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Some dyes from factories polluted water supply, but the majority of water pollution came from excrement until after industrialization, when industrial runoff containing chemicals, and air pollution from factories became a problem. Pesticides and herbicides also contain stronger, more harmful chemicals now than they did in the past.
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The Native Americans clear land around the Chesapeake Bay to grow crops such as corn, squash, beans and tobacco. They create small, permanent villages near their agriculture.
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It is made up of Europeans who arrived from England.
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Tobacco requires a lot of nutrients from the soil. The soil gets worn out very quickly and can't be used again. The worn out land does not purify groundwater as well as it did before.
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It is the first official city in the colony called Maryland.
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The wood is used to make boats, and more houses for the growing population. These forests purified runoff before it flowed into the Chesapeake Bay, absorbed excess nutrients, removed sediments and prevented erosion.
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Many have died from the sudden increase in water-borne diseases, due to concentrated waste from the cities and towns near water sources, and the lack of trees upstream that absorb runoff.
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The energy is used to run their new mills.
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An oyster can purify up to 1.3 gallons of water per hour. Oysters take in water to feed, and detain most toxins, microorganisms and polluted particles. Then, they release the water, which is now purified. In the 1600s there is still an abundant supply of wildlife in the area.
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1681: The colony of Pennsylvania is established.
1695: The city of Annapolis, Maryland is established.
1699: The city of Williamsburg, Virginia is established. -
New immigrants chop down acres and acres of dense forest around the Chesapeake Bay to use for building purposes. Roads are leveled and packed down with dirt to make transportation easier. These roads do not absorb water, creating excess runoff, and a shortage of groundwater.
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Port towns in Maryland are experiencing trouble because of the lack of forests to remove sediment upstream. The sediment is filling the waters, making transportation difficult.
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Almost the entire Chesapeake Bay region has been filled with farms, towns, raods, cities, and small industries.
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Almost 30% of all coastal forest land has been cut down or burned by colonists. Populations of native plants and animals begin to decline due to habitat destruction.
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People in the area start using dredging to harvest oysters. Dredging completely destroys oyster beds.
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Much of the livestock is kept along the coasts of the Chesapeake Bay. Much of their manure runs off into the Bay, polluting it and causing bacteria growth. Also, wheat and corn are known as some of the most water-intensive crops, meaning they use very large amounts of water.
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It is too destructive to oysterbeds, and VIrginia feels that oysters are being overharvested. It is known that they play an important role in purifying water.
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Large-scale deforestation is taking place. Entire forests are being cleared to produce charcoal. It takes 20-30 thousand acres of forest to produce enough charcoal to melt 1,000 tons of iron.
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Cholera spreads throughout the country. Large-scale outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever occur. Crowded urban slums become breeding grounds for tuberculosis.
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The Washington Aqueduct was constructed to carry water from a dam built above the Potomac River to reservoirs in Georgetown and Washington, D.C.
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All of the dams that are being built and all of the commercial fishing that is happening are making the numbers of fish decline.
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Factory smoke is making the sky black. Sediment and sewage is flowing into the water. Industrial waste and human and animal waste is a huge problem.
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There is a lot of coal production going on in mines in the upper Potomac and Susquehanna River basins. Waste from these coal mines flows into the streams and rivers and makes the water toxic.
Sport fishermen and scientists begin publishing reports that talk about how the underwater grasses are being threatened by invasive species and pollution. -
This is an effort to try to save the oysters in the surrounding waters.
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The government begins setting aside wilderness lands and historical sites for animal refuges, parks, and national forests and monuments.
The blue crab population is experiencing a decline. Crabbers are only landing half the amount of blue crabs as they were in previous years. -
The water quality is really bad. People start noticing phytoplankton (algae) growing in the water. This causes a big problem for the underwater grasses and oysters.
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Pesticides and herbicides also became widespread practices.
Fertilizer runoff contains Nitrates and Nitrites. These chemicals, when imbibed can cause serious illnesses and blue-baby syndrome.
Pesticide and herbicide runoff often contains Diquat, Dioxin, and Glyphosate. Diquat is known to cause cataracts, Dioxin can cause birth defects, and Glyphosate is known to cause kidney problems and reproductive difficulties. -
The population boom puts a serious strain on the water quality.
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This increases the levels of nutrients, sediment, and toxins in the Bay. The water quality of the Bay significantly decreases.
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It is called MSX, and it devastates the oyster populations there.
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This law says that every state has to have the same water quality standards. It places limits on the kinds of things that can be dumped into rivers, and it requires new sewage lines and water treatment plants to be built.
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Kepone is a toxic chemical. It seriously threatens fish, wildlife, and human health.
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The agreement , among the states of the bay watershed, aims to restore and protect underwater grasses, reduce erosion and sedimentation, restore wetlands and other habitats, manage fisheries, restore wildlife stocks, and many other things. It is a very important agreement for the health of the Bay.
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Phosphorus is found to cause extensive algae blooms. Algae blooms block sunlight, killing underwater grasses and destroying animal habitats. Red algae contains a neurotoxin which kills fish, manatees, and other marine creatures. If neurotoxins are ingested by humans the results can be fatal.
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A “dead zone” is an area of water in which there is almost no oxygen. Any creatures that can’t swim away usually end up dying, because they can’t breathe. Dead zones are caused by high levels of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in the water.
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PCBs and mercury are among the most widespread toxins, and other carcinogenic chemicals (chemicals known to cause cancer) are increasing in the Bay. Most of these chemicals come from factories, and waste that people dump into the Bay.
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The Chesapeake Bay and its rivers have lost 44 percent of their underwater grasses over the past three years,
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According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, there is more oxygen available to fish and crabs, and there is less nitrogen and phosphorus in the water compared with previous years. However people still pollute the bay, and there are certainly more carcinogenic chemicals today than there were in the past. Industry and our population continues to grow.
