then came an unexpected turning point: in october 2020, the america’s conservation enhancement act passed congress with bipartisan support. this new act provides landmark, sorely needed funding for the epa’s chesapeake bay program and other conservation efforts. in this video, drew robinson, of the choose clean water coalition, and dr. solange filoso, of the university of maryland center for environmental science, discuss why this act is so remarkable and how it may change the future of the bay.

on march 21, 2011, the green sports alliance was launched by most of the professional sports franchises in the pacific northwest area as well as the vancouver canucks along with the bonneville environmental foundation, green building services, and milepost consulting. since then, the organization has gone on to include major franchises from all four of the biggest professional sports leagues in north america, as well as some major collegiate programs and climate organizations. today, the board is composed of climate change activists and owners of teams like the pittsburgh pirates and the tampa bay lightning. 

since the founding of the green sports alliance, the group has garnered support from former president barack obama, as well as gained a foreign ally in 2018 with the start of a new independent group called green sports alliance japan.

in 2016, the green sports alliance was recognized by president obama and the white house to honor oct. 6 as green sports day, said garret wong, member services manager for the green sports alliance. according to wong, being recognized by the obama administration is one of the alliance’s biggest accomplishments.

“to date, our organization, alongside our members & partners, have honored the occasion via a weekend-long social media campaign to raise awareness for the work taking place across the industry,” wong said. “our team is excited to continue sharing the incredible leadership within our network and the sports greening movement.”

the main purpose of the alliance is to “promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play.” they are accomplishing this by reaching out to communities in events that are meant to educate and spread the word on sustainability. the green sports alliance is also able to get some celebrity endorsement by getting professional athletes both young and old to participate. 

this organization is also growing day by day according to its members.

“the green sports alliance is always looking to explore new opportunities and partnerships with teams, universities, corporations, and leagues on a global level,” wong said. “with over 400 members working with more than 15 leagues globally, we are excited to continue to leverage the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play.”

a love for swimming and experiencing water is a widely popular cultural phenomenon. unfortunately, most individuals are not lucky enough to have access to water sources suitable for public use. as our world continually industrializes, natural bodies of water are increasingly exposed to harmful pollutants. pollution is detrimental to the health of rivers, lakes, and oceans; it threatens natural ecosystems and poses a danger for human health. surface water, encompassing almost 70 percent of water on earth, is frequently contaminated with nutrient pollution. caused by animal manure, sewage treatment discharge, fertilizer, detergent, and stormwater runoff, nutrient pollution results in algae overgrowth. not only is this harmful to human health, but it also damages the ecosystems of various plants and animals that live in freshwater environments.

in particular, the potomac river has a history of struggling with pollution. the river’s water quality began to deteriorate at the start of the nineteenth century when mining and agricultural developments expanded upstream. throughout history, various leaders have made efforts to restore the river. in the 1960s, president lyndon johnson deemed the river a “national disgrace,” before signing the clean waters restoration act, which designated federal funds towards the development of sewage treatment plants. in 1972, the clean water act led to the expansion of several more sewage treatment plants. although progress has been made since its initial deterioration, the potomac river remains incredibly vulnerable to a variety of harmful pollutants.

fortunately, the potomac riverkeeper network has been fighting against pollution since its establishment in 2000. with a mission to protect the public’s right to clean water, prkn focuses on identifying pollution, fighting this pollution, and encouraging the community to engage with and appreciate the river. much of the organization’s works is focused on holding major polluters, like power plants, manufacturing facilities, and coal-ash storage facilities, legally accountable for the pollution they produce. the organization’s efforts will be supplemented by the donation of the sea dog boat and the launch of the swimmable potomac campaign.

in march, the potomac riverkeeper network held a boat launch to signify the start of new monitoring practices. to expand their patrolling and water quality monitoring capacity, prkn secured a donation of a 42-foot custom chesapeake deadrise powerboat called sea dog from a retired four-star u.s. navy admiral. sea dog’s primary functions will be to facilitate water quality monitoring on the potomac river, increase the visibility of potomac riverkeeper on the water, and engage the public in conversations about the health of the river, human impact, and future opportunities for public stewardship.

