WaterPollution

Water Pollution

Overview

Major sources, major consequences, broad and then focus on problems, then look at policy and possible solutions (real and proposed; including actual cases)

Major Sources of Pollution

Industrial

• chemical release
• urban development
• factory development

Human Waste

• sewage
• litter

Physical/Chemical

• tourism
  • sunscreen
  • physical damage caused by tourists
• offshore oil production

Environmental Consequences of Pollution in Coral Reef Environments

• loss of biodiversity
• damages to food chains
• loss of habitat
• damage to tourism based economies

Case Study: Focus on St. John's

Major Sources of Pollution

• “Sediment from dirt roads, farmland, construction sites, urban encroachments, and other disturbed soils is the primary nonpoint source pollutant threatening the Islands' water resources.”

Impacts

• “Eroded sediment buries coral reefs and seagrass beds, clouds the water, impairs fish feeding and breeding sites, and impacts recreational activities. In sum, sediment and erosion destroy natural resources, reduce the income and attractiveness of the tourist industry, and damage the territory's fishing industry.”

Additional Research/Study

Potential Future Complications

• ecology
• evolution of types of pollution

Notes

1. "An Overview of Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution." UNEP-Caribbean Environment Programme_Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution. CAR/RCU, 21 Aug. 2001. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cep.unep.org/issues/lbsp.html>.
2. "Coral Damage." Right Tourism Campaign Care for the Wild International Coral Damage Comments. N.p., 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://right-tourism.com/issues/marine-activities/coral-damage/>.
3. Harder, Ben. "Raw Human Waste Killing Off Coral Reefs?" National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 27 June 2002. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0627_020627_coral.html>.
4. "Local Action Strategies." United states Coral Reef Task Force. May 2009. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.coralreef.gov/las/>.
5. "Ocean and Coastal Management in the U.S. Virgin Islands." NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. 19 Feb 2014. Web. 25 Feb 2014. <http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/virgin_islands.html>.
6. "Status of and Threat to Coral Reefs." International Coral Reef Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://www.icriforum.org/about-coral-reefs/status-and-threat-coral-reefs>.
7. Shah, Anup. "Coral Reefs." Global Issues. N.p., 3 Mar. 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.globalissues.org/article/173/coral-reefs>.
8. Syedali, S.A. "Nonpoint source success stories: Virgin Islands." US Environmental Protection Agency, 6 March 2012. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/success319/virgin.cfm>.
9. "Task Force Members." United States Coral Reef Task Force. June 2011. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.coralreef.gov/about/members.html>.
10. Than, Ker. "Swimmers' Sunscreen Killing Off Coral." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 28 Jan. 2008. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080129-sunscreen-coral.html>.
11. "The Value of Corals." Coral Reef Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://coralreefsystems.org/content/value-corals>.
12. "U.S. Marine Protected Areas." Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://marineprotectedareas.noaa.gov/dataanalysis/mpainventory/mpaviewer/>.
13. "Virgin Islands Coastal Zone Management Program." NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Jan 2009. <http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/mystate/docs/virginislandscmp2009.pdf>.
14. "VIRGIN ISLANDS COASTAL NONPOINT PROGRAM NOAA/EPA DECISIONS ON CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL." NOAA. Feb. 2002. <http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/nonpoint/docs/6217vi_fnl.pdf>