Water pollution is a problem that is easily overlooked. It is easy as most people whose livelihoods depend entirely on large waterbodies do not have the power to make policies and join pacts that can ensure their safety and restoration of the ecosystem.

However, the Chesapeake Bay Program has improved the state of health of the watershed and saved lives of aquatic animals that would have perished due to nutrients toxicity.

The program that began in 1983 with a goal to reduce pollution and restore the ecosystem has seen many influential policy makers append their signatures in support of the cause. The results have been immense;

• Clean waters
• Healthy ecosystem
• Reduced nutrients pollution
• Reduced aquatic life mortality
• Improved community Engagements
• Improved land conservation mechanisms

While these are just a few of the benefits that have been achieved by Chesapeake Bay Program, the drive to improve the state of the ecosystem is a motivation that polluted waters can be restored and aquatic animals can be saved.

Here are some of the threats to clean water

Nutrient Pollution– The methods of farming that were used in the past left so much fertilizers unused on lands. When it rains, all these nutrients get into the water causing excess nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen.

When these nutrients are deposited in the water they foster the growth of algae that depletes the oxygen in the water and interferes with how fish breathe. When the algae blooms persist, fish and other aquatic animals will die of asphyxiation. Also, these algae can produce toxins and make the water dirty and unsafe.

Poor agricultural practices- Agriculture is the backbone of most world economies. We depend on agriculture for our nutritional needs. However, poor agricultural practices have led to deterioration of the Chesapeake Bay health.

These harmful practices include; over using fertilizers and pesticides, over tilling, and poor irrigation methods. Such harmful agricultural practices push pollutants into the waterways hence contaminating the water.

Needless to say, pesticides may still be potent when they are dumped into the waterways, hence will kill aquatic life.

Invasive Species- Invasive species; plants and animals that are introduced in the waterways can interrupt how native plants and animals live.

Obviously, when invasive species join an ecosystem they will create competition for nutrients, this will cause starvation and possible loss of some species. Some invasive species also feed on native species.  An example of invasive species that feeds on native species is the northern snakehead which originates from china.

There is so much more that can be done to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay health. We have a responsibility to take care of the waterways and the bay, we therefore must adopt healthy farming practices to achieve the prime goal—restoration of the bay.

Some algae levels are unavoidable especially in aquatic environments. The organisms become a threat depending on their extent of growth and algae type. Large blooms minimize oxygen levels in the water and release harmful chemicals that are lethal to both animals and plant life. You can get rid of existing organisms from your tank or aquarium to keep the fish healthy and active.

1. Removing algae blooms from the tank

• Change the water in your tank partially. This is one of the most effective ways of eliminating algae blooms in the tank. Water replacement dilutes the seaweed content and mostly leaves the water clean.
• Scrape the algae bloom from the glass walls. You can do this while carrying out the partial water change since you will have better access to the tank walls when the water level is relatively lower. Do the cleaning once every week by using a sponge.
• Use algaecide in the tank. This chemical helps in killing the organisms quickly and efficiently. However, you should be careful since the chemical agent can upset your tank’s balance if not used well.
• Introduce invertebrates and algae eating fish. Seaweed can easily be removed by introducing living additions that consume the organisms from the tank.

2. Minimizing the chances of future algae blooms

• Reduce the amount of lighting in the tank. Light facilitates the growth of algae blooms hence necessitating its reduction. Consider replacing the fluorescent bulbs at least once per year.
• Feed the fish less frequently. Overfeeding the animals is a primary cause of scum in the aquarium. It’s essential to ensure that the fish is well fed because the excess food that remains settles down in the tank and decomposes, fueling the growth of seaweeds.
• Increase the level of aeration. Proper aeration helps in keeping the fish waste, debris, and the extra food floating around for easy cleaning and filtering. Upgrade the aerator or add several air stones to the aquarium to improve ventilation. The top of the tank or aquarium should always remain open most of the time to maximize the flow of oxygen.

3. Ensuring that your tank has quality water

• Test the tap water you are using. Algae thrive well in water that has high nitrate and phosphate levels. Regular testing is required to ensure that it does not have these seaweed friendly compounds.
• Put up a protein skimmer in the tank. Protein skimmers remove the excess nutrients and other organic materials from the water.
• Change the filters every month. Your aquarium filters can facilitate the buildup of nutrients and organic waste. Although the screens efficiently remove the components, they will start licking the additives back to the tank once they are filled.

In summary, keep algae bloom away by removing the seaweeds, preventing future algae accumulation, and by protecting the quality of your water.

