Taste for the delicious bivalve created an insatiable demand and harvests approached 10 million bushels a year during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This was the result of using dredges that scoured the Bay floor, destroying the oyster reefs, the structures that helped make the Bay so productive. The shells were used as road gravel and burnt for lime. The amount of meat produced by this number of oysters was equal to 160,000 beef cattle. The dredges were soon outlawed, replaced by hand tongs and later by mechanical tongs. However, the pressure continued until the harvest had dropped to less than four million bushels a year by the 1940s and steadily declined until the mid 1980s when the population began to crash. Introduce Dermo and MSX (two virulent oyster diseases), poor water quality, continued over harvest and the recipe for disaster was created. The Maryland oyster harvest for 2003 will probably be less than 50,000 bushels. Virginia's take will be about the same.
The oyster is a corner stone species (along with several others) of the Bay's ecology. A North Carolina researcher calls the species "the social glue" of the coastal marine ecosystem. Not only is it a prodigious filter feeder (up to two gallons of water per hour per oyster) but oyster reefs are also ecosystems unto themselves. The biological complexity and productivity of the natural oyster reefs are phenomenal. These reefs are built over long periods of time. The oysters cement themselves together and produce a lattice structure that allows water to flow through the reef. It also provides a microhabitat for associated species. Numerous species of fish and invertebrates live, feed and reproduce within the reef complex. The reef also acts as a natural filter with the myriad of other filter feeders that live in and on the structure, including sponges, bryozoans, worms and hydroids.
Efforts to restore oyster reefs have been fairly unsuccessful. Cinder blocks, ceramic and other inert materials are dumped to form a base for artificial reefs. Oyster shells are then added to the structures. Initially, the "reef" begins to show community growth and structure as marine organisms inhabit the system. However, without the natural lattice structure, internal water circulation is limited and evidence indicates that the "reef" collapses under its own weight. In addition, artificial reefs have been impacted by oyster poaching, excess sedimentation, disease and poor water quality.
The demise of the oyster has impacted water quality, reduced habitat for many associated species and had a major economic impact of the region. The recent drought allowed Dermo and MSX to move farther up the Bay than normal with the increasing salinity. The result was the loss of once productive oyster beds in Maryland waters that had been protected from the diseases by lower salinity.
Less than one-percent of the original oyster population remains today. One percent of any species rings "endangered " status. Is it possible that the native Chesapeake Bay oyster can become extinct through much of its natural range? Researchers are currently testing Asian and Pacific oysters as "replacements" for the native species. North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia researchers, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, urge caution in introducing foreign species. The nonnative oysters grow three times as fast as the native species, are very prolific and are resistant to oyster diseases in the Bay and North Carolina. The fear of a "kudzu-like" invasion, introduced microbes and unknown ecosystem response has researchers concerned about the planned introductions. Watermen are lauding the effort to restore a productive fishery in the Bay.
Water quality in the Chesapeake Bay cannot improve until substantial populations of oysters are reestablished and the native oyster cannot rebound until water quality significantly improves. It is a catch-22 situation. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has called for a moratorium on oysters in the past but to no avail. Add to this the loss of 90% of underwater grasses and the current, historically low blue crab populations, and the effort in ecosystem recovery appears to be a daunting task.
The following are newsworthy environmental happenings around the world. Often the news sources are not complete in their coverage and regular updates on any one issue or event are hard to come by. As you will see, much of the news is not positive and it is difficult to find positive, environmental trends. In any event, this will perhaps give the reader a cause to do more research on a given topic.
It will cost Canada between $2 - $6 Billion Canadian to clean up more than 5000 toxic waste sites. Abandoned mining sites contaminated with arsenic and cyanide are of the greatest concern. The 30 worst sites will cost $555 million Canadian to clean up.
Water Resources
The Mid-Atlantic Region's three-year drought episode may be ending but the threat of future water crises still exists. This recent drought has been compared to the drought of 1930 when the region received less than 60% of its normal rainfall. Water restrictions are being eased but officials are still looking for alternative water resources. Increasing population growth and development will only increase water demands. The results of future droughts may be more severe than this past one.
