Southwest Florida is seen as the crowning jewel when it comes to the beach and tourist stops. Most are only here for a few weeks or months and never really see the changes in our environment. But, recently, the water quality around southwest florida has been drastically changing. This change is due to the water being released into Lake Okeechobee. The lake which harbors brown sludge which chokes out oyster beds, kills off fish, and more harm to the wildlife in the neighboring water ecosystems (Reid). Because of the harmful effects of this water releases, many groups have come together to start to fight the releasing of water in an attempt to protect their waters. Lake Okeechobee is located in central Florida and spans about 730 miles …show more content…
If the estrary is lost because of a bacteria outbreak, the local commercial fisheries would be hit hard. As would the commercial oyster beds. When the water reaches the coast, the constant sunlight turns the toxic water into brown and green sludge which blocks out the sunlight and does not allow the oysters and life underneath to thrive or survive (Gills). If the issue persists, as it will, the local life will be stripped of the wonderful beauty it once had. Even though the water releases was enacted to protect the local people from the risk of flooding many groups have started to protests releases in an attempt to save the coastlines. On the morning of a release in early February 2016, a big group went to stand outside of the Army Corps engineering office trying to protect their local waters. The reporter Ruiz, received a quote from the woman as follows, “ When they discharge, I see dead dolphins, I see dead birds, and I see dead fish,” (Ruiz). This quote turns the heads from worrying about seagrass to actual living creatures losing their lives because of the water release. There is hope to see change soon to hopefully protect what little wild life is left. The local officials are beginning to see the effects of the water releases into the coastlines. They are beginning to brainstorm solutions as to how
Problems and Potential Solutions Stormwater pollution can greatly impact our quality of life whether it be directly or indirectly. Pollution from storm water runoff can have a negative impact on our drinking water, recreational waters, and water that we use for irrigation. Pollution to our waters can affect fish, wildlife, and plant life of all kinds. There can also be potential for negative impacts on human life if people are swimming in or drinking polluted water. One issue we face in my area, Columbia, SC is an impairment for E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria. We have traced a lot of this pollution back to wildlife, such as heavy populations of geese that inhabit an area.
The oceans need to be protected because it is where life began and if not taken care of, life as we know it will end. The well-being of the ocean is constantly being threatened and needs to stop. When dangerous substances go into the ocean, ecosystems suffer and become endangered along with the lives of people and marine life. The importance of protecting and preserving the quality and biodiversity of the world 's coasts must be recognized because they are truly irreplaceable. If humans are not educated , and become careless about what is thrown on the ground or sprayed on lawns, disastrous effects follow when it comes to the condition of the ocean’s ecosystems, which can endanger life itself, leading to a problem only we can correct. There is historical evidence of ocean pollution, although the problem still shadows us today.
Yet, humans have limited control on natural events, so this only reinforces the importance of managing water wisely. Recently California’s government has begun to focus more on sustaining and restoring the water supply. Dale Kasler (2016) articulates in his article some of the steps they have decided to make to solve this serious issue. The government has made the following investments: “$415 million for watershed restoration and other environmental aid for Lake Tahoe; up to $335 million for two proposed reservoirs in California, including the Sites reservoir north of Sacramento; $880 million for flood-control projects on the American and Sacramento rivers in Sacramento; and $780 million for flood-control projects in West Sacramento” (para. 10). This could be the first step to restoring the water to California. But these
In this research paper I will talk about how a large decrease in the algae population in the Chesapeake Bay will cause problems for not just fish and other species but the people who fish and make a living off of it. A large decrease in algae population will have a domino effect on the food chain. Having a major decrease in algae will hurt how others species live and protect themselves.
Every summer for the past few years, I have been constantly on the gorgeous glittering waters of Lake Allatoona. I have experienced everything from boating to tubing and even jumping off of double decker docks. It’s hard to say goodbye to the waters for another year until Memorial Day. Even though I only see a small but beautiful portion of Lake Allatoona, the “Tri-State Water Wars” are still a large problem for this blossoming community surrounding Lake Allatoona.
Have you ever wondered where your water comes from? If you live in Florida it comes from a place known as the Everglades. However the water supply is affecting the park located in Florida. To explain it further the park is being affected by small changes having a big impact, the water being affected and the price for saving the Everglades is high. Not to mention a approved is needed to save the subtropical wilderness.