in tandem with this monumental donation, the prkn will launch a swimmable potomac campaign using the new information that will be available as a result of the bacterial water quality monitoring program.  the results from the bacterial monitoring program will be used to inform the public about when it is safe to go in the water – as well as when it is not – and push for more safe swimming days.  in addition, the campaign will seek to have dc’s historic ban on swimming in the potomac repealed while restoring swimmable use access.

if successful, the swimmable potomac campaign will lift the ban on swimming and other direct water exposure activities in dc and also provide sufficient, timely information to the public about water safety that people can make good decisions about whether to go in the water.

water is an essential element of human life. our entire existence is reliant on water, and our daily lives are enhanced by the privilege of interacting with natural water sources. thanks to the potomac riverkeeper network, there is hope that potomac river will make a full recovery from its polluted past, and be accessible to communities all across the watershed.

sources:

1. denchak, melissa. water pollution: everything you need to know. natural resources defense council. may 18, 2018. 

2. united states senate. the clean waters restoration act signed into law. us senate art and history archives. november 3, 1966. 

3. potomac riverkeeper network.

sediment, runoff, and nutrients all deposit into the gulf of mexico, sometimes originating as far north as minnesota. the large number of pollutants entering the outlet causes massive problems, sometimes in ways that one would not expect. for example, it might be surprising to learn that a large inflow of nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus have adverse consequences for the ecosystem of the gulf of mexico.

when an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus enter a large body of water, an algal bloom occurs. as these algae blooms grow, two things happen: the algae on the surface prevent light from reaching aquatic plants below the surface, causing these plants to die, and the algae also die. bacteria break down the dead organisms, a process that requires the use of oxygen. this results in a deficit of oxygen, creating a dead zone where plants and animals cannot exist.

such a dead zone exists in the gulf of mexico, and it is at its largest size since measuring began in 1985 — roughly the size of new jersey. the large size is concerning considering the massive impacts the dead zone has on the gulf of mexico and the gulf coast area.

besides disrupting the ecosystem, the dead zone poses economic problems to the area. seafood is a large industry in the region, and fish kills represent a major threat to this industry.

the dead zone is projected to grow, and it certainly will not shrink without some sort of change occurring.

one way to reduce the amount of nutrients that reach waterways is to implement nutrient removal techniques in wastewater treatment facilities.

in washington, d.c., dc water has introduced enhanced nitrogen removal facilities that allow the blue plains treatment plant to significantly reduce the amount of nitrogen discharged into the potomac river; they claim that these new facilities have prevented over 144 million pounds of nitrogen from entering the potomac river.

dc water is also constructing a new tunnel system that will prevent sewer overflows from being flushed into waterways without first being treated. with rising concerns over excess nutrients in water ecosystems, wastewater treatment facilities around the united states are facing pressure from local, state, and federal governments to implement nutrient removal processes similar to those utilized by dc water.

besides discharges from wastewater treatment plants, runoff also represents a major source of nutrients in waterways. phosphorus and nitrogen are the main components of fertilizers and make their way into rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water as a part of agricultural runoff. runoff is classified as a non-source pollution and is therefore unregulated, so it has been difficult to track and prevent the amount of nutrients entering waterways through this route.

however, this does not mean that it is impossible to reduce the amount of runoff that reaches bodies of water.

investing in green infrastructure can prevent an abundance of nutrients in waterways and has other benefits like reducing flooding. green infrastructure includes rain gardens, bioswales, permeable pavements, and rainwater harvesting. incorporating green infrastructure alongside traditional infrastructure can help reduce the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus reaching waterways.

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citations:

“gulf of mexico ‘dead zone’ is the largest ever measured.” national oceanic and atmospheric administration. august 2, 2017. https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-is-largest-ever-measured.

“removing nitrogen from wastewater protects our waterways.” dc water. 2017. https://www.dcwater.com/nitrogen-reduction.