The 2002 James River Association Report had both good and bad news for the watershed. Forty-four percent, 400 miles, of the River and its major tributaries did not meet state water quality standards. Although point-source nitrogen and phosphorus levels declined markedly from 1985 to 1999, non-point source levels remained relatively steady. Due to the severe drought, water levels in the River were at near-historic lows and biological productivity was severely stressed. Several Watershed Management Plans were and are being developed to address growth and future water needs through the Community Watershed Initiatives. Bald Eagle nesting pairs have increased from zero in 1977 to 75 in 2001 with 115 offspring. With the fish passages open in dams around Richmond, American Shad counts have increased to more than 1000 in 2001 from historic lows in the previous decade. Submerged aquatic vegetation coverage has decreased from the historic 1600 hectares to less than 100 hectares in 1997. More than three linear miles, 31 acres, of riparian buffer have been reestablished with 8370 trees planted. Nearly 300,000 acres of riparian buffer have been protected through conservation easements while more than 800,000 acres still need protection. The Association is very active in monitoring with the James Riverkeeper Program, educational and public awareness events, publications and conferences.
More than 770 cities and towns across the U.S. are facing a costly problem - what to do about combined sewage overflows. With outdated sewage systems, the towns and cities are often in violation of EPA regulations. The total cost of upgrade will exceed $45 billion and residents will see water and sewage bills drastically increase as municipalities grapple with the problem. Pittsburgh alone plans on spending $3 billion in the next 12 years to address the sewage overflow problem and protect its drinking water.
In 1996, Virginia leaders reported that only 5% of the state's waterways were impaired. In 1998 that figure jumped to 13%. The most recent study, with more than one million samples during the five-year period, reports a 44% impairment rate for the 9,700 miles of streams and rivers surveyed. The most common pollutants are bacteria. Nutrients are very prevalent and toxic chemicals are present in low levels throughout much of the watersheds. Toxic hot spots (high concentrations) exist at a number of locations. Virginia must complete its TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) studies by 2010 at a cost of $60 million to meet EPA guidelines.
The Chesapeake Bay showed significant improvements in SAV (submerged aquatic vegetation) during the recent drought, with coverage increasing by more than 16,000 acres. However, increased salinities in the mid and upper Bay allowed Dermo and MSX (oyster diseases) to wreck havoc on healthy oyster beds. In addition, mid and upper fresh water Bay grasses were severely stressed by increased salinities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning a $200,000 study to identify additional water sources for the James River. Currently, Lake Moomaw is a major water source when flow conditions in the James River become critical. The James River Association encourages the state to look at conservation and current water policy instead.
In a recent 30-state water quality study by the U.S. Geological survey, researchers found traces of 81 pharmaceutical and personal care products including 31 antibiotics and anti-bacterial compounds, 11 compound linked to birth control and increased levels of several regulated contaminants.
The proposed $160 million reservoir in King William County on the Pamunkey River would supply drinking water for eight cities and counties for decades. However, it will submerge more than 400 acres of historic wetlands and has already cost the Newport News Water Works $20 million in 15 years of regulatory litigation.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation rates the Bay on thirteen key factors with a scale of 0 - 100. In 1980 the Bay scored a 23 and 28 in 2000. In 2001, it scored a 27. A score of 70 would indicate a "saved" Bay.
Alaskan glaciers are losing 15 - 33 cubic miles of ice each year. The glaciers were thinning at a rate of 1.7 feet per year in the 1970s. Now they are thinning at a rate of 6 feet per year. Alaska has warmed on the average of 5šF since the 1960s.
Wildlife
Illegal bilge pumping off Canada's coast is killing 30,000 sea birds each year. During the last five years, 75% of Newfoundland bird deaths were the result of illegal oil discharges.
The deformed frogs found in the Midwest are probably the result of a parasitic trematode. Excess fertilizers increase algal growth. More algae mean more snails that are the trematode's intermediate host. More snails mean more trematodes and therefore more infected frogs. Researchers found an average of 5% of the frog population with mutations in 80% of the ponds sampled. One pond had an 80% deformity rate.