I researched the Everglades in Florida. There have been many negative changes in this habitat both from humans and other species. The region’s water resources are being depleted by invasions of exotic plants such as the Australian Melaluca. The Australian Melaluca also affected the native species of which the rest of the ecosystem depends. Another effect on the water is the runoff from agricultural operations, which gets into the water and pollutes it. Development pressures from agriculture, industry, and urban areas have destroyed more than half of the original Everglades
Recently, the heap of pollution caused a massive drainage in the Everglades’ water quality. Tramontana and Johnson (2003) reported that “much of Florida’s early development was based upon draining and removing excess water from wetlands… and it was thought if drained, the land could be put to better use” (Human Development section, para. 2). Pollution destroys the cleanliness of the wetland leading to a decrease in restoration. Millions amount of cash produced to repair water quality leads to the consequences of continuous flow of freshwater.
The article “Water Works”, published by Orion Magazine and written by environmental specialist Cynthia Barnett intends to inform the reader anyone can make water an important factor. Overlooking it has become common many people in the United States have adapted to through the changes that have occurred in society over time. At the beginning of her article, she describes an area that does not make water care a priority, whereas in another location they make it very evident water is important. The location she describes is gloomy, grey, and is a populated area that has old water systems that are damaging environmental factors. Barnett continuously emphasizes that people are the ones who can help restore nature. This is at a less cost than
Prevention is necessary to control many problems in the Chesapeake Bay. Prevention can range from something as big as a government issue or as small as a single person helping out. The greatest chance at total protection for water quality is when many people and organizations work together to prevent problems. According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, “Federal, state and non-profit Bay Program partners are working with farmers, developers, homeowners and local governments to reduce pollutants from multiple sources and restore water quality for all to enjoy” (Chesapeake Bay Program).
In The Water Wars written by Cameron Stracher, humanity struggles to survive in a parched, dry, and post-apocalyptic Earth. The narrator, Vera, lives with his brother Will in the Republic of Illinowa, once a part of the United States. Everything in her life was normal until she and her brother decided to venture on a dangerous and perilous journey beyond their republic in order to save Kai, a boy who somehow seems to have unlimited drinking water. All the dangers and events unfolded because of one key decision made by Vera.
Los Angeles County Beaches have a dangerous amount of water pollutants. The influx of water pollutants has caused water quality in county beaches to significantly decrease, especially with excess storm runoff during the wet weather season. This has contributed to a high incidence of bacteria, like fecal bacteria, which leads to more gastrointestinal illnesses and causes an annual economic loss between $21 to $51 million in public health. Poor water quality in LA County beaches also discourages the public from visiting beaches, putting in jeopardy the estimated $90 billion beach visitors contribute to coastal tourism economy. Therefore, I propose disconnecting the direct link between impervious areas, like roofs or paved surfaces, and the storm or combined sewer system. As this policy is cost-effective, the remaining funds should be utilized to maintain water quality testing facilities and water treatment facilities. This should be done within a year of implementation in order to improve water quality during the wet weather season.
“Drinking water is like washing out your insides. The water will cleanse the system, fill you up, decrease your caloric load and improve the function of all your tissues.” – Kevin R. Stone --
This paper discovers the water budget for Berkeley, California in comparison to Terre Haute, Indiana. The two cities precipitation differs throughout the twelve month calendar year where many of the heavy precipitation months are totally opposite. Berkeley California’s winters, where the majority of rain occurs and Terre Haute, Indiana where the rainfall is observed as consistently disseminated throughout the year evenly. This paper will also magnify geographic position, climate and elevation in contrast of the two cities that reflects the water budget outlined in Project 1: Water Balance defined in
Water is a human right, not a commodity. It is the essence of life, sustaining every living being on the planet. Without it we would have no plants, no animals, no people. However, while water consumption doubles every twenty years our water sources are being depleted, polluted and exploited by multinational corporations. Water privatization has been promoted by corporations and international lending institutions as the solution to the global water crises but the only one’s who benefit from water privatization are investors and international banks. The essential dilemma of privatization is that the profit interests of private water utilities ultimately jeopardizes the safeguarding of the human right to water. Access to clean, sufficient