More Than Half of U.S. Streams Polluted
Tuesday May 1, 2007
When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the results of its first-ever study of the nation's "wadeable" streams in May 2006, the news wasn't good. More than half of all U.S. streams are polluted: 42 percent were in poor condition; 25 percent were listed as fair; and only 28 percent were in good condition. The remaining 5 percent were not analyzed because of sampling problems.
The worst problems were found in the eastern third of the United States, in streams that flow from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, where 52 percent of the streams were found to be in poor condition. In the West, 45 percent of the streams flowing from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean were found to be among the least polluted. The EPA sampled streams in the 48 contiguous states between 2000 and 2004. The agency plans to extend the study in the future to include streams in Alaska and Hawaii.
According to the study, human activities such as farming and logging helped to raise the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the streams, chemicals that spur the growth of algae and other plants that cloud the water, deplete oxygen, and eventually kill fish and other aquatic life.
"The assessment is good science," said Benjamin Grumbles, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water. "The data collected through this study will help support better water quality protection at the state, federal and local levels."
No one seems to be questioning the value of studying the environmental health of the nation's shallow streams. Instead, many people are wondering why the EPA waited so long.
"We passed the Clean Water Act 35 years ago, and this is the first time we've taken a look at our small rivers and streams," said Ken Cook, president of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. "It took too long."
During the next five years, the EPA plans to sample environmental conditions of lakes, large rivers, and wetlands. After that, the entire process will be repeated to provide ongoing comparisons of water conditions that may guide future action.
More information:
More Than Half of U.S. Streams Polluted -- EPA (Reuters)
EPA Unveils First-Ever Assessment of U.S. Wadeable Streams (EPA press release)
The Wadeable Streams Assessment Fact Sheet (Environmental Protection Agency)
The worst problems were found in the eastern third of the United States, in streams that flow from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, where 52 percent of the streams were found to be in poor condition. In the West, 45 percent of the streams flowing from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean were found to be among the least polluted. The EPA sampled streams in the 48 contiguous states between 2000 and 2004. The agency plans to extend the study in the future to include streams in Alaska and Hawaii.
According to the study, human activities such as farming and logging helped to raise the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the streams, chemicals that spur the growth of algae and other plants that cloud the water, deplete oxygen, and eventually kill fish and other aquatic life.
"The assessment is good science," said Benjamin Grumbles, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water. "The data collected through this study will help support better water quality protection at the state, federal and local levels."
No one seems to be questioning the value of studying the environmental health of the nation's shallow streams. Instead, many people are wondering why the EPA waited so long.
"We passed the Clean Water Act 35 years ago, and this is the first time we've taken a look at our small rivers and streams," said Ken Cook, president of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group. "It took too long."
During the next five years, the EPA plans to sample environmental conditions of lakes, large rivers, and wetlands. After that, the entire process will be repeated to provide ongoing comparisons of water conditions that may guide future action.
More information:
More Than Half of U.S. Streams Polluted -- EPA (Reuters)
EPA Unveils First-Ever Assessment of U.S. Wadeable Streams (EPA press release)
The Wadeable Streams Assessment Fact Sheet (Environmental Protection Agency)
Comments
The article’s quote, “According to the study, human activities such as farming and logging helped to raise the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the streams” is a lie. I’ve read the study and no where in the study does it mention “logging” as a culprit in polluting streams. In fact, the study mentions that despite disturbances to vegetative cover, quality often remained high and gave credit to land managers for protecting these areas.
Sounds like our guide has an agenda that gives him a bias against logging.
“Lie” seems like a pretty strong word, Tony, and the reference to logging actually originated with one of the EPA folks who worked on the report.
As reported by Reuters: “The survey found activities such as farming and logging helped raise the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water, said Mike Shapiro, an EPA administrator who worked on the report, in a conference call.”
I really don’t have a bias against logging, so long as it’s done responsibly.