In 2001, 325 Manatees died in Florida, 82 from boat collisions. In January 2002 alone, 53 died and the death rate is increasing. For every manatee killed by a boat, many more are injured and mutilated. A number of other factors are involved in Manatee deaths but boating collisions are a major cause. Boating and homeowner groups are at odds with wildlife protection agencies in dealing with the problem. There are currently about 2200 manatees in Florida and most populations are only holding steady.
Atrazine, a widely used herbicide, has been found to severely affect the reproductive condition of frogs. It demasculinizes tadpoles and turns them into hermaphrodites. The herbicide lowers the levels of the male hormone testosterone in mature male frogs by a factor of ten, lower than levels in female frogs. The EPA currently allows up to three ppb Atrazine in drinking water with a four-day exposure of 12 ppb. Researchers found effects on frogs at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppb. Atrazine has been widely used across much of North America over the past 40 years.
A University of Virginia doctoral student has identified a connection between marsh grass health and blue crab populations. Blue crabs feed on periwinkles, a marine snail, and periwinkles graze on Spartina (cord grass). Remove the crabs and the periwinkles "whack" the grasses. His studies, in Virginia and Louisiana, show similar results. Blue crabs help keep periwinkle populations down, thus controlling damage to cord grass. Blue crab populations are at historic lows in both states.
Virginia has recently formed an Invasive Species Work Group to identify and prioritize invasive species threats in the Commonwealth. There are nearly 300 introduced species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed but only a small number of these are considered "invasive." Kudzu, Phragmites, Rapa welk and Eurasian freshwater clam are examples. By contrast, more than 1,400 exotic plants are classified as pest species across the country and 94 of these are officially classified as Federal Noxious Weeds. Noxious weed acreage is estimated at 100 million with an annual increase of 8 - 20%. About 4,600 acres fall victim to invasive plant species each day in the U.S.
One in four bird species in the U.S. is in marked population decline to the point that many face extinction. Examples include the short-eared owl with a 70% population decline and less than 100,000 left and the cerulean warbler also with a 70% decline since the 1960's.
Plants and Forests
The thorny Elaeagnus shrub produces juicy berries that are magnets for many types of fruit and seed eating birds. That is all well and good except the VA Department of Transportation was using the shrub as a visual barrier on dual-lane highways. The result was more than 3000 dead songbirds. VDOT has begun the removal of the shrub along Interstate 195 and 64, the Richmond Expressway and U.S. 17. Nearly 20 miles of shrubs will be cleared at considerable expense. This is cheaper than paying federal fines of $500 - $1500 per incident for killing protected bird species.
Hydrilla infestation in Lake Gaston has spread over 3000 acres since its introduction in 1989. About $400,000 is spent each year in plant control.
A colony of Zebra Mussels was found in a rock quarry in Prince William County, Virginia near the Occoquan River. The mussel has been established in 18 states and two Canadian provinces.
There appears to be two or more strains of Phragmites in the Chesapeake Bay. There is a native population that has caused few problems. However, an introduced strain common to Europe and Asia seems to be the culprit for widespread, invasive growth. The native strain has thinner, more flexible reddish-purple stems, lower stem density, purple ligules and smooth shiny stems after leaf fall. The introduced strain has thicker, more densely growing green stems, green to yellow ligules and it keeps its leaves after the growing season.
Population
Maryland is losing its farmland faster than the national average. In the next 10 years the state will lose 400 of its 12,400 farms - 40,000 acres to development. There are many reasons for the land conversion but few recommendations to stem the tide.
More than 1.5 million people live in the Tidewater/Peninsula area of Virginia. More than 93,000 cars pass through the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel each day. In 2000, traffic was halted 2,750 times mostly due to stalled vehicles. The Centerville Turnpike in VA Beach carries more than 82,000 cars each day and this is expected to increase to 103,400 by 2006. Commuting time in the more congested Northern Virginia area can range from 75 - 120 minutes for a 25-mile drive.
