News items from Eutrophication News

New Zealand - Bay of Plenty Regional Council is treating Okawa Bay on Lake Rotoiti today with a product to prevent potentially toxic blue-green algae blooming on the lake. Lake Operations Manager Andy Bruere said the Regional Council had been alerted to a risk of the harmful algae forming in its routine monitoring, and from its environmental advisors, including Professor David Hamilton of Waikato University.

Climate change could increase our exposure to water-borne disease from ocean, coastal and lake ecosystems, scientists told a conference in Washington today.

A new study co-authored by a UW-Madison ecologist concludes that the earth’s ecosystem has passed a dangerous tipping point: The amount of phosphorus leeching into freshwater systems, largely due to farm fertilizer, has crossed the threshold of what constitutes “a safe operating space for humanity on Earth.” Ironically, dwindling phosphorus reserves could mitigate the problem but create a new crisis for the agricultural industry in Wisconsin and elsewhere.

Fisherman Ray Brokenshire has called a public meeting to address the degradation of the Opihi and Opuha Rivers. The Temuka man, who has been an outspoken proponent for addressing water conditions in South Canterbury rivers will lead a gathering next Wednesday in an attempt to form a community group to lobby for improved water conditions.

PLANS for the controversial Nocton Dairy have been put out to pasture. Nocton Dairies Ltd, the group behind the plans for a 3,770-cow dairy farm in Nocton Heath, have today withdrawn their planning application

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Opposition to federal water pollution rules proposed for Florida has gone national. Seventy-six companies and organizations representing national and state business and agriculture interests outside Florida on Tuesday sent a letter to members of Congress.

Oklahoma State University researchers conducted field studies to measure both nutrient and pesticide runoff from plots receiving both sprinkler irrigation and simulated rainfall. Among the findings: pesticide and nutrient losses from simulated rainfall did not differ from runoff losses caused by sprinkler irrigation.

With pollution-control requirements increasing and population growing, the state may add a fee on petroleum-based products and fertilizers to pay for cleaning up their residue from stormwater.

Watch for one fight in the Florida Legislature that has environmentalists and local government officials on the same side.

In all of the debate on Capitol Hill about cutting budgets, you wouldn't expect water to get a great deal of attention. But it should.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- New legislation proposed Monday will require new large home subdivisions to have access to public sewerage systems or install technologies to treat sewage to reduce nitrogen pollution.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- New legislation proposed Monday will require new large home subdivisions to have access to public sewerage systems or install technologies to treat sewage to reduce nitrogen pollution.

New policies are needed to decrease the overuse of phosphorous, and allocate the element where it is most needed, according to researchers who have analysed levels in freshwater across the globe. While it's essential for plant growth and agriculture, an excess of phosphorous in water causes eutrophication, which makes water non-potable, leads to blooms of cyanobacteria that are toxic to humans and livestock, depletes oxygen and kills fish.

The nonprofit Tri-Lakes Association (TLA) is planning an alum treatment for East Alaska Lake, having received a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Planning grant in August. Improving the water quality of East Alaska Lake, West Alaska Lake and Krohns Lake has been a 20-year journey for residents in the town of Pierce,

The nonprofit Tri-Lakes Association (TLA) is planning an alum treatment for East Alaska Lake, having received a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Planning grant in August. Improving the water quality of East Alaska Lake, West Alaska Lake and Krohns Lake has been a 20-year journey for residents in the town of Pierce,

WASHINGTON — A coalition of water, wastewater, conservation, agricultural, environmental and state organizations distributed a letter to Capitol Hill yesterday urging all members of Congress to support practices and policies that strengthen the links between agriculture and water quality, according to a press release.

The commitments made this time last year by the countries bordering the Baltic Sea to save the eutrophic brackish inland waterway, strained by heavy maritime traffic and harmful substances, are advancing very slowly and have remained somewhat unimpressive.

Another massive fish kill has struck Florida waters — this time affecting menhaden in a Vero Beach state park. The Sebastian Inlet State Park became inundated with swathes of dead fish last week. According to one report, some residents have estimated that there are “millions” of dead fish, and the area is now inundated with a strong odor from the decay.

HELSINKI — The governments of Baltic Sea nations reported progress Thursday in their pledges to clean up the body of water, but environmentalists said real change was still far off.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today plans to announce a comprehensive review of water pollution in the Delta, a first step in containing a problem the agency admits is overdue for closer analysis.