Water Quality Improvements That Help Achieve Nutrient Maximum Daily Loads

The first year of our program design requires key staff within the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and Office of Policy Analysis to develop a prioritization framework for relevant federal agencies to use in developing strategic plans to combat invasive species. This memo focuses on the development of a performance management system to ensure efficient and effective implementation of year-one goals. There are four major dimensions to this performance management system:

Maintaining ecological diversity is necessary for the survival of a biological community. In the United States, American citizens are on the verge of irrevocably damaging one of the country's most unique and diverse treasures - the Florida Everglades. This national park is now the only remaining patch of a river that used to span 120 miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Florida Bay. Dikes and levees created by the Army Corps of Engineers in the late 1940's drained this river to reduce flooding and increase useable water for the development of the region. This major diversion of water lead to a trickle down effect causing the continual decline of the environmental state of the Everglades. Since then, debates over the

The new plan proposed would begin with establishing the sources of nutrient loads and making sure they all have plans for complying with mandated maximum loads. Economic impact analysis will drive the location of the endangered body of water and begin the process to apply for validation and funding options from the ISCHO. In Florida, agencies responsible for invasive species response are the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission(FWC). These agencies will get notification from the federal level if a management plan is recommended to go forward. This will also open up options for funding. At the state level, funding from the November 4th passing of Amendment 1 will greatly enhance the ability to begin hydrilla management programs (Houser 2014). Governor Scott has budgeted millions for nutrient limits and restoration plans, more will be available for all programs due to Amendment 1 tax

The cane toads in Australia has become a national difficulty. The Australian government has been providing funds to help with catching and destroying these pests. Scientists have not been able to find any kind of way to biologically control these toads. According to the Australian Government, “Cane toads have an impact on Australian Government controlled lands, including Kakadu National Park, several World Heritage Areas and Indigenous Protected Areas”. The Australian government has written a policy on cane toads, has started a cane toad advisory group, funded research on controlling and collecting the toads, funded research on the impact of the toads on the Australian habitats and economy, and has educated the public about the toads and how to deal with them. In the future, the government plans to continue to do these same things as eradicating the toads does not seem feasible. All of these efforts are being made to at least reduce the threats to humans and native species in

Chicago is the third largest city in the United States with a population of almost 3 millions residents. A multitude of different social economic backgrounds and cultures make up the cities dense population. With a city so large and bordered by Lake Michigan the city has many a citizen to hydrate with one of the most natural needs of man, water. The city has it’s own municipal filtration purification plant, however with an annual precipitation of anywhere from 36.9 to 37.8 inches, many residents have also turned to collecting and sometimes filtering their own water NCDC: “National Climatic Data Center” NOAA 's 1981-2010 Climate Normals. How exactly is water filtered in Chicago and who and how are citizen’s who choose to collect their own water utilizing it and filtering it?

An initiative to help improve water quality can include advocating to both the residents as well as factories within Niagara. It is the responsibility of the citizens to limit the amount of waste they produce in order to ensure clean water. Implementing strategies to ensure waste reduction and proper garbage disposal can help benefit the residents by improving their heath. Poor water quality is associated with poor health and increased illness, not only will the residents benefit but it will also help in preserving the environment. Although we use the water for drinking it is also a source of nourishment for the soil, plants and animals, therefore ensuring a clean water supply will benefit both the residents and the environment. This cost effective technique of limiting waste production by the residents as well as alternative disposal methods is a great initiative to help create a better water quality within Niagara.

Water shortages are a concern to agriculture because a lack of water leads to either poorly developed crops or to dead crops, thereby creating food shortages. Biologists has two primary roles to play in the fight against water shortages. The first role is a research role, which is the development of more water efficient crops, cropping systems and creating alternatives to meat which has a very high water cost. The second role they have to play is with interacting with both the public and the government and working together with them to improve legalisation in agricultural legislation, taxing and helping form public and school education programmes talking about the water footprint.

