Agricultural Pollution In The Chesapeake Bay

According to Harrison Eutrophication is the excessive production of algae and higher plants through the enrichment of waters by nitrogen and phosphorus. Phosphorus in the form of phosphate is the limiting nutrient as the amount of biologically available phosphorus is small in relation to the amount needed for algal growth. Harrison states that sources of nutrients can be discrete, (sewage), or diffuse, (farmland fertilizers).

“Carried by snow melt, rain water, and groundwater, NPS pollution contributes sediments, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), toxic substances, and pathogens to water bodies” (Maine Rivers 2005, ijc 2008). The Non Point Pollution generally due to stormwater in the downstream portion of the river; which are the most populated areas situated near the estuary;With the stormwater large amounts of pollutants are washed off to the river because of the impenetrable surfaces of that area which does not allow water to seep into the ground.  Other sources of  Nonpoint pollution are  seepage from broken sewage and  septic tanks, runoff from construction sites ,nutrients,sediments and chemicals from agricultural farms and roads. According to the report of International Joint Commission in 2008; “This untreated runoff may contain litter, dust, soil, oil and grease from roads, garden waste, chemicals, and nutrients and pathogens from animal feces and fertilizers” (IJC

One issue found is the creation of smelly phytoplankton that makes murky unclear waters along with aquatic impurities. Moreover, the reduction of growth due to poor light conditions and dying plants make it difficult for predatory fish to hunt leading to overpopulation. (Chislock, 2013) Eutrophication can be found in many of our water resources such as ponds, estuaries, and bays. One region with high areas with eutrophication is in a lake shared by Kisumu, Kenya and Kampala, Uganda.

The marine life that was once present in the Bay a few decades ago have now decreased tremendously in size because of overfishing and polluted waters. The water of the Bay area now has gathered large amounts of pollution, debris, disease, and overfishing, which threatened the marine life. Chesapeake Bay is slowly decreasing in cleanliness and ocean life, which are essential to the Bay. What is this family doing to prevent the

The algae washes up on shores and destroy the beautiful of the beaches. This also has a side effect on the economy. A nuclear power plant had to be shut down from the algae problem which has cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars per day.

The Catawba River and Pollution The majority of avid paddlers, especially those of us near the U.S. National Whitewater Center here in Charlotte, know that the water quality of the Catawba River is considered “sketchy.” We have grown used to seeing the occasional, inexplicably dead catfish along the river banks and do not seem to question it anymore. What we don’t always realize is that the water quality is much worse than we had originally thought. For example, untreated sewage spills and line leaks from new developments along the river end up contaminating the nearby water, and therefore affect everything downriver from the sites.

Animal waste runoffs or feedlots are farms that specialize in cattle or hogs. These animals are stayed in a very small area of land and they are raised on hormones and grains that make them big and fat for slaughter. Feedlots help provide a lot of protein in America but feedlots contain a lot of the animals poop and other bad substances that can pollute the air and the water with their runoff. Pros of having feedlots is that they produce meat that satisfies U.S. consumers, they’re efficient, and cheap. Cons of having feedlots is that manure contains nitrogen and phosphorus; if not managed properly, they can pollute the nearby lakes,streams,rivers, or oceans, and antibiotic use increases genetic resistance to bacteria in the human body.

However, an overabundance of some nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, impairs water quality. “Agriculture is the largest source of pollution to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers and streams.” quotes the Washington Post (Baker, 2015). About 50% of phosphorus and 40% of nitrogen dumped into the bay stems from agricultural runoff. According to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, “Each year, roughly 300 million pounds of polluting nitrogen reaches the Chesapeake Bay—about six times the amount that reached the bay in the 1600s.”(cfb.org). The major sources of the excess nutrients comes from over fertilization of crops with animal manure seeping into waterways, and animals having direct access to waters where waste is carried into the watershed (Baker, 2015).

Farmers began to grow their crops in San Joaquin Valley for more than 100 years. Farms in the valley produce mostly vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dairy and they are the main manufacturers in international markets and major suppliers in the United States (Hanak & Arnold, 2017). Farmers are using polluted groundwater to grow their crops and harming the environment by drying rivers and causing people to get health problems. The reason that there are pesticides in nitrates in groundwater in San Joaquin Valley may be the fact that there is a long history of farming and irrigation and generally permeable sediments (Burow & Dubrowvsky, 2014). The first organization that noticed the growth of nitrates in groundwater is the Regional Aquifier System Analyses Program.

Rivers, specifically, the potomac river is main water systems that I have chosen to report. The potomac river surrounds multiple states including Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland is one of the largest rivers in the eastern coast of the United States. A report from the nonprofit advocacy group American Rivers, noted what locals have said for years: “that urban development is funneling tons of polluted rainwater to the river, that chemical fertilizer and manure from farms make matters worse, and that wastewater overflowing from sewers, along with pharmaceuticals flushed down toilets, contribute to dead zones in which marine life dies and might cause fish to switch sexes. Some male fish in the river mysteriously have eggs.”

To those residing on the eastern coast near Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, the problem of the Chesapeake Bay is obvious. The bay lacks water clarity, has difficulties sustaining aquatic life, and faces population threatening issues like dead zones and algae blooms. There are a myriad of ways in which the bay is polluted, however the most direct link to the bay’s poor water clarity is the overflowing amounts of nutrient and sediment pollution. Bay clarity is crucial, not only for a pretty appearance, but also for the health of the bay grasses and fish living in the bay.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “U.S. marine aquaculture primarily produces oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, and salmon as well as lesser amounts of cod, moi, yellowtail, barramundi, seabass, and seabream.” Although marine aquaculture can take place in the ocean, using cages on the seafloor or in suspended water columns, most of the aquaculture systems in the U.S. are man made on land, using a recirculating system that reduces and recycles water. But like other forms of farming, aquaculture can lead to negative effects on the environment. The impacts vary upon the type of organism being farmed/raised and the type of system being used. The core effects can be split into 5 different categories: 1.) biological pollution, 2.)

Water Pollution is a huge environmental problem that has serious effects on marine habitats, animals, and water quality. BP1: The world's marine habitat has been getting worse because of how bad the pollution has gotten. “ Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land based activities “ (source 5 ). This quote explains how most of the water pollution is caused by human activity. “ Plastic litter does not degrade, can be expected to last in the oceans for hundreds of years “ ( source 6 ).

There are multiple industries that waste, and pollute our fresh and salt water systems. One of the biggest industries in America that has this issue is the Agricultural industry, and there is a man who is trying to change this. A few years ago, I was watching Shark Tank on ABC and a guy by the name

The ocean is nowadays undergoing numerous environmental issues that further lead to marine pollution. Marine pollution is a very serious environmental issue that most of the countries of the world encounter. Aquatic littering is considered as one of the major causes of marine environment. The misleading use of the marine environment is extremely impacting the marine life and ecosystems. Moreover, the total amount of toxins and debris discharged by human beings is incredibly increasing in today 's world.