A watershed is an area of land that contributes water to a river, lake, wetland, bay or any other body of water, small or large. Watersheds are also known as basins or drainage basins, as they do “drain” off into a larger body of water. There are watersheds all around us. Small streams and creeks are also considered watersheds; so even if you don’t know it, you too live in a watershed. Watersheds consist of all surface water, as well as all ground and underground water. There are watersheds of many different sizes. We Virginia residents live in one of the largest watersheds in the world. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is said to be larger than 64,000 square miles and embody six different states. The six states to which the Chesapeake Bay watershed surrounds are as follows: New York, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and of course, Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay watershed houses more than 17 million people in total. Another fact—a total of 150 creeks, streams, and rivers drain into the Chesapeake Bay River. The Susquehanna, York, Rappahannock, Potomac,and James rivers are the five largest rivers that flow into the Chesapeake Bay watershed.I will be focusing on the latter in this paper—the James River.
The James River is said to be Virginia’s largest of the major rivers feeding the Chesapeake Bay watershed, as it is about 340 miles long and embodiesover 10,000 square miles,with a human populationof 2.8 million people. This amounts to almost 25% of the entire state of Virginia!
The James River watershed is constituted of three different sections. The Upper James Watershed—which begins in Allegheny County running through the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains to Lynchburg; The Middle James runni...
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...ell. We should care about the health and well-being of the plant and animal life around us because the majority of us also depend on these animals and their life cycles for nourishment. The water from thiswatershed, as well as others, is where we get our drinking water, irrigation and other industrial water usage, which means that the animals depend on this water as well. If they ingest harmful chemicals, we in turn ingest these chemicals with our daily food intake. The James River Association accepts volunteers to assist with the care of the Chesapeake River watershed and its sub-watersheds. There are lots of other ways to get involved in the prevention of further pollution to our precious natural resources. The first step is to not become part of the problem. Do not liter, don’t dump your oils in the gutters and think that you are not part of the problem.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that a watershed is an area of land that contributes water to rivers, lakes, wetland, bays, or any other body of water.
- Explains that the james river is virginia's largest of the major rivers feeding the chesapeake bay watershed.
- Explains that the james river watershed consists of three different sections: the upper james watershed, the middle james, and the lower james.
- Explains that the james river association has put together a management plan for the watershed in an effort to clean the river and its surrounding water supply.
- Explains that the watershed management plan was developed using 80 stakeholders and aims to implement an education/outreach, and monitoring program to take place throughout the state.
- Explains that marine grasses are affected by pollutants running to the susquehanna river, which affect migrating waterfowl. norfolk is one of the busiest ports in the country.
- Opines that urban sprawl in richmond is polluting the james river with extra run-off from the added population of people.
- Opines that we need to start disposing of our chemicals in a more environmentally friendly manner, which would bring the oxygen levels up dramatically for the fish and shellfish in the bay.
- Explains that the james river association accepts volunteers to assist with the care of the chesapeake river watershed and its sub-watersheds.
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- The Importance Of The Chesapeake Bay In The United Statesexplanatory essayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay holds eighteen hundred trillion gallons of water and stretches over 200 miles in length between its most northern point, the Susquehanna River to the Bay’s most southern tip, the Atlantic Ocean. Home to more than seventeen million people, the Chesapeake Bay is the primary water source for over 150 rivers and streams. Because of the vast amount of rivers and streams the bay feeds, this watershed impacts the lives of citizens on the eastern shore spanning a total of six U.S. states. The importance of the Chesapeake Bay is incredible; two of the United States’ five major North Atlantic ports – Baltimore and Hampton Roads – are on the Bay. (Chesapeake Bay Program, n/d). The highly productive ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay provides food and shelter for a wide variety of plant and animal life in and surrounding the Bay. The critical natural resources the bay provides stimulates economic growth and has for centuries.
In this essay, the author
- Explains the importance of the chesapeake bay, the largest estuary in the united states.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay's oyster population has declined due to over harvesting, agricultural runoff, and disease.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay was once abundant with oysters dating back to about 5,000 years ago. the reefs were actually hazards to ships sailing through the bay.
- Explains that people began to use and eat oysters around 4,500 years ago, shell deposits called middens were created as people harvested the oyster.
- Explains that europeans and natives only harvested oysters around the shore in shallow water. in the colonial time there were not enough people to make an impact on oyster stock, so the oyster population continued to grow.
- Explains that new england fishermen developed a device to pick up hundreds of oysters and rip out their reef called dredges, which negatively affected the oyster home.
- Explains the inventions that led to the fall of oysters, such as steam powered ships, canning machines, and dredges.