Spotsylvania County in Virginia is cutting its growth rate from 4.4 to 2 percent in an effort to reduce public service demands. This will reduce the lot-development by 42% from 55,890 to 32,900. Land developers, real estate companies and large landowners are at odds over the changes. The County recently spent $4.4 million to buy development rights for 1750 acres in an effort to preserve green space.
Human Health
Skin cancer is on a dramatic increase, up 30% from 40 years ago. More than one million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, including 51,000 cases of melanoma. More than 7,800 people will die each year including 5,000 men. About 80% of the skin damage occurs before the age of 18.
The Yucca Mountain nuclear repository in Nevada is still under study. The U.S. has 60 years of radioactive wastes scattered around the country in various temporary holding facilities. It is estimated that it will take 100,000 truckloads to move the wastes to the Yucca Mountain facility that still has not been completed. More than $500 million has been spent in site feasibility studies. Electric power companies pay into a federal nuclear repository fund to support its development.
The first transgenic monkey has been successfully "created" with jellyfish genes inserted in its genome. The genes give researches an easy marker in future genetic studies. The implications are far ranging in science's efforts to cure human diseases and genetic-based illnesses.
There are 2618 fish advisories or bans in the U.S. This means that 28% of the nation's lakes and waterways have contaminated fish. Virginia has advisories in the Potomac, South, Shenandoah, Elizabeth, Staunton and James Rivers.
Recently released reports on the effects of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) from power lines, microwave and cellular transmission lines and other sources directly link the length and level of exposure to cancer and other health risks. EMFs could cause a 50% increase in risk for childhood leukemia, adult brain cancer and Lou Gehrig's Disease: a 10 - 50% increased risk for male breast cancer, childhood brain cancer, suicide, Alzheimer's disease, miscarriage and heart attack. The issue is an item of hot debate between power/communications companies and public health/environmental groups.
Breast cancer rates in California have increased from one in 22 just 50 years ago to one in eight today. The dramatic increase has paralleled the proliferation of synthetic organic chemicals in the U.S. Only 7% of the 85,000 synthetic chemicals available today have undergone toxicological testing. Some researchers place a direct correlation between the prevalence of SOCs and cancer rates.
Seafood
Chesapeake Bay commercial and sport fishing catches of striped bass have increased from a total of about 750,000 pounds in 1993 to about 4,000,000 pounds in 2000. On the other hand, summer flounder catches have decreased from about 400,000 pounds to 310,000 pounds for the same period. Tighter catch regulations are being proposed for summer flounder to protect the resource.
In order to help save the American Shad fishery, a complete phase out of the Atlantic fishery will be completed by 2004.
Virginia may close half of the Chesapeake Bay to blue crab harvests for part of the year, further restrict the harvest of sponge crabs (females with eggs), reduce the fishing time and set a minimum 3-inch peeler size for soft crabs. The fishery has seen an 80% decline in the number of breeding-age females over the past 12 years. The total crab harvest has declined from 55 million pounds in 1993 to 20.2 million pounds in 2000. In an effort to boost the fishery, Virginia and Maryland plan on releasing 40,000 hatchery-reared crabs.
Nearly 50 Himalayan lakes are in danger of bursting in the next few years because of increasing glacial ice melt. The lakes are at an average elevation of 13,000 feet and pose a direct threat to hundreds of thousands of people. In 1985, one bursting lake destroyed 14 bridges and caused $1.5 million in damage to a power plant.
The ozone hole over the Antarctic appears to be shrinking, reduced from nine million to six million square miles over the past six years. The improvement is attributed to warmer than normal temperatures around the Polar Vortex (circulating wind patterns) and the reduction of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) in the upper atmosphere.
Researchers have discovered a major factor affecting the health of Caribbean coral reefs - dust from Africa. Hundreds of millions of tons of microscopically fine dust are blown across the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahel Desert in Africa to the Caribbean. The dust contains contaminants as well as microbes that can infect corals. In addition, extensive trash burning in Africa adds toxic contaminants to the mix. The amount of dust has drastically increased since the 1970s as a result of increasing drought in the Sahel.
