Nutrient pollution’s consequences float to the surface, dead


Nutrient pollution’s consequences float to the surface, dead

By: Griffin Hon



Crisis on the Sound

The Long Island Sound - heralded for its unparalleled natural beauty, has served for centuries as the source of inspiration for many an Impressionist painter and provided a backdrop for beloved novels like The Great Gatsby. However, this very beauty is being beset by a crisis that may prove irreversible if immediate and thorough action is not taken.

Throughout the 80s, a steady increase in population and poorly treated sewage led to harbors full of dying fish and shellfish, dirty beaches, and waters almost devoid of oxygen. Despite decades of government investment to improve the situation, in 2016, Long Islanders were still met with a dreadful sight at Shinnecock Canal - tens of thousands of dead fish blanketing the surface - so dense "you could've walked across the water," an eyewitness remarked. Fish aren't the only fauna being choked out - in 2015, hundreds of turtles dead turtles washed ashore, and clams have experienced a severe die-off as well.

The effects of these events reach far beyond the fatal implications for the fishing industry. They can also affect the Sound's people, tourism, and real estate; the natural tranquility that leads to many moving to and loving Long Island is being rapidly tarnished.

What could be the culprit behind this urgent issue?

Nutrient pollution: a man-made menace

A 2009 EPA report indicates that over a third of the nation's estuaries are impaired by nutrient pollution, and the Long Island Sound is one of the most prominent examples. Because of its relatively shallow and confined nature, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in rivers, lakes, and streams accumulate in the Sound, limiting oxygen circulation throughout the water. When fauna enters the Long Island Sound from the Atlantic, they are suddenly met with significantly decreased dissolved oxygen levels in the water. These animals asphyxiate en masse and wash up on the shores days later, resulting in the earlier mentioned morbid scenes.

The origin of this nitrogen and phosphorus causing the so-called nutrient pollution? Sewage treatment plants, septic systems, atmospheric conditions, and fertilizer coming from New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut. They also trigger algal blooms that turn the water perpetually brown and prevent the native fauna from surviving in the area.

The chemicals from these various sources also include harmful contaminants like 1,4-dioxane, PFOS, and PFOA. To this extent, 16 million Long Islanders are exposed to unusually high concentrations of these chemicals, which have been found to cause cancer, impair fetal development, and damage the kidneys, among other conditions.

The solution: institutional and individual action

The present situation may seem irresolvable, but there are solutions.

The government can, and has, stepped in to monitor nitrogen and chemical levels in the water annually and publicly publish the results to bring greater public awareness to the issue. Legislation can also encourage increased nitrogen treatment at sewage plants; current laws passed have reduced nitrogen entering the Long Island Sound by 58.5% over the last 16 years.

However, there are some areas where government jurisdiction cannot reach, like the Western Narrows of the Long Island Sound. This most densely populated and human-developed region of the Long Island Sound right by New York City has remained at a staunch F-grade from Save the Sound testing in terms of nitrogen pollution since 2008. The EPA reports that the duration of low oxygen conditions has even increased in some years. In these areas, it is up to the people to make changes to their lifestyle to make a difference.

The "Save the Sound" organization recommends reducing water usage, eliminating fertilizer usage, regularly checking your pipes, leaving natural vegetation along waterways, and cleaning litter from rivers to help save the health of the Long Island Sound. By taking these steps, you can help make a difference.

It seems that the old adage has been proven again: even in the face of the most pressing problems, it's the little things that count.


Bibliography



PRESS RELEASE: Long Island Sound gets its grades - and they're looking good!
https://www.savethesound.org/2018/09/24/press-release-long-island-sound-gets-its-grades/


Long Island Sound Water Quality Improving in Response to Significant Reductions in Nitrogen Pollution
https://longislandsoundstudy.net/2021/05/long-island-sound-water-quality-improving-in-response-to-significant-reductions-in-nitrogen-pollution/

Report: Long Island Has Most Contaminated Drinking Water In New York

https://www.wshu.org/news/2019-05-30/report-long-island-has-most-contaminated-drinking-water-in-new-york
https://www.highwaterstandard.com/blog/long-island-water-quality


Long Island Sees a Crisis as It Floats to the Surface - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/06/nyregion/long-island-sees-a-crisis-as-it-floats-to-the-surface.html

Where This Occurs: Coasts and Bays | US EPA
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/where-occurs-coasts-and-bays

Thousands of dead fish spotted in Long Island canal
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/11/15/thousands-dead-fish-spotted-long-island-canal/93880000/

Nitrogen Reduction - Save the Sound
https://www.savethesound.org/what-we-do/healthy-waters/stopping-water-pollution/nitrogen-reduction/















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