“tunnel dewatering pump station and enhanced clarification facility.” dc water. 2017. https://www.dcwater.com/projects/tunnel-dewatering-pump-station-and-enhanced-clarification-facility.

“what is green infrastructure?” environmental protection agency. july 03, 2018. https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure/what-green-infrastructure.

some of the ways humans degrade water quality in coastal areas is through nutrient pollution, land-use change, and industrial contamination. the delaware bay and its tributaries are not only affected by activities in the immediate area, but from those that might occur at the far reaches of the watershed. these upstream inputs of pollution eventually work their way downstream to the bay where they are accumulated and compounded.

“one of the largest sources of pollution is from fertilizers that lead to nutrient pollution and eutrophication within our waterways,” said taylor deemer, a master of science student in marine biosciences at the university of delaware, lewes campus. 

deemer explains that farmers anticipate losing a portion of the fertilizer that they put down on their fields to runoff from rain events. as a result, to ensure that their crops receive the proper amount of nutrients, they often put down extra. these nutrients are not just useful for promoting the growth of terrestrial plants, but also promote the growth of aquatic ones as well, such as phytoplankton. eutrophication is when these excess nutrients reach the bay, leading to what is known as algal blooms, which are proliferations of various phytoplankton species.

phytoplankton is generally a good thing in aquatic systems, as it provides much of the oxygen that aquatic organisms need to survive. these bloom events, however, lead to bacterial growth that draws down the oxygen levels and lead to fish kills for those organisms that can’t escape the area.

options to combat nutrient pollution would be to simply use less pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. an additional option is to find methods of application that incorporate the fertilizers into the soil, rather than just spreading them across the surface where they run off more easily.

another issue that promotes these blooms is land-use change. changing the usage of land is especially problematic when coastal salt marsh environments are removed and used for other purposes, like home developments, shopping centers, and industrial properties. salt marshes, when present, act as buffers between the mainland and the estuaries. they absorb runoff pollution from the mainland, trapping it in the sediments. these systems also mitigate coastal flooding events by acting as a drainage area during times of increased water level, such as major storms or extreme tidal events.

deemer added: “they also provide a nursery habitat for many species of fish and invertebrates, acting as a safe space for the young to grow and mature.”

i, personally, have spent countless hours educating the public on the importance of these wetlands as the creative director of a team of ud students. as a team, we constructed a display on vernal pools for the 2018 philadelphia flower show. with this display, we illustrated how crucial ephemeral pools and wetlands are to the reproduction and development of aquatic species. 

when speaking with deemer, i asked whether building berms to combat nutrient pollution would be effective. but he said, “it would be really difficult to intercept all of the water by building berms. it would be much easier and more environmentally friendly to promote wetland habitat protection and restoration.”

wetland restoration was the focus of the university of delaware’s piece at the flower show. the exhibit urged attendees to contact their local department of natural resources to find out if there are certification programs in their areas. some states even have programs where citizens document vernal pools so they are protected. and you can do the same from your home, and your state. just look up your local department of natural resources, or check for a local extension office. 

my childhood was filled with stories of my father’s adventures on the bay: days of waking up early to go fishing with friends, catching as many fish, crabs, and oysters they could fill their stomachs with, as they bonded with each other and their surroundings. at the age of five, my father took me on my first fishing expedition on the famed bay.

i can vividly remember my excitement as i climbed on the boat eagerly awaiting the numerous fish i would soon be catching.

but that day we did not catch many fish — and i probably threw up more times than fish caught.  

reminiscing on this day, i know it serves both as one of my fondest childhood memories and also my first personal experience of the disastrous condition the bay’s ecosystem has fallen into. even at a young age it became clear that this was no longer the same body of water, which once flourished.

the bay’s origin

the chesapeake bay has taken several forms over the past 10,000 years. once a glacier formation, which then melted and flooded the susquehanna river valley, and now the largest estuary in the united states and the third largest in the world, as well as home to two of the five largest seaports in the north atlantic — baltimore and virginia beach.