- Explains that maryland's harvest jumped to 5,000,000 bushels of oysters and virginians claimed 2,000,000. oyster shells were being consumed for grit, agricultural lime, and building fill.
- Explains how captains resorted to tricking men with liquor, drugging them, and then "shanghaiing" them to the oyster boats. state laws were passed from 1890-1906 to improve work conditions.
- Explains that by the 1920s, the annual take was around three to five million bushels because of overharvesting, but now it's less than one percent of what it used to be.
- Explains that dermo disease is caused by a single celled protozoan parasite. it is spread from oyster to oyster through the water.
- Explains that dermo disease fluctuates greatly due to temperature and salinity but is still dangerous and deadly to the chesapeake bay oysters.
- Explains that dermo is not the only disease infecting oysters. there is another disease called msx, which has had a very large impact on the bay's oyster population.
- Explains that chesapeake bay oysters are developing resistance to the pair of diseases—msx and dermo—that have helped push populations of these iconic shellfish to one percent of historical levels.
- Explains that over harvesting and disease has pushed oysters to the brink of extinction. agriculture is necessary for human survival.
- Analyzes how the chemicals and nutrients helped the formation and growth of algae in the bay. the algae is sucking the oxygen out of the water, creating dead zones.
- Explains that oysters in the chesapeake bay are almost depleted, and the cities that rose with the industry are taking a heavy toll.
- Explains that oyster sanctuaries are an area blocked from waterman to help oysters grow unharmed. the stronger and bigger reefs provide habitat for other animals crucial to the water quality of the bay.
- Explains that oyster sanctuaries clean the surrounding waters, restore dead-zones, and help the growth of oysters.
- Explains that scientists began breeding new oysters in hopes of restoring the bay. aquaculture is keeping the oyster industry in balance economically speaking.
- Suggests that farmers create grass or forest buffers between personal property and tributaries to the bay, which will help stop runoff water from pollution.
- Explains that cover crops are planted in open fields designed to cover the farm land. they are usually grown after the main crop is harvested.
- Explains that some farmers are creating nutrients plans to reduce nutrient pollution while maintaining crop production and increasing farm profits. this technique allows farmers to spend less money on expensive chemicals to treat their crop.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay oysters are near the brink of extinction.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay's oyster restoration program is on the right path with new plans president obama put in place.
2817 wordsRead More - Maryland's Ecology and Environmentexplanatory essayexisting rivers and craving out new waterways. The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries grew and
In this essay, the author
- Explains that since 1927, the commission has acquired over 13,300 acres of stream valley and river parks.
- Explains that pigs, cattle, horses, and fowl were fenced out of house yards and ranged free.
- Explains that 80 percent of the land was cleared of trees, resulting in a summary.
- Explains that coastal woods and beaches support a variety of plant and animal life.
- Opines that oceans and the chesapeake bay have been damaged by pollution.
- Explains how the district of columbia and the federal government have worked to improve and save our coastal areas.
- Explains the geography and geology of the chesapeake bay region.
- Explains that crab, oyster, and fish populations in our waterways are declining due to overfishing.
- Opines that we must realize we and our environment are interdependent. if we continue to abuse and destroy, the environment will be destroyed.
- Explains that maryland is the 42nd largest state, making it one of the smaller states in america. it is located in the south atlantic region on the united states eastern seaboard.
- Explains that their paper will focus on prince george's county and the state of maryland.
- Explains that maryland has many fresh water ecosystems, including prince george's county, and several streams and rivers that feed into the county.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay and its tributaries grew and formed as the ice age ended, and are home to several species of fish.
- Opines that maryland and prince george's counties are trying to save and restore these fresh water fish.
- Explains that european settlers cut down native forests at a high rate and the timber was sold in europe. environmental activists have been fighting for decades to preserve these endangered habitats for the animals.
- Predicts sea level will rise at least twice as fast as it did during the 20th century, resulting in a 1-foot rise by 2050 and between 2-3 feet by 2100.
- Believes maryland will fare better than parts of the world that lack the money and resources that are in this area when it comes to climate change.
1051 wordsRead More - Pollution in Chesapeake Bayexplanatory essayThis ad is directed to many people in the Chesapeake Bay region because there are tons of pollution each year that are destroying the nation’s largest estuary, or part of a body of water where the fresh and salt water mix, and are also killing the Bay’s crabs, oysters, and fish, which is a huge industry in the area and also something the state of Maryland is known nationally for (Environment, p. 8). Pollution is destroying the Chesapeake Bay every single day, however now people are taking steps in the right direction to fix this problem but many people fear that time has run out.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that television commercials, print ads, and billboards in the washington, dc, area are asking residents to connect lawn care and seafood.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay region is ravaged by tons of pollution each year, which kills crabs, oysters and fish. people are taking steps to fix the problem but fear that time has run out.