Erosion control is a good idea, right? Maybe not. “Hardened” water fronts may hurt the Bay. This includes rip rap and bulkheading and is perfectly legal. Landowners are not breaking the law by doing this (assuming they have a permit), but more and more are doing this and it is having a cumulative impact. It keeps the water cleaner and reduces erosion, so why is it so bad?

Specialized Environment

The shoreline is a special environment. These new structures are reducing the places where terrapins, crabs and fish can find food and shelter. It can even help the increase in sea nettles (stinging nettles) and aid in the spread of an invasive species of marsh grass.

That We are Rapidly Changing

In several rivers near Baltimore, 50% or more of the shoreline has been modified. A study was done looking at 50 places around the Bay to compare and see how changes to shorelines affect the estuaries.

There also seems to be an effect on submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) or what some people call seaweed. They are important because geese and ducks feed on them. Also, crabs and fish hide in them. This is particularly important for crabs that are sloughing and becoming soft shell crabs temporarily.

The SAVs are beginning to come back but the study seems to indicate the SAVs are smaller and less dense in front of hardened shoreline. This is probably because waves reflect off the hard walls and the extra turbulence can uproot or make conditions more difficult for the underwater grasses.

Also, there tends to be more nutrient runoff where there are hardened shorelines because these then to be put where there are lawns or fields vs. natural landscapes.

More Sea Nettles – Yuck!

The hard surfaces give more places for sea nettle larvae to settle which increases the sea nettle population. It also makes it harder for wetlands to establish themselves and increases the chances of the invasive grass, phragmites, invading.

When Grass is Bad

Phragmites likes disturbed soil and loves nutrients. So when the shoreline is altered by hardening it, it disturbs the soil and as said earlier, these locations tend to have high nutrient runoff. Just what phragmites loves. It can grow so thickly that it crowds out all native vegetation and is generally not as good a habitat for native animals as native plants are.

Since 2008 people have been required to put in living shorelines instead of hardened shorelines. Unfortunately, the study didn’t look at these closely enough to draw any conclusions.

The study authors think that when future shoreline projects are evaluated for permits in the future that they should not be looked at independently but how the fit into the bigger picture on each river / estuary.

Yeah, time to celebrate! Chesapeake Bay grass beds expanded by 27% in the last year. Then again, maybe not as we will see. The grass beds had been expanding until 2011 when two storms, Irene and Lee devastated the beds.

The increase in the last year has brought the grass beds back to 76,000 acres, nearly where they were before 2011. But it is still less than half the 185,000 acre goal targeted by the restoration effort. The effort is one part of a larger effort to bring back the health of the Bay. Even so, the target is still far less than the historic area covered by grass beds and subaquatic vegetation (SAV).

Why should you Care about Grasses in the Bay?

They are also known as seaweed. If you like oysters and crabs and rockfish, you should care about the grass beds. They provide sanctuary and breeding grounds for crabs and fish. They are also a safe place for crabs to molt when they are most vulnerable.

Helping Clean the Water

The grasses also filter nutrients out of the water and help keep the water clear. They need sunlight just like plants on land, so they grow better if the water is clear. Beds of seaweed have an amazing damping effect on waves and can greatly decrease shore erosion as well which will also help clear the water. Plus, they absorb nutrients which helps prevent algae blooms which are caused by excess nutrients.

There could also be a synergistic effect between grasses and oysters. Oysters are filter feeders and also help clear the water and also do better in clear water.  If we can succeed in getting both the oysters and the grasses to thrive, we might once again have clear waters in the Chesapeake like it was before the 1950s.

If there is too much sediment in the water, such as after a storm, the sediment not only shades out light, it can settle on the grasses’ leaves and further block the sunlight. Algae blooms also block the light getting to the plants.

Temperature has an affect as well. Hot summers in 2005 and 2010 killed a lot of eel grass int the southern part of the Bay. They bounced back somewhat this past year as well. The hope is that the summer won’t be too hot and the eel grass will continue to recover.

Short Term or Long Term Gain?

The big worry is that this gain may be ephemeral. In the past, grass beds have been a mix of species. If conditions weren’t good for one species, the others would fill in.

The large gains in the last year are worrisome because it is almost entirely due to widgeon grass. This particular grass can disappear as rapidly as it appears. So, if the conditions change and the widgeon grass dies back, all of this last year’s gains could be lost.

Baltimore Harbor’s Floating Wetlands

If you have sailed or powered into Baltimore Harbor or been walking along the waterfront, you might have noticed small islands floating along the shore line. Some are in front of the World Trade Center and others next to the National Aquarium. More have been proposed and are awaiting approval.

