University of Georgia

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Coastal Water Issues
Georgia ANREP Annual Meeting Wahsega 4-H
Center Dahlonega, GA 21 August 2007
Gary L. Hawkins Ag. Pollution Prevention/Water
Quality Specialist University of
Georgia Biological and Agricultural Engineering -
Tifton
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2007 Summary
Georgia ANREP Annual Meeting Wahsega 4-H
Center Dahlonega, GA 21 August 2007
Gary L. Hawkins Ag. Pollution Prevention/Water
Quality Specialist University of
Georgia Biological and Agricultural Engineering -
Tifton
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What is Water Quality?
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What is Water Quality?

• Status of a water body based on chemical,
  physical and biological parameters
• Suitability for drinking, fishing and recreation
• Does it mean CLEAN water?
• -----Yes and No ----

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Georgias specific criteria for water quality
Note ppm is parts per million or mg/l
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Where does pollution originate???
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What does that mean???
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Photo by NRCS
2 horse powered tractor
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Center pivot irrigation using LEPA (Low Pressure,
Precision Application) system. This type of
application uses less water and reduces
evaporation. Photo by NRCS
When we get the RAIN!
Photo by Brian F. Jewett, Research Scientist
Department of Atmospheric Sciences and
National Center for Supercomputing Applications,
University of Illinois
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1.9 Billion tons of soil lost per
year USDA, 2001
Photo by NRCS
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What is the FINAL location of sediment and
nutrients?
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Why is this important?

• HYPOXIA!

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What is HYPOXIA?

• Defined as the dead-zone
• The Gulfs Hypoxia Zone is an area
• That lacks enough oxygen to support most marine
  life
• Approximately 6000 7000 square miles
• With oxygen levels below 2 parts per million
• Which affects trawlers ability to catch shrimp
  and bottom dwelling fish
• With multiple dead organisms

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Where is this area?

• The main one in the US is at the mouth of the
  Mississippi River.

Distribution of water hypoxia from July 21-25,
1998. Data from Hypoxia Monitoring Studies of
N.N. Rabalais, R.E. Turner, and W.J. Wiseman, Jr.
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Why is it a problem?

• Increased nutrients from
• Fertilizers
• Animal wastes
• Seasonal river discharges
• Average nitrate concentration has doubled since
  the 1950s
• Nutrients encourage algal blooms and decreases
  the water oxygen

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Significance?

• Gulfs zone rivals the areas of the Baltic and
  Black Seas
• Problem is a national one

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What about Georgia?
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Georgias Water Basins draining into the coast
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Characteristics of Basins draining to the coastal
waters

• Forested
• Agricultural lands
• Urban areas

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How can pollutants affect Georgias waters?

• Kills fish through nutrient rich waters
• Depletes valuable fish stocks
• Damages ecosystems
• Nursery habitats for fish and shellfish are
  affected
• The population of fish eating birds is affected
  due to no fish or shellfish
• Chemical reactions between hypoxic waters and
  sediments can release pollutants

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What is being Done to protect our Waters?
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Ways of Protecting Our Waters!

• BMP (Best Management Practices)

• Conservation tillage

• Water conservation

• Nutrient management

• Sustainable Agriculture

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What can WE do to help protect our water
resources?

• Assist in minimizing use of fertilizers and
  manage them properly through

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Proper management of animal waste products
through nutrient management
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Yea! But now we are fertilizer!
We were once A waste product
Proper management of waste products through
nutrient management
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Assisting homeowners in proper management of
fertilizers and pesticides
Photos from Scott web page
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What can WE do to help protect our Water
Resources? (cont)

• Remove nutrients and sediment from wastewater and
  urban runoff before they are discharged

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Urban projects to help reduce pollution
Photos from USDA-NRCS
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What can WE do to help protect our Water
Resources? (cont)

• Remove nutrients and sediment from agricultural
  runoff before entry into water bodies

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Vegetative Buffers around stream and ponds in a
rural setting
Photo from USDA-NRCS
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In Conclusion

• Hypoxia has affected the waters of our State and
  Nation
• Some management practices can be used to aid in
  reducing nutrient movement
• BMP (Best Management Practices)
• Conservation tillage
• Water conservation
• Nutrient management
• Sustainable Agriculture

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In Conclusion

• Nutrient and sediment loading has the potential
  to adversely impact our water ecosystems
• Proper use of nutrients are beneficial, but
  IMPRPOER use has the potential to degrade our
  water courses

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Questions?
For more information Gary L. Hawkins,
Ph.D. Water Quality/Ag. Pollution Prevention
Specialist University of Georgia Tifton Campus,
Tifton, GA Voice [phone] E-mail
ghawkins_at_uga.edu
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Acknowledgements
This presentation was prepared by Gary L.
Hawkins, Ph.D. with the University of Georgia
using information available from the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs, US Environmental
Protection Agency, Georgia DNR Environmental
Protection Division and Pollution Prevention
Assistance Division, UGA College of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences, Georgia Water Wise
Council, Georgia Conservancy, Scotts Company,
USGS, and USDA-NRCS