Antarctic ice is melting at an unprecedented rate. In April of 2002, a 1,250 square mile section of the Larsen Ice Shelf broke free. It was the second big ice shelf break since 1995. Cold, Antarctic water and sea ice drive the deep ocean currents that flow around the world. Researchers predict that changes in the glacial ice coverage in the Antarctic will have wide-ranging consequences around the earth.
Glacial ice melt is accelerated by the formation of melt-water ponds on the glacier's surface. This surface water acts like a wedge as it migrates down into cracks in the ice and causes them to expand. The horizontal and vertical pressures from the weight of the ice itself can cause a large section of the glacier to separate from the parent body.
The tremendous increase of freshwater entering the oceans due to glacial melt and other sources may have a dramatic effect on ocean currents and, in turn, world weather patterns. Researchers have found evidence that the circulation pump in the North Atlantic is faltering. That means that the North Atlantic could get colder while other ocean bodies get warmer. Great Britain plans on spending $30 million over the next six years to monitor circulation patterns, temperature and salinities in the North Atlantic.
According to a report released by the National Academy of Science, the earth is heading toward "ecological bankruptcy." In 1961, the earth's human population demanded 70% of the planet's resource generating capacity. Now the demand exceeds 100%. The average amount of land to sustain one person is 5.7 acres. However, industrialized nations such as the United States and Great Britain require 24 and 13.3 acres respectively. The report did not estimate how long the human population can continue at this rate of consumption.
Wildlife
A small Argentine ant is taking over the insect world in California. It is very prolific and quickly out numbers and out competes native ant species. They have low nutritional value and are not selected prey for many insectivorous species including lizards. These ants are not only displacing native ant populations but also starving out their predators.
Global warming is having an impact on migratory bird species. It has been documented that a number of neo-tropical bird species are shifting their wintering and summering areas, migration routes and times of migration due to the temperature and seasonal changes caused by global warming.
Pollution
Guiya, China has a massive computer trash dump where workers earn $1.50 a day tearing obsolete computers apart looking for reclaimable metal and wire parts. Cathode ray tubes, mercury switches, heavy metals, PCB's and other pollutants pose a serious heath threat to workers and the region. The pollution is so severe that drinking water must be trucked in from 18 miles away. There is no organized, worldwide recycling program for old computers. Although the more reputable manufacturers are taking steps to stop the computer land filling, laws are weakly enforced.
In Muslyumovo, Russia it is common to see researchers walking around in radiation-protection suites carrying Geiger counters. Readings of 1000 microrads per hour are common. The allowable human exposure is about 22 microrads per hour. The town is less than 50 miles from the world's oldest nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. Liquid radioactive waste was routinely discharged into the local river. Authorities want to turn the area into a nuclear waste repository for Europe and Asia with the vision of earning billions of dollars in collection fees. In 1990, the U.S. bought Russian plutonium and provided $5.9 million for environmental relief for the area. According to records, only $158,000 was used for that purpose. The rest was siphoned off. Medical diagnostic equipment was purchased but little money was available to pay for patient treatment. Tumors, cancer, birth deformities and other radiation related disorders are common in the area.
The hydroxyl radical (OH_) is able to detoxify many pollutants from the air and rebuild the upper ozone layer. Researchers found an increase in atmospheric hydroxyl from 1979 - 1989 but noticed a 10% decline in 2000.
Lake Baikal in Siberia Russia is the largest lake on earth with one-fifth of the earth's fresh water. It is 380 miles long, 48 miles across and holds more water than all of the Great Lakes combined. More than 300 streams and rivers feed the lake but only one leaves it - the Angara River. The lake is seriously threatened by pollution from paper mills and coal burning power plants. The Omul fishery (a dominant lake species) is in drastic decline and the shoreline is littered with trash and waste dumps in many places.
Peacekeepers during the Bosnian conflict were exposed to various toxic compounds often at levels several thousand times American tolerance levels. NATO troops got sick so frequently that commanders often ordered environmental testing in their service areas. In addition, contamination from uranium-treated artillery rounds may have added to the health risks.
