Problem, Solution and Barrier Paper

Stormwater pollution and the effects it has on water quality is a very important topic, as more and more pollutant sources are introduced. Point sources, or sources that are easily identified are usually the easiest to pinpoint and act on, however non-point sources, or a combination of unspecific sources are still a big problem. My research will focus on such sources and possible sustainable solutions. Specifically, this paper touches on viable solutions for storm water pollution from agricultural runoff, and pollution from pesticides and fertilizers that are used in a variety of applications. Since the Clean Water Act has been put in place huge efforts have helped clean up our waters but as development and growth continue we must do our part to keep up with the times and reduce stormwater pollution.

Agricultural runoff is another big factor in water pollution and it is similar to the storm water process but only with more dangerous pollutants. Agricultural waste runoff from the barnyards finds its way into the drainage emerging with the water bodies. The runoff from the barnyard being polluted by the multiple fertilizers used in the crops, pesticides, and livestock waste. Then the polluted water from the runoff makes contact with the water bodies such as lakes and rivers polluting them. There are two essential chemicals for the growth of crops and livestock: nitrogen and phosphorus. However, nitrogen and phosphorous are very dangerous chemicals when they make contact with water or soil. High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in

In conclusion, many water treatment plants use different natural sources to get their water to the plant. For instance, the mountains, rivers, and the oceans. Once the water is brought to the plant, it goes through a water treatment process to purify the water. The most common steps in water treatment are coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and last disinfection. Once the water has being treated and clean, it goes to storage and later distribute to the public by pipes underground. The primary contaminants found in the sources of Flagstaff’s drinking water are Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from agriculture or

The United States Farm Bill is a document that contains numerous committees in agriculture which was established in 1820 in the House and then 1825 in the Senate. As a matter of fact, the U.S. Farm Bill is a multi-year document of authorizing legislation that governs agriculture, food programs, conservation, rural development, and research. Although the policies for agriculture are constantly changed by the legislation, this bill provides an opportunity for the policy makers to confirm all of the aspects and address agricultural and food issues we have today. Research shows that the U.S. Farm Bill is renewed every five years.

Factory farming reduced the amount of land needed for meat production, however, these farms are a serious water pollutant. The waste of these animals ends up in the surrounding water and poses the constant threat of drinking water contamination. Runoff from factory farms and livestock grazing are one of the leading causes of pollution in rivers and lakes. The EPA notes that “bacteria and viruses can be carried by the runoff and that groundwater can be contaminated.” The huge quantities of animal waste runoff produced by these operations leech into the water supply and affect the natural aquatic life cycle. Livestock manure is rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, and other fertilizers. These chemicals eventually work their way into our stream, rivers

Contamination of water sources is becoming a large issue in many countries. A very well know case of this is the large outbreak of Escherichia Coli in Africa. This outbreak caused many people to become infected with E. Coli when they ate meat from cattle that had been giving water that wasn't treated. The cattle's drinking water was contaminated with E. Coli when a large rainfall water caused their drinking water to become contaminated with fecal matter.

Agricultural runoff is when rainwater washes pesticides, insecticides, fertilizer, animal manure and other farm products into the water and ground. Agricultural runoff can affect marine life because of excess nutrients running into the water, and it can also leak into the ground and affect water quality for drinking.

As T. Y. Tong and Chen point out, surface runoff is an important source of non-point pollution (Tong and Chen, 2002). Though it was pointed out by van der Werf that volatilization is the biggest source of pesticide loss, surface runoff and especially leaching is by quantity a smaller source of pesticide loss into the environment, but more important when looking at pesticide contamination of groundwater. By the numbers, pesticide losses from runoff average 2% and rarely go higher that 5-10% of the applied pesticide (van der Werf, 1996).

Intentionally or accidentally, pollution has entered the water system for years. Our water sources have been treated as an unlimited supply, but with the pollution and waste getting worse, the supply could run low. Fertilizers can drain into rivers from the fields, and effluent is sometimes released into rivers from sewage, chemicals from factories that also illegally dump waste products contribute to pollution (“Water Pollution… 4). Water pollution is a serious problem that is affecting humans and animals, and this problem needs an efficient solution. This can be seen through an examination of the history, causes, effects, and possible solutions.

The 2014 Farm Bill provides the basic legislation governing farm programs for 2014-18. Almost 80% of budgetary spending is allocated to domestic food assistance programs, and approximately 20% going to farm programs. Agriculture in the United States (US) is also affected by other legislation at the federal and local levels, including trade measures, food safety regulation, commodity trading and finance, tax policy, energy and transportation.

Farm Credit has been serving producers across this nation for over a century. The opportunity

Agriculture has always been and always will be a part of society, but do the people outside of the agriculture community know anything about the farms and the regulations of farms of today’s world? The federal government should support the family farms of today rather than the industrial side of agriculture.

Anyone can have the globe on their dinner plate. Literally speaking, carbon dioxide (CO2), greenhouse gases, and fossil fuel emissions play a role in imported food as does climate change. Conventional agricultural farms are known for being one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Federal policies and subsidies can aid farmers in the fight against altering the climate. Subsidies first allowed cheap commodity crops to flourish during Nixon’s presidency and while they allow farmers to grow, use, and sell cheap produce today, the machinery and transport of it has otherwise been and is destructive to the climate. The amount of fossil fuels and pollution emitted by crop, meat, and fish farms pose as a climatic risk and can be reduced

Currently, the U.S. has identified a need to develop plans that will collect and integrate information for the agricultural safety of America’s food chain. Some states have addressed the issue but only North Carolina has made significant strides in what developed agricultural plan would look like. As of now, there is no effective national coordination on the federal level despite the existence of presidential directives aimed at securing this weakness. Specifically, the “Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 (HSPD-9), “Defense of United States Agriculture and Food” (Monke, 2005). This directive aimed to plan for the protection of agricultural resources in the

Water is one of the most abundant substances on Earth, but the vast majority of it cannot be used for human or industrial use because of the salt content. With cost effective desalination processes several years away, we are limited to fresh water resources such as lakes, reservoirs, and aquifers, but these resources, in many areas, are being used drained at rates faster than they can replenish, or are too difficult to reach. Agriculture is one of the primary users of wastewater, as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) points out in their publication “The Wealth of Waste: The Economics of Wastewater Use in Agriculture”. This is why the agriculture