- Opines that the amazing part about the steps being taken to try to save the chesapeake bay is how much scientists and people who carry out legislation in the local and state governments are working together to create policies on businesses.
- Explains that scientists have given an unthinkable amount of attention to the bay of the past several years and researchers from countless agencies and institutions have dove deep into the issues and studied every nook and cranny to create answers to every politicians’ questions.
- Explains the complex problems that face the chesapeake bay, including phosphorus, nitrogen, algae, and grasses on the seafloor.
- Opines that the chesapeake bay was not out of trouble by only having to deal with the problems of the nutrients runoff.
- Explains that more than fifty-percent of its wetlands and watersheds forests had been destroyed, including animal and human wastes and agricultural fertilizers.
- Opines that the baltimore-washington d.c. area is considered a wonderful area by most and is also visited by millions every year.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay foundation's annual report rated the water quality at an all-time low, which is not good for industry.
- Explains that the fish in the chesapeake bay and itstributaries are stuffed with pcbs, mercury, and other contaminants. millions of dollars have been spent and progress to save the bay is not being made.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay is one of america's enduring cultural and historically treasure. millions of dollars have been poured into projects, research groups, and agencies to fix the problems with the bay.
- Explains that the large-scale model of the chesapeake bay has not been the only attempt at saving it. the environmental protection agency put in place a $27 million dollar study that would research the bay’s environment.
- Describes the 1983 chesapeake bay agreement, signed by the governors of maryland, virginia, and pennsylvania, the mayor of the district of columbia and the epa administration.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay agreement had begun to give detailed information on what was going to be done to restore the beauty of the bay.
- Explains that pfisteria piscidia brought massive fish kills in several bay tributaries and sickness to some watermen. many observers suspected a connection between the organism and the vast quantities of manure that pour off factory chicken farms.
- Explains that the large volume of manure that deposited itself into the water was from the huge chicken farms off maryland's eastern shore.
- Opines that the chesapeake bay can still be restored and become a profitable, beautiful bay.
1862 wordsRead More - Ocean Decidification: The Health Of The Chesapeake Bayexplanatory essayThe Chesapeake Bay lies in three states-- Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. Although this estuary lies in 3 different states, the tributaries that contribute water to the bay lie in many different states, extending from New York to West Virginia and Virginia. Therefore, the health of the bay is a national problem, as its health strongly depends on our actions that we perform throughout the nation
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the health of the chesapeake bay is a national problem, as its health depends on our actions throughout the nation.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay is a lively and diverse estuary that holds blue crabs, oysters and scallops. any impact that we have on the oceans affects the life and health of the bay.
- Explains that ocean acidification affects the chesapeake bay and the businesses that depend on it.
- Explains that acidification in many bodies of water absorbs carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, but the oceans absorb parts of that, increasing the acidity.
- Explains that acidification poses many harms to the ecosystem of the chesapeake bay.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay has a large land-to-water ratio of 14:1. their actions on the land will largely affect the bay.
- Explains that the acidification of the bay affects organisms that have a skeleton or shell. crabs, oysters and clams all have shells made of calcium carbonate.
- Explains that if ocean acidification increases at a constant rate, and the ph level of the water continues to decrease rapidly, the oceans and chesapeake will soon become corrosive to these unprotected shells.
- Opines that if the acidity continues to increase, the survival of these species of waterbirds will be hindered.
- Opines that there must be more widespread knowledge about ocean acidification, especially in the chesapeake bay and its watershed, in order for this major problem to be halted.
- Opines that there must be more outreach and legislation in the near future to analyze the science available about ocean acidification to educate the public about this large problem.
1153 wordsRead More - The History Of Coal Mining In Pennsylvaniaanalytical essay... the residual effects of pollution left behind by both mining in the Chesapeake Bay area around rivers, such as the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, that feed into the Chesapeake Bay. Lutz also had quoted John Dawes, now the executive director of the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds, on the damage done to streams and to the aquatic life in the streams. Dawes told Lutz "'we're looking at 4,600 miles of dead streams in Pennsylvania'" in reference to the vitality in polluted regions. This can occur in several ways but the two generally accepted causes are the toxicity levels in the water are too high to support life and the contaminated water is slowly killing off members of the food chains for the aquatic life. In either theory, the death of fish and their food chain caused by AMD is impacting the billion dollar fishing industry that calls Chesapeake Bay home.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that pennsylvania was rich in coal, natural gas, and other forms of energy, which led to the establishment of many mines and railroads. coal mining was at an all-time high until tragedy struck on 22 january 1959.