The waterfront looks very different than it did two hundred years ago. Now it is all pilings and concrete and a very artificial man-made environment. Back then, there would have been tidal wetlands lining most of what is now the inner harbor, as well as the outer harbor which is now docks for freighters and other large ships. In fact now, it is almost impossible to tell that it is part of an ecosystem and part of a river. It looks more like a dirty Disneyland.

To try and replace some of the ecosystem effects of a tidal wetland, these floating platforms have been built. They are built with buoyant materials so the weight of the growing plants won’t sink them. They are planted with different wetland grasses including saltmeadow hay, saltmarsh cordgrass and marsh hibiscus.

A number of different companies make these floating islands. The one by the aquarium is made by Biohaven Floating Islands and is 200 square feet which sounds large but is only 10 x 20 feet. Others were designed by Biohabitats and students at the Living Classroom Foundation helped to build them.

Benefits

Despite their relatively small size considering the large quantity of tidal wetlands that have been lost due to development, they provide habitat enhancement and some improvements to water quality. A number of animals have been seen in, on and around the islands including otters, eels, blue and night herons as well as ducks. Insects and birds  perch on and hide in and generally use the plants for habitat.

Not only do grasses grow on the top but barnacles, mussels, and a variety of other plants and animals grow on the underwater portion. Also, the roots of the plants that stick down into the water and the island itself provide by shelter and shade for fish, crabs and other creatures. The general scientific term is nekton which is any marine organism which can move and includes everything from the microscopic to whales. (Obviously the islands are not going to attract whales.)

The barnacles and mussels are filter feeders and help clean the waters. The roots of the plants also absorb nutrients and remove them from the water. This includes heavy metals although due to the  size of the islands and the fact that is an open system it doesn’t have as much impact as if it was a closed system.

There are plans to add more of these islands but the best way to clean up the river is to control runoff at its source. Most of the trash and pollution in the river come from runoff. Despite the islands small ecological impact, they are very important as an educational tool. They are in very public places and help people realize that what they do on land has an impact on the water.

Ok, so why does everyone make such a big deal about oysters and the Chesapeake Bay? Fine, so they are good to eat. But why do the environmentalists make such a fuss over them? How does their health affect us?

Currently, oysters are less than 1% percent of the population in the Bay when the first Europeans came here. For several hundred years after their arrival, there wasn’t much of a problem. But, in the 1800s and then the 1900s when things became more mechanized and people started dredging oysters from boats, the oysters started being decimated.

At one point in their lives oysters are free swimming but they very soon settle down and start forming shell which protects them and also fastens them to a surface so they can no longer move unlike a scallop. So if they get sediment on top of them, they are out of luck and die. As farming increased (and land development in general) and the amount of sediment runoff increased that stressed or killed oysters.

The Caribbean had coral reefs. Up until sometime in the 1800s, the Chesapeake had oyster reefs. At low tide you would even see the tops of them at times. They were very rich environments. Not only were the oysters there but they supported numerous small crustaceans, invertebrates and fish. Larger fish then were attracted as well.

But this environment was destroyed by over harvesting. The dredges, a kind of trawl dragged behind boats, would scrape along the reef and pick up oysters and disturb others. At one point, the reefs were so numerous that they were almost like extensions of the land and the rivers flowed along them. You needed to be careful that you didn’t run aground. Over time though they were knocked down and degraded by the dredging. This also destroyed the habitat for the all the other creatures mentioned, causing a decrease in them as well.

There was another impact. Oysters are filter feeders and it has been estimated that originally they would filter all the water in the Chesapeake Bay in a week. Now it is probably years. This means that the water is not as clear. That affects the sub aquatic vegetation, (seaweed) and causes die offs, especially in combination with the increased sedimentation. The seaweed patches are another important area where small creatures can hide and be less likely to be eaten.

More recently, two viruses have attacked the oysters. Probably in part because of their decrease numbers and increased sedimentation and pollution they were stressed and more susceptible to disease.

We have heard people talk about how clear the water in the Chesapeake was up until the early 1950s. Because the oysters filtered the water it apparently was like the water in the Caribbean. You could frequently look right to the bottom.

There was a great example of the effects of the filtering not too long ago. There is a small mussel that lives in the Bay and is normally not very plentiful. However, for some reason in 2004 the conditions were perfect for it and millions of them grew on every possible surface in the Magothy River. They were on pilings, boat hulls, you name it, they were there. That year the water was amazingly clear. The next year things went back to normal and they died off and the water got much more turbid / cloudy.

So, rather than complaining about restrictions in oyster harvest, we should be applauding. If some areas are restricted it is likely the overall harvest will go up. It will also have a major impact on the abundance of other animals including commercially important fish and crabs.