineering and Construction specializes in the design and construction of infrastructure, including buildings and homes, roads, utility lines, and ports. Construction codes and regulations control the location, number, and development of construction projects, including buildings, homes, and coastal structures. Cultural services are the nonmaterial benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, recreational opportunities, aesthetic experiences, sense of place, and educational and research opportunities. Discharges are the intentional or unintentional distribution of chemicals, debris, or other pollution, into the environment as a consequence of human activities. Ditching & Soil Disturbance pertains to large-scale changes to the terrestrial landscape through channeling for irrigation, grading for roads & construction, and mining which disrupt and dislodge soil and can lead to sediment runoff into the watershed. Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems . Energy policy & development includes policies and regulations adopted to control the production, distribution, and consumption of energy. Food & energy policies are legislation, restrictions, and guidelines that pertain to sectors that harvest or extract natural resources. The Food and Raw Materials sector includes groups that harvest natural resources from the earth, including agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and the oil and gas industry. Infrastructural policies are responses, including zoning, codes, or regulations, that impact the distribution and functioning of socio-economic sectors that provide infrastructure. Infrastructural sectors provide the physical, organizational, and technical support for the economy to function, including construction, utilities, transportation, finance, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and technical services. Irrigation is needed for Agriculture, and involves the treatment and supply of water for irrigation purposes using aqueducts, pumping stations, and distribution mains. Landscape Changes are alterations of the natural landscape through human activities, including coastal development, shoreline armoring, impervious surfaces, deforestation, or soil disturbance, which can alter water flow patterns and lead to pollutant runoff into coastal systems. Landscape conservation and restoration refers to efforts to protect and restore disturbed natural landscapes, such as through hydroseeding or beach renourishment. Landuse management pertains to responses that determine the use of land for development and construction. The Mining Industry consists of the operation of mines, quarries, and wells, and the extraction of natural resources, such as solid and liquid minerals and gases, from the earth. Mining policies are specific to where, when, what and how non-living natural resources can be extracted. Non-point source pollution is runoff from diffuse sources that is caused by rainwater moving over and through the ground, carrying pollutants with it and depositing them in coastal waters. Permitting is documentation required for new construction and remodeling/renovation, in compliance with national, regional, and local zoning and building codes. The Reef Ecosystem includes a suite of abiotic variables that form the physical and chemical environment. Pressures are human activities that create stress on the environment. Provisioning services are the products or ecosystem goods obtained from ecosystems, including seafood, genetic and biochemical resources, pharmaceuticals, ornamental resources, and water resources. The state of the Reef Ecosystem is the condition, in terms of quantity and quality, of the abiotic and biotic components including physical, chemical, and biological variables. Reef Life is the abundance, distribution, and condition of the biological components of the coral reef ecosystem. Regulating Services are benefits obtained from ecosystem processes that regulate the environment, including erosion regulation, natural hazard regulation, and climate regulation. Responses are actions taken by groups or individuals in society and government to prevent, compensate, ameliorate or adapt to changes in Ecosystem Services or their perceived value. Sediment includes dirt, sand, silt, clay, and small rocks that form soil on land or soft substrate in marine habitats, and may be transported by water, wind, or human activities. Socio-Economic Drivers include the sectors that fulfill human needs for Food & Raw Materials, Water, Shelter, Health, Culture, and Security, and the Infrastructure that supports the sectors. Supporting services are ecological processes that indirectly benefit humans by maintaining a functional ecosystem for the production of other ecosystem goods and services. Surface and groundwater flow reflects the patterns of water movement across the landscape, including rivers, streams, underground water, or stormwater. Toxics are chemical pollutants that are poisonous, carcinogenic, or otherwise directly harmful to humans, plants, or animals. The Transportation Sector involves comprises all modes of transportation (Aviation, Maritime, Mass Transit, Highway, Freight Rail, and Pipeline) The Transportation Systems Sector is segmented into six key subsectors, or modes, which operate independently within both a regulated and non-regulated environment, yet are also highly interdependent. Transportation management includes policies, regulations, and zoning designed to control the distribution and intensity of transportation networks, including roads and shipping channels, and vehicles, including cars, boats, and ships. Water Sectors include those that pertain to provisioning of water for public use, including the drinking water supply, irrigation systems for agriculture, and water for critical services (such as firefighting and hospitals). Waterborne discharges include direct and indirect discharges of pollutants into the aquatic environment, including chemicals, nutrients, sediment, and pathogens.

CMap Description

Civil engineering and transportation projects, mining activities, and agricultural irrigation projects may require ditching, grading, and other activities that lead to soil disturbance. Ditching and soil disturbance can alter patterns of water flow, accelerating runoff, and the deposit of sediments, and the toxic contaminants they may carry, into coastal ecosystems. Socio-economic sectors benefit from reef ecosystem services, which create recreational and economic opportunities and contribute to coastal development that drives the need for construction, transportation, and agricultural products. Construction codes and regulations, transportation policies, and landuse management through planning, permitting, and zoning can influence intensity and distribution of soil disturbance. Agricultural practices can influence irrigation needs, and mining practices can be implemented to minimize soil disturbance. Landscape restoration, such as hydroseeding along roads or alteration of ditches, can stabilize soil and reduce runoff.

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