Dr. Kim Burnett is research economist of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO). Her research primarily focuses on invasive species management, water conservation, and the importance on watershed management, particularly in Hawaii and the Pacific. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics at Loyola University New Orleans and soon, thereafter continued her major through her Master’s and PhD. Her strong passion for the community is what drives her to make a difference in preserving Hawaii’s water resources.

The best way to protect local bodies of water is to give the resources necessary for professionals to analyze the patterns of the ecosystem 2. Currently, information from water testing is extremely scarce and many individuals within the government do not understand the necessity for water monitoring and watershed preservation3. Although there are various laws that work by directly protecting public health, many of these laws do not focus on protecting the entire ecosystem. Much of this negligence is a result of the economic drawbacks and regulations on human development that are required to preserve local bodies of water3. A major issue that greatly affects the entire ecosystem and watershed is climate change. The rapid changing of water parameters has caused many dangers for aquatic organisms and the surrounding environment4. To truly understand this impact, water monitoring is a necessity to preserving the ecosystem and protecting the health of all

How do we protect the water quality, and how do we push to further improve water quality?

The USDA is working to enhance productivity and ensuring the safety of the food supply. It invests in research of new varieties and technologies to mitigate animal/plant diseases and increase productivity, sustainability, and product quality. This research has supported American farmers in their work to produce a safe and abundant food supply. The USDA is also working on improving nutrition and confronting obesity by developing effective education activities to promote health and reduce malnutrition and obesity in children and high-risk populations. Conserving natural resources and combating climate change is also a main focus. Scientists are developing rice and corn crops that are drought and flood resistant and helping to improve the productivity of soil, as well as production systems that require less pesticides. The USDA is delivering science based information to farmers and ranchers which will help them make informed decisions and improve practices in environmental conservation.

Identifying and communicating with project stakeholders in the initial phase is all about recognizing and speaking to influence, and thus the information that needs to be communicated to each individual stakeholder should speak to their individual area(s) of influence (Sanghera, 2010; Hendrickson, 2008). For the project at hand, homeowners near proposed highway should be given information regarding the benefits to their communities and the ways in which traffic and noise issues will be controlled, while stakeholders directly involved in carrying out the project will need information regarding the other stakeholders, obstacles, and accomplishments so that they can effectively plan.

Dr. Silvertooth raised several global questions during his talk. The most significant questions raised were how are we plan to provide enough water to grow the amount of crops we are projecting to need in 2050, as well as have enough freshwater for the population. There are three limiting resources that affect how much a plant grows: sunlight, water, and bio-available nitrogen. The more availability to these resources a plant has the better. However, as we look towards the future, we are seeing that the Earth is running into a freshwater shortage. Currently 70% of our freshwater is being put towards agricultural production, but it only supports 40% of the total crop yield. This supports between 40%-45% of the Earth’s population. With so much of our freshwater going towards food production, and not even sustaining half of the population, we have a serious issue arising if we need to increase this production level. Ultimately, Dr. Silvertooth brought up the question how do we plan to both conserve our freshwater supply and increase our crop yields?

Turbidity refers to how clear water is. Turbidity determines how far light can penetrate into water. Excess soil erosion, dissolved solids or excess growth of microorganisms are most commonly the causes of high turbidity. Because water with a high turbidity can impede light, plants under the water may die as a result. Dead plants will not only result in less oxygen but the organic matter will only contribute to the microorganisms thus diminishing the oxygen even further. No dissolved oxygen means that other aquatic life forms will not be able to live in the water (National Library of Medicine, n.d.).

This report outlines the EWB Challenge that is operational for development based in Bambui, Cameroon. Bambui is a rural community in the North West region of Cameroon that is undergoing rapid population growth. The population growth is increasing the pressure on the existing water supply, sanitation, waste management and housing facilities available. The purpose of this report is to work cooperatively with EWB and the community of Bambui in establishing a clean and quality water supply system. The report will cover the essential problems of water quality and water supply in Bambui in common terms as well as develop a design criteria. By forming a template of three to five measurable design requirements and testing a minimum of two design option against these requirements we will be able to make the most effective recommendation based on our findings.