Despite the poor grade, the report is a mixed bag of positive and negative. Compared to 2012, nitrogen pollution remains unchanged while phosphorus pollution increased. These excess nutrients fuel algal blooms that cause dead zones in the Bay and find their way into our rivers and streams in runoff from farmlands, streets, lawns, and parking lots in urban and suburban areas.
Toxics pollution has remained unchanged since 2012 with over 70 percent of the Bay and its tidal rivers impaired due to long-lived chemical contamination. On a positive note, dissolved oxygen improved due to below-average temperatures this summer (cooler water holds more oxygen) and water clarity improved slightly, allowing more sunlight to reach underwater grasses, which provide habitat for fish and crabs.
While the trends for these pollution indicators seem rather impressive, they represent a 21.5 percent improvement over 2010 levels, indicating the plan to clean up the Bay and its tributaries (mentioned many times in this blog) is working. However, there is cause for concern because the pace of expected pollution reductions from agriculture and stormwater are off track and many of the Bay states, including Pennsylvania, are in danger of not meeting their pollution reduction goals.
Agriculture is the largest source of pollution to the Bay. Accordingly, the Bay states seek to get the majority (75 percent) of their pollution reductions from agriculture. Luckily, this is also the most cost effective way to reduce pollution. Using simple practices like planting grass buffers or cover crops comes in at a cost of between $3.20 and $4.70 and can keep a pound of nitrogen pollution out of our waters. To achieve the same pollution reductions, upgrades to wastewater treatment plants runs between $15 and $47 while stormwater retrofits can cost over $200 per pound of nitrogen.
High levels of pollution in the Bay continue to have a devastating effect on the iconic rockfish (striped bass) and blue crabs, and also impacts the families that rely upon them for their livelihoods. Rockfish have been declining since 2003 and the population is so low that catches will be cut back starting this year. Additionally, the number of blue crabs has dropped dramatically, from 765 million in 2012 to 297 million in 2014, forcing state mandated cutbacks on catches. On the other hand, oysters continue to improve. Almost 1 billion oysters are planted each year in the Bay and its tributaries and survival rates are high.
Even though the report is a mixed bag of good and bad, the good news is that plans to clean up the Bay are in place and are working. We simply need to work a little harder -- citizens, governments, businesses, and farmers -- to achieve the goal of clean water in our local rivers and streams and, ultimately, the Bay.
Jennifer Quinn is central Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture and is based in Harrisburg. She tweets @QuinnJen1.
Even though the report is a mixed bag of good and bad, the good news is that plans to clean up the Bay are in place and are working. We simply need to work a little harder -- citizens, governments, businesses, and farmers -- to achieve the goal of clean water in our local rivers and streams and, ultimately, the Bay.
Jennifer Quinn is central Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture and is based in Harrisburg. She tweets @QuinnJen1.