Development
The Panama Canal is undergoing a massive expansion that will triple the size of the locks to accommodate today's super tankers. Ten percent of the world's ships cannot pass through the locks so the locks will be made 40% longer and 25% deeper. This will require more water in Lake Gatum that supplies the locks. More water must be added to the lake that will in turn flood existing shoreline areas, displacing homes, town, businesses and recreational areas.
In Closing:
America As Seen by Its First Explorers by John Bakeless is a captivating book that visualizes what this country looked like before "we" got a hold of it. The stuff in this book is not found in the typical history text. It brings the discoveries of early explorers such as Narvaez, De Soto, Coronado, Cartier, and Champlain to life with dramatic descriptions of the land, its native peoples and their hazardous adventures. The book is available from Dover Publications at: http://store.doverpublications.com/.
Bay Country, by Tom Horton, is a collection of essays about the life, workings, comings and goings in the Chesapeake Bay. He writes about Bay processes, crabs, trees, tributaries, islands and energy. His style is captivating and gives the reader a sense of "being there." The publisher is Ticknor and Fields of New York, 1987, Johns Hopkins University Press.
The National Marine Educators Association will hold its 2003 conference in Wilmington, North Carolina. For more information, log on www.marine-ed.org/nmea2003.
The American Water Resources Association has announced two conferences: Agricultural Hydrology and Water Quality (May 12 - 14, Kansas City) and Watershed Management for Water Supply Systems (New York, NY, June 29 - July 2). For more information, go to www.AWRA.org.
The National Small Flows Clearing House has a wide variety of educational materials on community sewage treatment, a topic near and dear to the hearts of all. For newsletter information and a complete listing of materials and prices, go to www.nsfc.wvu.edu and view the Products Catalog, especially the Public Education section.
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Communication Services division is offering a series of teacher project guides for youth ages 10 - 15 (grades 4 - 9). Titles include: Creek Watchers, Fresh Water Guardians, Wetlands Protectors, Water Inspectors and Plastic Eliminators. Each publication costs $8.50. For more information, contact UCA-ANRCS, 6701 San Pablo Ave., 2nd Street, Oakland, CA 94608-1239 or call 1-800-994-8849 to order.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has just released an interactive CD entitled the Zebra Mussel Information System (version 2.0). It is a researchable compendium of technical and life history information on this invasive species. For a copy, contact Michael Grodowitz (grodowm@wes.army.mil) U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Waterways Experiment Station, CEERD-EE-A, 3909 Halls Ferry Rd. Vicksburg, MS 39180.
The National Environmental Data Index is available at: http://www.nedi.gov/ .The Index is maintained by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration Environmental Information Service. The service provides a full text search of information from twelve government agencies including the US Departments of
Agriculture, Energy, and Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and NASA. Users can choose to search from all or individual agencies, type of information, and by subjects. Due to the breadth of the data, use of specific search criteria is recommended.
The Izaak Walton League offers a variety of excellent educational, training and equipment resources for stream ecology and restoration projects. For more information, contact www.iwla.org/merchant2.
New York Sea Grant is offering a limited number of free CDs entitled Aquatic Exotics on the Move. It is a collection of 27 lesson plans created by K - 12 teachers about invasive species in the Great Lakes. Much of it is applicable to the mid-Atlantic region. To request a copy, call Ellen George at 716-645-3610 or E-mail elg7@cornell.edu with your name and address.
The Virginia Water Central is the newsletter for the Virginia Water Resources Research Center at Virginia Tech. It is an excellent resource for water resource news, educational resources and issues. It is available in hard copy from the Center located at 10 Sandy Hall (0444), Blacksburg, VA 24061 and in digital form at www.vwrrc.vt.edu.
CFAST is the Commercial Fish and Shellfish Technology newsletter produced jointly by VA Tech, Cooperative Extension and Virginia Sea Grant. It provides current information about advancements in the seafood industry. To request a subscription, contact CFAST, 119 Food Science and Technology Building, VA Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 or e-mail cfast@vt.edu.
