Point Source Pollution

Pollution of Lake Huron has been over the years either through direct point sources or through non-point indirect sources (Saxena 1116). Direct point sources include sewage treatment firms and industries, which direct their wastes directly into Lake Huron and its tributaries. Nonpoint sources indirectly pollute water from the Lake, and majorly caused by man's activities and land policies applied by the man.

     Keeping the pollution to a minimal isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. The major water pollutants are chemical, biological, or physical materials that

The goal of this program was to reduce the level of nitrogen and phosphorous flowing to the Bay by 40% by the year 2000, from their 1985 levels (Blankenship 2). The first step in this program was to reduce the amount of nutrient pollution from point sources (end-of-the-pipe) such as wastewater treatment facilities that feed into the many tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay (The Chesapeake Bay Watershed 1). However, the results of these cleanup efforts were not enough to reach the goal of the program. Therefore, the areas involved now had to target the non-point sources of nitrogen and phosphorous. The non-point sources are storm water run off from agricultural and developed sites, air pollution, and the development of sensitive forests that act as buffers for tributaries and the Bay (1). The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act of 1989 took aim at these sources in Tidewater Virginia by requiring resource management practices in the use and development of environmentally sensitive land (1). The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Ordinance of 1991 also took aim at these non-point sources by designating environmentally sensitive areas in Virginia Beach as Resource Protection Areas and Resource Management Areas which are intended to protect the integrity of the lands that effect the Chesapeake Bay (2). The States involved also

To understand the problem, you first have to know where it comes from. Nitrogen and phosphorous are the two nutrients of concern. These non-point source pollutants are often the direct result of human activities.

Many contaminants settle out of the atmosphere, such as acid rain, the pollutants and nutrients will transport from distant places by air depositing into the lake as the form of rain. The first pollutants as atmospheric deposition on the Great Lakes were phosphorus. It is found that about 20 percent phosphorus entering Lake Michigan comes from the atmosphere by determination of rain, snow and dust. Since phosphorus pollution generated by this approach cannot be controlled, so it is more urgent to reduce the phosphorus content of detergent, sewer and effluent fertilizers. People found fish in a lake of Lake Superior in a remote island containing PCBs and toxaphene, and this place isolated with no direct way to pollution. This determines the long-range transport of pollutants through the atmosphere and settlement in the lake. In fact the processes of material transport through atmospheric was very complex. For instance PCBs was insoluble in water, so as to re-enter the atmosphere during evaporation or connected together into small particles. A lot of PCBs volatilize from the lake, meanwhile, PCBs coming from various parts of the air mass experience the sedimentation on the lake. Other than that the contaminated sediment is another way to cause pollution of the lake. This is problems of the most urban industrial areas. Even if there is likely to remove severely contaminated sediments in

Water pollution has become a major problem in our water sources. People think that when they litter or dump in our waters that their little contribution will not hurt anything, but everyone’s little contributions add up to some major problems. Our water ecosystems and the species that reside in them are being destroyed and we need to take the steps necessary to stop this. Why would anyone use the source of most of the world’s food as a dumping ground for garbage? People need to start realizing what it is they are doing when they do not take the proper steps to dispose of their garbage and the problems they are making for the future.

It is easy person to point their finger at big industrial and chemical plants and blame them for the cause of so much pollution in our water. When taking a closer look, those same people pointing the finger are equally contributing to the pollution of our water supply and are also to blame. This person could be a friend, family member, classmate, or even you. Even if people do not think that they have a part in this, most do. A variety of data has shown traces of pharmaceuticals used by every day humans in our water. As well as pharmaceuticals there is a presence of chemical contaminants, mainly pesticides that are causing harm to our environment and wildlife. Even humans can be affected by such contamination in the water supply, and

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), "High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in our lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water sources cause the degradation of these water bodies and harm fish, wildlife, and human health." In the 2000 National Water Quality Inventory, states reported that agricultural nonpoint source (NPS) pollution was the leading source of water quality impacts on surveyed rivers and lakes, as well as the second largest source of impairments to wetlands, and a major contributor to contamination of surveyed estuaries and groundwater. Agricultural activities that cause NPS pollution include poorly located or managed animal feeding operations; overgrazing; plowing too often or at the wrong time; and improper, excessive or poorly timed application of pesticides, irrigation water and fertilizer. Since the 1960s, the high input of agriculture production has resulted in the surplus of nitrogen and phosphorus in farm fields, which run off into surface waters. High concentrations of nitrates and phosphates in surface waters could lead to eutrophication and instability of the aquatic ecosystems. Eutrophication is caused by the over-enrichment of water with phosphates and nitrates, a problem that has become a widespread in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal

