1.1 Introduction
Excessive Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) levels in natural water systems have proven to cause high levels of algae production. The Tampa Bay estuary has four major river basins that flow into it transporting TN and TP from the outfalls of terrestrial wastewater treatment plants and agricultural runoff. The process of phytoplankton growth which consumes the excess TN and TP in natural systems can also be related to the changing water quality levels such as dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, available nutrient concentration, pH, water temperature and turbidity. For example, this lack of DO in the water reduces the longevity of the wildlife present in saline environments. This impact produces changes in the ecosystem. It is imperative that TP and TN levels be monitored and managed because of their impacts on the natural water bodies. The Tampa Bay estuary has seen been a receiving body for effluent wastewater for an extensive period of time (Janicki et al., 2001). Tampa Bay receives effluent waste water from four watersheds; Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay and Lower Tampa Bay.
The effects of the effluent discharge in the water body may have negative effects on the natural ecosystem. More specifically the dissolved oxygen levels as well as decreased light availability in the bay which decreases proportionally as total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations increase (Bricker et al., 1999). The effects of TP and TN in an estuary system can be seen in figure 1. This eutrophication is of high importance because the implications that it brings to the water system. These effects are a direct result of human interaction with the natural water system. Thus it...
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...isposal of waste water from treatment plants increases so will the need for nutrient control programs to ensure the natural water bodies are being protected from degeneration. Treatment processes that have gained popularity in recent years, e.g wetland application, mechanic or chemical treatment, are becoming more acceptable as the public are becoming more aware of the effects of eutrophication. Also the use of reclaimed water is alleviating the burden on receiving water bodies. As more water is being depleted from the groundwater table the need will shift to surface water treatment for drinking water thus if the proper steps are being taken now the processing costs of the future will decline significantly.
Also the natural system will be able to sustain its self for a longer period time.
Works Cited
The Effects of Nutrients: A Study of Tampa Bay
Estuary
One of the Bays biggest resources is its oysters. Oysters are filter feeders which mean they feed on agley and clean the water. The oysters feed on agley and other pollutants in the bay turning them into food, then they condense the food down to nutrients and sometimes developed pearls. Filtering the water helps the oysters to grow, and also helps clean the Chesapeake Bay. One oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day, Oysters used to be able to filter the Bay in about a week. However, these creatures are now scarce in the bay. The Chesapeake Bays Oyster (crassostrea virginica) Population has declined severely because of over harvesting, agricultural runoff, and disease. Now the Chesapeake Bay is becoming polluted without the oysters and the water is not nearly as clean as it once was. The Chesapeake Bay was the first estuary in the nation to be targeted for restoration as an integrated watershed and ecosystem. (Chesapeake Bay Program n/d). This report will show the cause and effect of the Chesapeake Bay's Oyster decline on the Bay.
...d the amount of waste in the waterways and the trapping of runoff and litter.
For example, when the labors take oil from the ocean or sea, the oil may leak from the pipes and it will mingle with water. That time the living things in the sea are destroyed by the polluted water. So many fishes and sea organism may
our pipelines and sewers where it goes to a treatment plant to be treated, but
This is an important topic. It affects the overall health of the population surrounding the Chesapeake Bay, as we eat from it quite often and it can be used as a water source. The chemicals being released into the water are from coal-burning factories and runoff, which can be helped, but it’s almost impractical in this day and age to spend the amount of money required to do so without the technology that can guarantee a fix.
...eading contributor of pollutants to lakes, rivers, and reservoirs…..Surface discharges can be caused by heavy storms or floods that cause storage lagoons to overfill, running off into nearby bodies of water. Pollutants can also travel over land or through surface drainage systems to nearby bodies of water, be discharged through manmade ditches or flushing systems found in CAFOs, or come into contact with surface water that passes directly through the farming area.
The Chesapeake Bay lies in three states-- Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Although this estuary lies in 3 different states, the tributaries that contribute water to the bay lie in many different states, extending from New York to West Virginia and Virginia. Therefore, the health of the bay is a national problem, as its health strongly depends on our actions that we perform throughout the nation
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay holds eighteen hundred trillion gallons of water and stretches over 200 miles in length between its most northern point, the Susquehanna River to the Bay’s most southern tip, the Atlantic Ocean. Home to more than seventeen million people, the Chesapeake Bay is the primary water source for over 150 rivers and streams. Because of the vast amount of rivers and streams the bay feeds, this watershed impacts the lives of citizens on the eastern shore spanning a total of six U.S. states. The importance of the Chesapeake Bay is incredible; two of the United States’ five major North Atlantic ports – Baltimore and Hampton Roads – are on the Bay. (Chesapeake Bay Program, n/d). The highly productive ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay provides food and shelter for a wide variety of plant and animal life in and surrounding the Bay. The critical natural resources the bay provides stimulates economic growth and has for centuries.
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).
Pollution comes in many forms. In the ocean we dump a variety of substances, including human wastes, chemicals from fertilizers, oil, and trash such as plastic which all contribute to the growing issue of our ocean pollution. In addition to, our usable waters are finite. More than 97.5 percent of the water on this planet is undrinkable salt water; the remaining 2.5 percent has two-thirds of the usable fresh water locked up in glaciers, snow, and permafrost. Of the one-third of freshwater that is available for human use, 20 percent is used for industrial use. (“Water Pollution”) “In effect, water pollution reduces the volume of water available for use by human and other populations.” (Robin Clarke, Jannet King) Knowing that there are approximately 7.2 billion people and growing on this planet with only 0.83 percent of available for our use wouldn’t you want to do everything possible to help put an end to water pollution? (worldometers)
Today's waters are constantly being treated like sewage dumps or trash cans. We use them as garbage cans every day polluting the water more and more. "Pollution is often by way of rivers, drains and outflow pipes." Causing an outflow of sewage into our ocean waters. This is not only affecting the community but also the marine life and other sea creatures living in the ocean." This pollution includes human sewage and domestic waste water, factory outflows of acids and poisonous metals, engine oil from roadside drains and garages, farm chemicals washed off the land by rain, building-site rubble, nuclear waste from power plants, and oil from wells, refineries, and tankers." Stating that most of today's waste is from factory or factory ran products that shouldn't be polluting the water
Many of these in later years shall need to be addressed as tension rises: Saving and consumption of water Improving drinking water supply Increasing access to clean water supply Decreasing tension between war-ing nation over resources With the population expected to rise 40-50% within the next 50 years, the demand for water in Agricultural needs and Environmental needs will rise as well, creating a more desperate water crisis. Developed countries struggle with managing water consumption. Our high demand in agriculture, industry, and domestic use further complicates this issue. With increasing urbanization and extravagant changes in lifestyle, our use and wasting of water will only increase.
Oroian, Viman Oana I. "Damaging Effects of Overall Water Pollution." BioFlux (2010): 113-15. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
Water mismanagement has become a crisis of governance that will impact heavily on public health and the environment, while tensions and conflicts increase over declining resources.... ... middle of paper ... ... Together I Think UV oxidation and the Life Saver Bottle should be used I say this because the Life Saver Bottle is meant for Third world countries where the water is dirtied by bacteria and viruses not chemicals.