- Analyzes how pennsylvania's participation in the production of natural gas has led to increased revenue for the state and combated the unemployment crisis.
- Explains that the natural gas industry has been taking flack from the environmental concerns raised by fracking — the process of injecting liquids at very high pressures in order to extract oil and/or gas from underground.
- Analyzes how lara lutz' article, "mining operations' legacy a mother lode of acid drainage," illustrates the desolation caused by the residual effects of pollution left behind by both mining in the chesapeake bay area around rivers.
998 wordsRead More - Columbia River Basinexplanatory essayWhat do you get when you put together a flowing river, with a beautiful mountain, and a rolling valley? The result is the amazing Columbia River Basin. The Columbia River is the sculptor that carved the Interior Columbia River Basin. The Columbia River Basin is made up of many different environments, and contains many different organisms. Mountains, high plateaus, desert basins, river valleys, rolling uplands, and deep gorges woven together by the Columbia River and its tributaries make up the whole Columbia River Basin.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the columbia river basin ecosystem management project is trying to maintain healthy ecosystems and support the economic, social, and cultural needs of the people and communities.
- Explains that the columbia river is disturbed by various factors, such as wind, surface tension, and oxygen concentration.
- Explains that co2 is required for photosynthesis, and can affect the ph of the water.
- Explains that the amount of sunlight received also plays a large role in the columbia river basin’s ecosystem.
- Explains that the columbia river basin received 33.25 inches of rainfall in 1999-2000, the ninth driest year since 1941. this lack of rain greatly affects the surrounding organisms.
- Explains that the columbia river basin's shrub-steppe ecosystem is characterized by varying temperatures and water quality. timber harvesting, livestock grazing, road construction, and mining affect aquatic ecosystems.
- Explains that many factors affect the overall existence of organisms in an ecosystem, such as the chemical and physical characteristics of the water, soil, and surrounding air.
- Explains that the columbia river gorge is a spectacular river canyon, 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, cutting the only sea level route through the cascade mountain range.
- Describes mount hood as one of the most popular recreation areas in the pacific northwest.
- Describes the pacific giant salamander as the largest salamander in oregon and washington.
- Explains that the pacific tree frog is the most widely distributed frog in washington and oregon. they can be found at elevations from near sea level to 7370 feet.
- Explains the columbia white-tailed deer is one of the largest in size and the westernmost in distribution. due to habitat loss and disease it is very hard to find this species in the willamette and columbia valleys.
- Explains that pygmy rabbits are the smallest rabbit species in north america. they dig their own burrows in deep, loose soil and are dependent on sagebrush for food.
- Explains that the peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. the decline of the species is attributed to the use of ddt, other pesticides, or human development.
- Explains that oregon spotted frogs are highly aquatic and live in or near permanent bodies of water, including lakes, ponds, slow streams and marshes.
- Explains that the tailed frog lives in cold, fast-moving streams with cobble stone bottoms. habitat loss and modification due to road building and timber harvesting may be contributing to their decline.
- Explains that the oregon silverspot butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly reliant on coastal salt-spray meadows and open fields where the climate is mild.
- Explains that many coho migrate to multnomah creek to spawn, but only a small percentage live to reach their natal stream.
- Explains that steelheads are slender with a blue-green color and regularly spaced spots. the silvery sheen and streamlined shape is essential to survival in the ocean environment.
- Explains endangered plants and animals of oregon by the agriculture experiment station at oregon state university.
- Describes the columbia river basin as the sculptor that carved it. the basin is made up of many environments and contains many different organisms.
- Compares the population density of oregon's smallest and fastest growing urban counties with those of multnomah and clackamas.
- Explains that multnomah falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the united states. unusually cold weather turns this plummeting falls into a frozen ice-sickle.
3825 wordsRead More - The Deterioration of the Colorado Riverexplanatory essayThere are many causes and solutions to the deterioration of the Colorado River. The Colorado River is not the great river it used to be, with an abundant amount of healthy water, thriving wildlife and abundant plant life. With climate change, water salinity, pollution, and natural runoffs, the river’s water quality has deteriorated immensely. However, if communities and environmental groups join forces to research and raise money to find ways to help improve the Colorado River, it can get back to its original condition. This issues affects those who live by the river, concluding that I live somewhere near the river, I would love to see a change in the rivers condition to not only help the nature around it, but to help myself and others.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the colorado river is a vital source of water for agricultural and urban areas in the southern desert lands of north america, but it has begun to deteriorate over the past decade.
