Griffin Schutte 3B

Things that go Bump in the Bay

The problem with the Chesapeake Bay Watershed is its inability to talk. It cannot shout
out to random passersby Help! That factory is dumping toxic waste into my tributaries! It
cannot tell the world its troubles or how to fix them. Therefore, the job of saving the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed from pollution and pH problems falls to scientists. Ecologists and
conservation biologists alike must conduct research to understand the issues of pollution and
acidity that plague the area. Multiple waterways that on the states officially polluted list are
now being investigated to determine the source of the pollution. By examining countless water
samples, scientists will be able to identify the most likely source. However, conducting these
examinations will take time and, more importantly, money. The state is only funding the study
of the waterways not the cleanup efforts. For any significant steps to me made toward fixing
the waterways will require a government grant which, in the current state of the economy, may
prove to be difficult. In addition to dealing with pollution, scientists will need to develop a
solution to the changing acidity in the watershed. A worldwide increase in atmospheric carbon
dioxide has been causing a rise in the acidity of the ocean. However, the changes observed in
the watershed are too great to come only from a rise in CO
2.
The acidity has caused a negative
effect on the oyster population. Oyster shells are becoming thinner making the oysters more
susceptible to predators. This presents an issue that is both environmental and ethical. It has
been determined that this fluctuation of acidity has originated from sewage and agricultural
runoff into watershed tributaries. The health of a watershed is the responsibility of those who
occupy the area near it. How is it that people can justify harming an ecosystem for personal
profit? It will become the job of dedicated scientists to make the culprits accountable for their
actions.