EPA's Shocking Revelation On River Pollution

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Rivers and streams across the U.S. continue to be contaminated with nutrients that pollute drinking water and create a deadly environment for marine life, according to a recent update from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The National Rivers and Streams Assessment Report, released in December, analyzed water samples collected from 1,851 sites across the lower 48 states in 2018-2019.

What the EPA found:

- Forty-two percent of the nation’s river and stream waters were rated in poor condition.

- N​itrogen and phosphorus, which come from fertilizer, are the most widespread pollutants.

- Only about one-third of the water samples indicated signs of healthy fish communities.

- In about 20% of stream and river water, bacteria exceeded the recommended levels to be safe for recreational water activities. At least one type of bacteria did show a decline, though.

Weather.com meteorologist Kait Parker adds:

- Increased extreme rainfall events and flooding that washes those nutrients into waterways due to climate change aren’t improving the situation.

- There have been some efforts, like plant filtering and reduced fertilizer use, to lower how much nitrogen and phosphorus is washing into our rivers and streams.

- But this report shows there has been virtually no improvement.

What else to know:

- Nutrients in river runoff feed the annual Gulf of Mexico "dead zone," an area of low oxygen that is dangerous for marine life. The dead zone covered some 3,058 square miles last summer. The five-year average is 4,347 square miles, and a special task force is working to get that to 1,900 square miles or less by 2035.

- Stormwater and sewage systems that overflow can also contribute to waterway pollution, according to NOAA Fisheries. In some areas, this happens during storms or heavy rainfall.

- “Controlling pollution is a big job. It is hard work,” Tom Wall, director of watershed restoration, assessment and protection division at EPA told The Associated Press. “Things are not getting worse, despite the tremendous pressures on our waterways. And we would like to see more progress.”

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Weather.com reporter Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.

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