Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect

Introduction

Chesapeake Bay is counted as the largest of all the estuarine systems in the United States and is comprised of the watershed of almost 64, 000 square miles. The overall surface area of the Bay is about 3, 830 square miles, with 153 square miles being comprised of fresh water. Apart from the fresh water zone, 3, 562 square miles composed of the mixing zone and the salt waters cover 115 square miles. Wetland and habitats for marine life are also presenting in the area. The wetlands also get used to filter waste from a number of processes, including residential, agricultural and industrial.

As the Bay covers a large area and is comprised of the major portion of the Eastern Sea board, it is Chesapeake Bay from where fresh water enters estuaries in the Middle Atlantic Region. A large number of small rivers and the five principal tributary systems are responsible for the provision of fresh water to Chesapeake Bay, with the major tributary systems being the Potomac, Susquehanna, Rappahannock, York, and James Rivers.

Thesis Statement

The increasing water pollution in Chesapeake Bay is causing a threat to the United Nation economy as well as the health of people, as it is responsible for the provision of a major portion of sea food as water.

Discussion

The Major cause of water pollution in Chesapeake Bay

The major cause of the water pollution in Chesapeake Bay is the increased level of nitrogen and phosphorus content. The content has always been present in the area, but the content has increased manifolds in the past few decades, thus threatening the marine life as well as fitness of the people consuming water and sea food. The increased level of nitrogen and phosphorus has got developed by the human activity in the region, including the sewage treatment plants, the industrial facility, the agricultural fields and the lawns and the atmosphere. The replacement of forests and wetlands with the cities, suburbs and the farms have caused an increase in nitrogen and phosphorus content in the Chesapeake Bay, and thus has caused all the issues that result from this increased level (Cestti, Srivastava and Jung, 2003).

The second leading cause of increased level of water pollution in Chesapeake Bay

Apart from the increased level of nitrogen and phosphorus content, increased level of organic enrichment is also playing its part in the increased level of water pollution in the area. The addition of the treated waste, both industrial, as well as domestic waste, is causing an addition in the organic content of the water that is in turn causing an increase in the algal blooms and heightening health issues.

Two other causes contributing in the increased level of water pollution in the area

Apart from the two major and prominent causes mentioned above, hypoxia and increased level of nutrients is also playing its part in increasing the level of water pollution in the Bay. Hypoxia refers the lack of oxygen consumption that in turn causes threat to the marine life and deteriorates the condition of ...