Greta Jimenez
The Mississippi River has been used for commercial purposes since the 19th century, and its banks have suffered from the introduction of pollutants from industrial activities, agricultural runoff, and waste disposal. The Mississippi River and its tributaries carry excessively high levels of nutrients that cause a biological dead zone to form at the river mouth in the Gulf of Mexico. This dead zone, also known as hypoxia, is a result of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, as well as seasonal stratification of waters in the Gulf. While legislative efforts and environmental initiatives have been made to restore the river's health, challenges such as nonpoint source pollution and habitat loss persist.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Leading causes of water pollution | Agricultural runoff, chemical runoff from farms, industrial activities, waste disposal, toxic disposal, oil spillage, and other forms of refuse dumping |
| Toxins | Furan, trichlorobenzene, DDT, TCA, PCBs, lead, arsenic, aluminium, zinc, copper, cadmium, mercury |
| Nutrient pollution | Phosphorus, nitrogen, chloride |
| Other types of pollution | Point-source pollution, Non-point source pollution, Eutrophication, Hypoxia, Sedimentation |
| Contributing factors | Increased pavement in cities, use of the river for commercial purposes, engineering projects aimed at enhancing navigability and preventing flooding |
| Impact | Decline in water quality, disappearance of various species, creation of a hypoxic (depleted of oxygen) area or "dead zone" at the mouth of the river extending into the Gulf of Mexico |
| Legislative efforts and environmental initiatives | Clean Water Act (CWA), 303(d) Program, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), Waste Load Allocation (WLA), Load Allocation (LA), 40 CFR 130.7 |
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What You'll Learn
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
Nitrogen and phosphorus are nutrient compounds that are essential for plant growth. However, excessive amounts of these nutrients in water bodies can lead to eutrophication, a process where aquatic plant life proliferates, resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen. This, in turn, leads to hypoxia, a condition where the oxygen levels are too low to sustain most animal life. The Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico is a direct consequence of this process, fueled by the excess nutrients delivered from the Mississippi River.
Agricultural practices are a significant contributor to nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Mississippi River Basin. The increasing use of fertilizers has led to a marked increase in nitrate concentrations in the river over the last 80 years. In the year from April 1991 to April 1992, the Mississippi River discharged about 900,000 metric tons of nitrate and 35,000 metric tons of orthophosphate into the Gulf of Mexico. It is estimated that 75% of the nitrate in the river today is anthropogenic, with most of it originating from agricultural sources. Large-scale industrial farming also contributes to the problem, as excessive manure production ends up as agricultural runoff, adding high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus to the water system.
To address this issue, the Clean Water Act (CWA) has been implemented to establish water quality standards and protect freshwater resources. The Act mandates states to evaluate their waterways every two years and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) to determine the maximum amount of pollutants a waterway can absorb while still meeting water quality standards. However, the CWA has been criticized as insufficient in addressing nitrogen and phosphorus pollution due to the prevalence of unregulated sources, particularly in the agricultural sector.
The MRC Nutrients Group is actively working to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Mississippi River Basin. They advocate for protective numeric nutrient standards, monitor NPDES discharge permits, and push for improved sampling frequency and compliance measures. These efforts aim to develop protective water quality-based effluent limits and reduce the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico caused by nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River.
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![Pollution of Illinois and Mississippi Rivers by Chicago Sewage (1907) [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61FbOFgXaEL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Agricultural runoff
Nitrogen and phosphorus are the most common agricultural pollutants found in the Mississippi River Basin. These chemicals contribute to the growth of harmful algae, which blocks the sun from penetrating the water's surface, inhibiting photosynthesis. When the algae die, they sink to the bottom, where bacterial composition takes place, using up much of the oxygen in the water, which can lead to the death of marine life.
The Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates both point source pollution and non-point source pollution through ambient water quality standards. However, regulating the latter, which includes agricultural runoff, is much more difficult and ineffective. The MRC Agriculture Group has developed recommendations for how states can reduce nutrient pollution from cropland and livestock operations, and the EPA has asked states along the Mississippi River to develop Nutrient Reduction Strategies. These strategies should include plans to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loading to surface waters, with new initiatives and funding streams.
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Non-point source pollution
Agricultural runoff is a primary driver of non-point source pollution in the Mississippi River. Agricultural practices, including the use of fertilizers and pesticides, lead to nutrient loading and eutrophication. Eutrophication is a process where excess nutrients stimulate the growth of aquatic plants, depleting the oxygen levels in the water and creating conditions of hypoxia, which are detrimental to aquatic life. The excessive use of fertilizers by farmers to ensure high crop yields contributes to this issue.
