Abes Neughebauer

11-01-13
Biology
B3

The Watershed Epidemic and Sciences Cure

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed is truly the epitome of Virginia Beachs water supply
and food source. Additionally, the watershed is crucial to the region for a plethora of reasons.
First and foremost, it is a foundation for the economy, namely, fishing, oyster growth, and more.
Secondly, the watersheds health is steadily declining, local individuals must help their
community and region improve. Therefore, the watersheds well being must be restored in a
swift and efficient process in order for Virginia Beach to be more successful.
A watershed is a portion of terra firma where precipitation is deposited into a body of
water. The Chesapeake Bay watershed is vital to Virginia Beachs economy because it is the
third largest estuary in the world. Aquatic life and ecosystems are significant to the provinces
economy because they are main constituents of the money. According to an article, named, A
Bay Agenda for the Next Governor, oysters are fundamentally important modules because the
oyster business once sustained thousands of jobs, and greatly added to the states profit. In
another article, Chesapeake Bay Becoming More Acidic, Impacting Oyster Shell Growth, the
severity of acidity in the watershed is examined. Throughout the article, the idea of oyster shells
being thinned because of humongous amounts of atmospheric pressure, as well as, other
aspects, are greatly stressed. However, Ms. Erin Voigt states that more than just acidity
influences the bay, such as, temperature, and salinity levels. Scientists, including, Dr. George
Waldbusser and Dr. Roger Newell, believe that carbon dioxide increases are not the only
reason that there is more acidity in the bay, and have completed various tests on the water. Dr.
Roger Newell analyzed pH levels in the water, and discovered that they played a part in the
thinning of the oyster shells. Several benefits of biology in this certain case between the
economy and the watershed are that tests, for example, DO (dissolved oxygen) tests and
turbidity tests, are able to show scientists the health of the body of the water. Moreover,
scientists are able to analyze the results and fine tune plans to further improve the watersheds
pollution problems. However, several negative aspects are that government funds are not large
enough to pay for extremely precise scientific tools, which are terribly important to the biological
studies. This is supported by the article as well.
Another discrepancy of the watershed is politics. Recently, an article directed to the next
governor of Virginia explicitly draws a five step solution for the end of watershed pollution. In
other articles, such as, State Study Seeks Answers to Back Bay, River Pollution, the target of
contamination in the watershed is aimed at human sewage and wildlife waste. In the article, it
describes how failing septic systems can be quite harmful to the watershed, and that much of
the local wildlife, such, nutria, are leaving waste in deadly spots, and eventually ends up in the
watershed, which is a key drinking source. In the article, the first step is to reduce pollution that
drifts from farms. Virginia is highly dependent upon agriculture, as well. Although, it is the main
source of pollution of the watershed, the state does not want to abandon it. Therefore, a
program should be implemented to reduce farm waste, and if it does not meet its standards,
livestock must be closed off from bodies of water. The second step is to reduce pollution from
cities. This entails dedicating a grant to solve the problem and to go over and beyond the five
year necessities. The third step it to help the oyster industry by trying to reach a goal of
cultivating 500,000 bushels of oysters a year. The fourth step is to re-establish menhanden, a
critical fish which can be turned into oil. However, due to the bays pollution, the population of
menhanden has horribly decreased. Therefore, in the next four years, Virginias goal is to meet
the requirements of the Atlantic States marine Fisheries Commission. Lastly, the fifth step is to
educate students to be environmentally aware. Not only do these steps require scientific help
through tests and plans, there will be benefits, such as, population growth, pollution reduction
and much more. Scientists will be able to use their test results and observations by using Secchi
disks, nets, and more to fully comprehend the overall health of the bay, which is further
described in the article, The Chesapeake Bay watershed. However, although a copious
amount of data will be collected, it could take years before any substantial information is used to
create plans help the Chesapeake Bay Watershed recover.
Finally, the issue is truly that of environmental, and social. Considering the
environmental aspect, wildlife or humans who drink from the toxic water could face fatal
diseases, or even death. In addition, ocean ecosystems could become extinct because their
habitats are being destroyed through the increasing pollution. The environment is closely related
to the social facet because neighborhoods and locals could help solve the issue with fellow
scientists by not littering and picking up waste, which are great ethical solutions. Scientists are
imperative to the solution because they are able to carefully observe the progress of the
watershed, and can find ways for the local inhabitants to help. However, several limitations of
science in the environmental and social features are lack of cooperation, difficulty understanding
various levels of the solution, and more.
In conclusion, each discipline, namely, social, economic, political, environmental,
cultural, and ethical are all interrelated through science. All of the elements have benefits and
limitations regarding scientific data. Throughout the course of the plan to solve the watersheds
problems, scientists must collect data and people must work together in order to find a solution
in a faster way. Moreover, intelligence, cooperation, and determination, are key in solving a
problem so grand. Biology is just as important because it is the driving force in the discovery of
the issue, and will ultimately be the deciding factor of the solution. Thus, biology will promote the
economy, politics, ethics, and more by leading to the end of the Chesapeake bay Watersheds
dilemma.