The Duck Creek watershed in Scott County, IA is currently facing high levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria contamination. This pollution has put the watershed on the impaired waters list for the state of Iowa. The impaired waters list is a comprehensive list of every waterway in a state that has a contamination problem according to EPA regulations (insert source for impaired waters explanation & EPA regulations). Much of the pollution that can be found in the Duck Creek watershed is coming from nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Nonpoint source pollution significantly contributes to the deterioration of water quality due to the difficulty in identifying, assessing and controlling the sources of this type of pollution (citation Wang). This pollution is caused by runoff moving over the land. It picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and even our underground sources of drinking water (citation SCSWCD). Examples of nonpoint sources in the watershed could include failing septic systems, livestock access to streams, pastures full of manure, fertilizers applied to crops, miscellaneous urban sources such as gasoline or oil, pet waste, and wildlife (citation SCSWCD). Another source of NPS pollution is that conventional urban storm

The San Mateo creek has lots point source for pollution. I’ll be naming 2 examples. One example is “San Mateo Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program,” also known as SMCWPPP. This source helps by reducing the amount of pollutants that enters the storm drain system. The staff at the program check the drain system for pollution or other sources of illegal dumping. The staff also go to the public and talk about how to reduce the stormwater pollution. Stormwater has lots

There is a new chemical that “decreases male fertility, hormones, and testosterone” (“Declining Male Fertility”). The chemicals are in the shape or form of medicine and pesticides and can affect fish and other species in the water. Some research has shown that these “chemicals make male fish believe they are turning into females which is declining the male fertility in the water. These chemicals are getting in the water through the sewage pipes leading into the water. This not only harms the water, but also the organisms inside the water. Water pollution isn’t just hurting the environment, but also costing Americans money. Instead of drinking water from the faucets, people are buying more expensive types of bottled water. Since most people are buying expensive bottles of water, this is going to cost them more money. “Water pollution is costing the government, facilities, and Americans nearly $4.3 billion” (“Freshwater Pollution Cost $4.3 Billion”). These pollutants can cause harmful effects on us humans.

Eutrophication, a term that derives from two greek words, eu, meaning “good,” and trophic, meaning nutrition or nourishment, is the enrichment of water bodies with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous that stimulate plant growth. Nitrogen is often found in rocks, soils, organisms, and the atmosphere; phosphorous resides mostly in rocks/soils and organisms. Having nitrogen and phosphorus in the ecosystem isn 't necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it 's required. Nitrogen is needed for the production of proteins and amnio acids, while phosphorous is required for the synthesis of DNA and RNA, and is involved in energy transfers. (Danver & Burch, 2011) However, too much of a good thing, can be a bad thing.

The oceans face many types of pollution every day, every second. The ocean is our greatest ecosystem and out most valuable resource. A common misconception is that the rainforests are the lungs of the planet however, the majority of our oxygen is made via the algae in the sea. The oceans feeds, hydrates, and provides us with oxygen; ironically enough, despite its monetary value to mankind, it is what is treated the worst. For ages we have been dumping our trash, chemicals, and waste into the oceans with no fear or regret, almost an “out of sight- out of mind” mentality. People once and still assume that the oceans are so vast that all of the pollution is diluted and would be dispersed through out, going unnoticed. However, dilution is a myth and an idea that renders ocean dumping to be less impactful. Even so much of the man made pollution is becoming even more concentrated and have entered our natural food chain. However vast the waters of the ocean are, they are not meant to house all of these external factors. There are many alternatives to marine pollution including recycling, finding alternative trash dump sites, cutting down on harmful chemicals for agriculture, and most importantly having the ability to recognize when a problem is developing and counter act, immediately.

The last great source of pollution lays in the businesses. Although not common, businesses have been known to dump their waste products into streams, lakes, and rivers. This may seem like a relatively small occurrence that really is not your concern, but you're wrong. Each time one of these companies pollutes there are horrible consequences to pay. Mutations, destroyed ecosystems, and human death have all occurred as a direct result of illegal dumping. It contaminates our drinking water and soil. It causes entire communities of humans (not to mention animals) to move on to new places not to return for at least a century. The pollutants dumped by industry are so concentrated that a single barrel can destroy an entire lake's ecosystem. Not only do companies dump chemicals, but also hot water. This hot water kills most life it comes into contact with, but also causes an overgrowth

However where such water is not channeled and drains directly to ground it is a non-point source.