Water Polution : Agricultural Water Pollution

Furthermore, factory farms pollute drinking water sources. Manure and fertilizers are rich in nitrates and phosphates, which are very unhealthy for living things. They pollute groundwater sources by seeping in through lagoons of waste sewage that factory farms create. Lagoons of animal feces and spent fertilizers are a very cheap way of dealing with waste (NRDC). The chemicals travel through the soil to groundwater that the local communities depend on. Ingesting nitrate tainted water will lower the amount of oxygen a person can intake. This can lead to death for infants. Some of the pollutants can reach open waters if they are carried by rain or irrigation water, called runoff. Runoff pollutes ponds, lakes, oceans, and other open bodies of water. Polluted waters with high levels of nitrates kill fish, aquatic plants, and other aquatic organisms because they experience the same problems with oxygen intake. High levels of phosphorus in our waters cause algae blooms in open bodies of water. Algae blooms disrupt the ecosystem in the water and kill the organisms living in the water. They use up all the oxygen in

Leaching of pesticides, herbicides and other Argo-chemicals, these chemicals are the overriding causes of agricultural pollution owing to the numbers of invasive pests, weeds, and diseases. They're highly toxic and have the potential of remaining in the environment for ages. When it rains, these chemicals will leak

Even though, fertilizers are needed to supply essential nutrients to the growth of plants; an excess of them is one of the major issues contributing to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Fertilizers are mainly composed of two elements: nitrogen and phosphorus.(4) Throughout the years, millions of pounds of this nutrients are applied all around the Chesapeake Bay Watershed; everything not absorbed by the soil or taken up by plants eventually reaches the Chesapeake Bay through storm-water runoff. This nutrients end up creating algae blooms in the water, which reduce the amount of sunlight available to underwater grasses; not allowing plants to photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. Algae then decomposes creating dead zones killing fish and other species since oxygen is needed for any organism to live. (5)

Turbidity and nutrient levels occur within Australia’s river systems, generally coincide in Australia's river systems. A large proportion of the suspended sediment in Australian rivers results from vegetation removal, leading to gully and stream bank erosion and sheetwash. Phosphorus is overwhelmingly associated with such particulate loads (The National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2002).

Although sewage systems are able to provide a great deal of sanitation to water before it is released back into a source, the risk of raw sewage overflowing into water sources poses several issues. Not only can raw sewage contain harmful bacteria such as E. coli, it can also negatively affect aquatic life. Human waste typically contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients that are useful for people but can cause many issues in an aquatic environment (Burkholder et. al., 2011). Much of these elements are removed during wastewater treatment, but if they are sent directly to a water source due to flooding, they can cause algae blooms and harm

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

Bioindicators of stream health include blackfly larvae, caddisflies, and algae. The presence of blackfly larvae indicates sewage pollution. Caddisflies indicate higher  O2 concentrations. The presences of algae can indicate different things. If algae is absent, there may not be enough nutrients to support its growth. Thick algae indicates eutrophication.  Previous studies by the Colorado Department of Health Water Quality Control Commission in 1981 show comparable amounts of dissolved  O2 as well as pH, nitrite, and nitrate levels in both Cherry and Bear creek. The  NH 3 levels were much higher in Cherry Creek at .10 mg/L compared to Bear creek where the  NH 3 levels were at .06 mg/L (Colorado 1981). In today’s society, it is important to find a balance between preserving the natural ecosystem and accommodating the wants, needs, and desires of the humans who affect it. (Meyer 1997). Pollution is inevitable but should be considered and kept as low as reasonably achievable.

Let me go all APES here. Water contamination has been an issue across the country. Nutrients like phosphorous, which are found in many fertilizers, can runoff into streams and rivers causing eutrophication. Eutrophication is just a fancy word for these organic nutrients causing a reduction in dissolved oxygen in

Human-environmental interaction contributes to processes that affect fluvial environments. Indeed, impervious surfaces are ubiquitous in urban areas; these anthropogenic surfaces reroute runoff (among other things), which can ultimately impact the morphology, water quality, vegetation, and floodplain soils of a local watershed if it is near an urban area. Similar to the above example, because of the complexities associated with

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

We found that the limiting nutrient in Loughberry Lake is phosphorous. The most natural way that phosphorous enters aquatic systems, is through the cycling and erosion of phosphorous rich rocks and sediments. The phosphorous cycle takes a long time to complete, but through human processes such as mining and runoff, phosphorous is able to enter our water sources much more quickly. There is also a small amount of deposition that may occur from the atmosphere to the water. The most common human source of phosphorous is urban and agricultural runoff. (Mahaney, Wendy. September 22…) In Saratoga Springs there is a concentration of residential and urban infrastructure, which is a source of runoff into Loughberry Lake and other surrounding waters. Fertilizers and manure also contain high amounts of phosphorous, and tend to be the key culprits in phosphorous runoff (Mahaney, Wendy. September 22…).

To enhance crop production in the area farmers apply commercial fertilizers, legumes, crop residue, manure, and land applied sludge to their crops. While these products help with crop production they contain high nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Excess nutrients are a major cause to impaired biotic communities and algae blooms. When algae blooms occur the dissolved oxygen content within the water decreases. (Upper Wabash River Watershed Management Plan ~ Phase 2, 2015)

REMIEDIATING AGRICULTURAL WATER CONTAMINATION Remediating Agricultural Water Contamination: Problem, Solution, and Barriers Paper Problem Concerns about water pollution are generally focused towards sources that are highly visible and chemically oriented. However, the greatest causes of water contamination and quantity abuse in the United States come from agricultural production (United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], 2012a), which is defined as a nonpoint source that pollutes with nutrients. In 2011, nine

By not using multiple chemicals to control crops, organic farming also ends up being better for the environment. Organic farmers use natural fertilizers such as manure so that they do not release artificial chemicals into the ground (“Organic Food”). In June of 1999 a report made by the U.S. Geologic Survey, found that most waterways and ground water supplies in both urban and rural areas contained enough pesticides to endanger aquatic life (“pesticides”). These chemicals can also leak into streams and encourage the growth of algae and intoxicate the water (“298 John P. Reganold et.al”). Furthermore studies have found that water contaminated with pesticides may accumulate in the

One of the leading causes of water pollution is from agriculture. Some of the reasons for this are that agriculture is close to most bodies of water, agriculture is the most widespread land use in the U.S., and agriculture uses chemicals and nutrients to improve production. Figures