Another factor in non-point source pollution is the increase in paved surfaces due to urbanization. Water flowing over these impervious surfaces carries pollutants directly into water bodies without being absorbed. This contributes to the pollution of the Mississippi River and other waterways.
The Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates both point source and non-point source pollution. However, addressing non-point source pollution is more challenging due to its diffuse nature. The Act has been successful in improving some waterways, but the goal of making all US waters "fishable and swimmable" by 1985 has not been fully achieved.
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Mississippi River Basin is a significant concern. The federal Clean Water Act falls short in addressing this issue due to the prevalence of unregulated sources, mainly from agricultural activities. This pollution contributes to the development of a Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico, where the Mississippi River flows into.
Overall, non-point source pollution, including agricultural runoff and urban pollution, poses a significant threat to the health of the Mississippi River and the ecosystems it supports. Effective regulation and management of these pollution sources are crucial to restoring and maintaining the river's ecological integrity.
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Industrial waste
The Mississippi River has been used for commercial purposes since the 19th century. As the second-longest river in the United States, it is a critical drainage basin for over 40% of the country and provides drinking water for nearly a quarter of its population. However, human activities have severely degraded the river's water quality. One of the main sources of pollution is industrial waste.
Commercial enterprises have historically used the Mississippi River as a dumping ground for waste, with little regard for the natural environment. Chemical plants have discharged toxic waste into the river, including furan, trichlorobenzene, DDT, trichloroethane (TCA), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These toxins accumulate in the food chain and persist in the environment for long periods. The problem is particularly acute from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to the river's mouth, where chemical plants and oil refineries are concentrated. The cumulative effects of toxic disposal, oil spillage, and refuse dumping have degraded the river and its banks, making them unsuitable for fishing, hunting, and trapping.
In addition to direct pollution, the construction of levees and dams has altered natural flood patterns, exacerbating the impacts on ecosystems. The river's banks, once rich in biodiversity, have suffered from the introduction of industrial pollutants, agricultural runoff, and waste disposal, leading to a decline in water quality and the loss of various species.
While legislative efforts and environmental initiatives have been implemented to restore the river's health, challenges such as non-point source pollution persist. The Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted in 1972, aimed to reclaim the country's waters and make them swimmable, drinkable, and fishable. While there have been successes, the Mississippi River's health remains a pressing concern, highlighting the struggle to balance economic interests with ecological preservation.
One of the challenges in reducing industrial waste is the variety of sources and pollutants involved. Point-source pollution, such as sewage outflow pipes or specific businesses or cities dumping waste, can be more easily regulated and monitored. On the other hand, non-point source pollution, such as agricultural runoff or paved surfaces carrying pollutants, is much harder to control. The Clean Water Act regulates both types of pollution, but non-point source pollution remains a significant contributor to the Mississippi River's impairment.
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Sedimentation
However, human activities have disrupted the natural cycle of sedimentation in the Mississippi River Basin. The construction of levees, for flood control and navigation purposes, has altered the river's flow and reduced its sediment load. While levees protect populated areas from flooding, they also restrict the river's ability to replenish and build land naturally. As a result, the sediment that would have contributed to the growth and stability of the delta is now lost into the deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The consequences of this disruption are significant. Louisiana's land loss crisis, including the erosion of its deltaic coastline, is directly linked to the reduced sediment supply from the Mississippi River. This loss of land threatens the communities, wildlife, and ecosystems that depend on a stable and thriving coastal environment. Additionally, the diversion of sediment-laden water away from wetlands and marshes further exacerbates the ecological imbalances in the region.
To address the challenges posed by sedimentation and land loss, various restoration projects have been proposed and implemented. These projects aim to capture and divert sediment from the Mississippi River for coastal restoration efforts. By treating sediment as a valuable resource, these initiatives strive to create a more resilient future for Louisiana's coast. However, it is important to recognize that even with these interventions, the complex dynamics of the deltaic cycle and the ongoing human impact on the river present significant obstacles to restoring and preserving the Mississippi River Delta.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mississippi River has been used as a dumping ground for commercial and industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and toxic chemicals.
The pollution in the Mississippi River has led to a decline in water quality, the disappearance of various species, and the creation of a hypoxic "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, where the river flows into. This dead zone is caused by the low oxygen levels in the water, which chokes the life of fish and plants.
Environmental groups and organizations sponsoring recreational use of the river have been advocating for the federal government to take measures to protect the river's ecosystems. The Clean Water Act, passed in 1972, has helped reduce pollution in the river, and there have been efforts to implement environmental management plans and increase awareness about the negative impacts of pollution.