prior to european colonization, the powhatan tribe primarily inhabited the chesapeake bay region. living within the bounds of the natural world, the bay grew alongside the tribe. the symbolic relationship between the powhatan and the bay allowed an alliance to grow strong.

but the expansion of european colonization started the next stage in humanity’s relationship with the bay.

the introduction to what appeared to be an endless supply of natural resources combined with the ability to port boats allowed society to slowly strip the bay of its natural bounty.

for hundreds of years we continued to take from the bay without consequences. today, we are faced with serious environmental concerns.

natural filters

part of the trouble with the health of today’s bay can be tied to one of its natural inhabitants: the oyster. and, specifically, the number of oysters in residence.

the shellfish act as a filtration system. they filter sediment and pollution, and promote a naturally sustainable ecosystem for the underwater grass and aquatic life.

the late 18th century brought a steep decline in oyster population to the bay. prior to the mass harvesting of oysters, their reefs were so large and numerous they were known for causing hazardous navigation within the bay.

it is estimated that during this time more than 15 million bushels of oysters were harvested from the bay each year. a number, which later jumped to over 20 million at the end of the 19th century.

as large amounts of oysters were harvested, that natural filtration system slowed. it is estimated that it once took no more than three days for the oysters to filter the 18 trillion gallons of water that flow within the bay. today? it’s believed to take over a year for the bay to be naturally filtered. 

steps for recovery

crews placed granite and mixed shell (e.g., clam, quahog, etc.) as substrate materials to rebuild the oyster habitat in harris creek off the chesapeake bay. (photo by the u.s. army corps of engineers)

these serious environmental concerns were brought to light in the 1970s. the environmental protection agency (epa) conducted a report from 1976-1983 demonstrating the steep decline in the health of the bay. this report sparked the creation of the chesapeake bay commission, created in 1980, an agreement between virginia, pennsylvania, and maryland legislators, in order to protect, sustain, and assist in re-establishing the thriving the ecosystem of the bay.

the chesapeake bay foundation and chesapeake bay oyster management plan have allowed individuals to involve themselves in the restoration effort. through these programs easily accessible means local communal support has been established.

although the formation of these organizations has assisted in the health of the bay, it still faces an uphill battle.

the simple acts of recycling oyster shells, cultivating oyster reef communities, and monitoring and reducing agricultural runoff have shown positive signs of an uptick in the health of the bay. the revival and restoration of oyster reefs communities have played a large role in the cultivation of the increasing population.

once able to sustain, grow, and thrive on an individual basis, society has taken this away from the bay. we are now charged with the preservation and protection of the bay, in order to live in harmony beside it.

it has been 16 years since my first memorable interaction with the bay. today, summer weekends are filled with impromptu trips to the bay. each weekend getaway we take provides a further glimpse into my father’s youth, as the bay continues to rejuvenate itself.

crabs, fish, and oysters were once the backbone of a prolific seafood economy around the chesapeake bay. however, the runoff pollution from cities, suburbs and farms across states spanning from virginia to new york has damaged the area’s economy and put some of the local drinking water quality in peril. this film shows a day-in-the-life of just a few of the many people dedicated to innovations that promote urban sustainability.

in the film’s prologue, oysterman brian droneberger shares his success and failures in the damaged fishery. the first of chesapeake footsoldiers’ three longer segments profiles buddy willey and bryan gomes of the oyster recovery partnership. buddy assists oyster gardeners throughout the region while bryan teaches maryland youth about the importance of oysters – the chesapeake bay’s natural water filters. the second story showcases the work of biologist-conservationist drew koslow, who collaborates closely with eastern shore farmers to stop the flow of nutrients into waterways by using bioreactor technology. finally, pat fasano educates and persuades amish farmers in pennsylvania about the pressing need to implement new and better conservation techniques.

chesapeake footsoldiers will be released on april 30 on maryland public television. please see the following link for another sample from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzuncaf1kpq