- Explains that the colorado river is formed by small streams created by a huge amount of snowmelt from the rocky mountains.
- Explains that the colorado river was named america's most endangered river due to drought in the southwest.
- Explains that the colorado river's salinity is caused by both natural and manmade sources.
- Explains that the tamarisk plant was imported in the 1850’s as an ornamental plant and also used as a method to control erosion.
- Explains that human waste from riverfront big-cities in california and arizona constantly contaminate the river below the hoover dam. overflowing septic systems allow rising quantities of nitrates to seep into the ground water and the colorado river
- Explains the health effects of perchlorate in rocket fuel, which has been measured in lake mead at concentrations as high as 24 parts per billion.
- Explains that radioactive mill waste is another pollution contaminating the colorado river near utah. the national academy of science has stated that the river’s course will run across the moab site sometime in the future.
- Explains that the colorado river and its lakes are important to the environment and if things get worse, it could have a huge negative impact on the surrounding civilization.
- Opines that if communities and environmental groups join forces to improve the colorado river, it can get back to its original condition.
1463 wordsRead More - Saving the Chesapeake Bayexplanatory essayThe Chesapeake Bay is a large estuary located on the east coast of the United States. The bay is over 200 miles long and goes through Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. The bay has much to offer the locals. Many locals have made a career out of harvesting the bay's sea food. The bay's harvest and many of its other attractions bring tourists and in turn revenue for the area. Oysters and blue crab are a big part of the culture in the bay area. However, these organisms are in danger and need help.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the chesapeake bay is a large estuary located on the east coast of the united states.
- Explains that eutrophication is a concern in the chesapeake bay. excessive nutrients make the environment unbalanced and deplete oxygen.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay dead zone is a large problem with many variables that effect each other. the pressure that is put on the bay and its organisms will be discussed.
- Explains that the works referred to in this paper are a culmination of research, hypothetical planning, and articles reporting on what is going on in the restoration of the bay.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay is in terrible condition and scientists are well aware and addressing the problem.
- Explains that peter kleinman's study showed cows defecating directly into streams caused excessive phosphorus in the watershed. john schmidt has been researching how farmers can better fertilize their crops.
- Explains that the dead zone in the chesapeake bay is a large scale problem that will take many years to fix. if agriculture, land development, and sewage runoff are properly addressed, the goals of bay restoration will be met.
- Explains that the dead zone is caused by excessive nitrogen and phosphorus that is put into the bay.
- Opines that if the time is taken to do the research and test the theories then those solutions should be tried.
- Recommends that strict laws be put into place and incentives be offered for states that meet these requirements. if policymakers and business owners work together, they will see more progress than when the scientific community is left to solve the problems.
- Explains that the chesapeake bay takes up a large part of land but it is not very deep and does not contain much water.
- Explains that the pollution in the chesapeake bay causes a chain reaction that is slowly killing the bay and its organisms.
- Opines that the lack of responsibility assumed by political leaders makes predicting what occurs in the bay near impossible.
2016 wordsRead More - Anne Arundel County Appendix B: A Geographic Analysisexplanatory essayAccording to the United States Census Bureau (2016), Anne Arundel County has a total area of 588 square miles of which 415 square miles is land and 173 square miles is water. The geographical coordinates are N39.0001 and W76.6164 (Google Maps, 2017. Appendix B is a satellite image of the Anne Arundel area from the Google Maps website. Anne Arundel County borders the following counties and independent cities: Baltimore City to the north, Baltimore County to the north, Calvert County to the south, Kent County to the northeast, Howard County to the northwest, Prince George’s County to the southwest, Queen Anne’s County to the east, and Talbot County to the southeast. Appendix C is shows a map of Anne Arundel County illustrating the surrounding
In this essay, the author
- Explains that anne arundel county has a total area of 588 square miles of which 415 sq miles is land and 173 sq m is water. fort meade dominates the western part of the county.
216 wordsRead More - Testing Water Quality at Four Sites on the Riverexplanatory essayto do this topic, as I am curious as to why the river quality varies
In this essay, the author
- Explains that plants need oxygen to live, so they take it from the plant.
- Explains that they are curious as to why the river quality varies.
- Explains how they emptied the contents of the net into a net and used the next method.
- Asks readers to help us to discover whether the site is clean or not by what type of information.
- Explains that site one has quite a good water quality as you can see.
- Narrates how big pit mines iron in the water and runs over it.
- Opines that we only found half as many species at this site than at site one.
- Opines that this is the last site of the river that we looked at.
- Explains that site 1 is the cleanest followed by site 4, site 3 and site 4.
- Explains that if there is a mine near the river, then it can have some bad effects on it.
1359 wordsRead More