Arts & Entertainment
Water Wisdom: The inside scoop
Published
5 years agoon
Posted By
Outlaw PartnersWhy dog poop is bad for rivers, community health
By Stephanie Lynn EBS CONTRIBUTOR
Evidence of Big Sky’s dog poop problem resurfaces every spring, threatening both the environment and community health.
“There are two factors in Big Sky that are a bit unique that I would guess add to the risk,” said Bill Elledge, the Big Sky Community Organization trail steward. “I think our community has a higher proportion of dog owners than most, and especially large dogs, and I imagine that the long winter and colder temps with a normally fairly rapid spring thaw melt the ‘poopsicles’ pretty quickly and put a large load of phosphorus and nitrogen, along with coliforms and other pathogens, into the runoff and groundwater in a relatively brief period of time.”
To address the problem, Elledge and 19 other volunteers picked up 100 pounds of poop in less than two hours earlier this spring. That’s enough crap to divert 21 pounds of nitrogen, 24 pounds of phosphorus, and one trillion colony-forming units of fecal coliform from local streams.
Everybody poops, so what’s the big deal?
When bear, elk and other wildlife defecate, they return nutrients to the soil while spreading thousands of seeds. Dogs, on the other hand, eat nutrient-rich foods produced in factories. When excreted, dog waste unbalances the natural system by adding high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous to streams in the Big Sky area that already exceed state standards for nutrient pollution.
Dog feces are also crawling with bacteria. The “Los Angeles Times” reported that dogs produce about ten times more fecal coliform per pound than cows. What’s more, dog waste carries 65 diseases that can be transmitted to humans, including whipworms, bookworms, parvo, coronavirus, Giardia, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium and Campylobacter. In fact, DNA tests conducted in Seattle identified a canine source for over 20 percent of the bacteria found in local waterways.
So, what’s the solution to the pet ‘poo-pocalypse’?
It’s no secret that picking up after your dog is the best way to prevent pet-waste pollution. Leave No Trace suggests that responsible dog owners should, “both immediately pick up all of the waste, and immediately take the bag(s) of waste away from the area for proper disposal in a trash or compost bin.” In addition, Leave No Trace says dog owners should bury dog doo, along with human waste, when recreating in the backcountry.
Humans, however, aren’t picking up after their pets when nature calls. A study conducted in Boulder, Colorado, found that only 73.5 percent of dog owners collect all pet droppings. The researchers found that infrastructure, such as conveniently-placed plastic bags and trash receptacles, could boost scooping rates to over 90 percent when coupled with community education.
Is it really better for the environment to send dog waste to a landfill?
Plastic pollution is a serious environmental problem; however, when dogs live in high density alongside their humans, their waste must be appropriately treated and disposed of in order to protect water quality, soil sanitation and community health. Just two- to three-days-worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs contain enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay and all waterways within 20 miles to swimming and shellfishing, as estimated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“I have to confess that my original concern about doggy poop had more to do with the ‘yuk’ factor than with the environmental and scientific issues,” Elledge said. “I think most people would agree that dog waste is gross, especially if you happen to bring it home or to your car on the bottom of your shoe. But I’m now more convinced that the important issue is what it does to our watershed.”
Next time your pup drops a steaming turd, please pick it up to keep our parks, trails and rivers clean.
Stephanie Lynn is the education and communications coordinator for the Gallatin River Task Force.
The Outlaw Partners is a creative marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky, Montana.
Upcoming Events
october, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
August 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm - October 28 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description
Event Details
Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description information. Please wear layers, bring water and snacks. Bear spray recommended.
Time
August 26 (Monday) 9:00 am - October 28 (Monday) 12:00 pm
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
August 26 (Monday) 6:00 pm - November 4 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be
more
Event Details
Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be taught by a variety of teachers from Santosha and BASE. This summer all proceeds will go to Big Sky Band-Aid, aside from the first one on the 26th that is happening during Pride week- all funds donated for that class will go to Big Sky OUT. A delicious lunch will also be served by Gourmet Gals following our practice each Wednesday (included in donation). You are welcome to donate with cash at the event or you can Venmo @Santoshabigsky and make a note for Community Yoga. Hope to see you in the Park!
Time
August 28 (Wednesday) 12:00 pm - October 28 (Monday) 1:00 pm
Location
Len Hill Park