Virginia's Oyster Reef Teaching Experience (VORTEX) is alive and well. There are some wonderful resources available from: http://www.vims.edu/mollusc/education/vortex.html. Just log on and check it out.
The National Farm*A*Syst and Home*A*Syst Program has an electronic newsletter entitled Farm and Home Environmental Management. It concentrates on best management practices for the farm and home. To view the newsletter or for more information, go to: www.uwex.edu/farmasyst.
The NASA Global Change Directory is on line at http://globalchange.nasa.gov. It is a massive database of 10,600 reports from 1300 agencies and institutions. It is a great research tool.
Bay Clips is an on-line, daily news service about Chesapeake Bay issues produced by Christopher Conner of the Chesapeake Bay Program. To subscribe, visit: www.chesapeakebay.net/baynews.htm.
Students can try their hand at forecasting the weather and reporting their forecast to their teacher at www.uwm.edu/~kahl/Forecast/register.html.
New wetlands fact sheets are available at www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands.
If you're interested in applying for grant funds, a good funding source review site is: www.cos.com. Log in to register for frequent funding updates.
Students can visit a virtual estuary at www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries/kids/visit/index.htm.
To learn more about watersheds and weather, students can go to www.watershed.interactive-environment.com/main/.
The Environmental News Network is a global news service that provides daily updates on things happening in and affecting the earth's environment. To subscribe, go to http://enn.com and click on subscribe.
* Sources of news items include: Environmental News Network (www.ENN.com), Bay News (www.chesapeakebay.net), Richmond Times Dispatch, James River Association Annual Report (2002), U.S. News and World Report, Coastlines, Virginia Forest Landowner Update.
I hope you have found this newsletter useful. Please send me your comments. There is the possibility of reviving the Virginia Association for Environmental Education. If you have an interest in helping to lead or provide service for this organization, please contact me. "And we thank you for your support."
Barry Fox
In this issue...
Drudgin' fer arsters (Editorial)
The once mighty sole plate of the Chesapeake Bay's seafood economy is all but a memory. Crassostrea virginica, the Chesapeake Bay oyster, historically numbered in the tens of billions and was able to filter the entire main stem of the Bay once or more per week. It was so abundant that ships had to constantly be on the lookout for oyster reefs. Ancient Indian oyster shell mounds have oyster shells as big as a man's shoe and the piles of shells often covered large areas along the shoreline.
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Here and About
Toxics
The recent Virginia Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) report indicates that pollution releases are no longer being reduced. Toxic releases from all sources decreased less than 1% from 1999 to 2000 while toxic released into water increased 33%. In addition, the TRI does not include all chemicals released or all sources. The full report can be viewed at http://www.deq.state.va.us/sara3/.
A recent financial study by the Chesapeake Bay Commission indicates that it will cost more than $19 billion to conduct Bay clean up efforts through the year 2010. Only $6 billion will come from state and federal coffers and sources for the remaining $13 billion have not been identified. Virginia's price tag is $5.7 billion with $600 million on hand. Pennsylvania will need $6.9 billion in addition to the $2.1 billion already identified. Maryland must find an additional $3.1 billion.
About 70% of Striped Bass in the Chesapeake Bay harbor a bacterium that can cause mycobacteriosis, a disease that results in skin lesions and kidney and spleen damage. Ten to fifteen percent of the fish examined show signs of infection. Although the striped bass population is doing well, researchers are concerned about the potential affect this disease can have on the $169 million fishery.
Phytophthora ramorum may soon become a household word. It is the causative agent of "sudden oak death" in California. The microbe infects conifers and giant redwoods as well as oaks. In all, it infects 17 different types of woody plants. It has killed tens of thousands of coastal oak trees and researchers are alarmed about its wide spread infection.
California is drowning in people. It had a 1.7% population increase in 2000. It is 40% more densely populated than Sri Lanka or Chile. Twenty-five percent of the population is immigrant. Immigration and related factors accounted for more than 90% of the state's population growth from 1990 - 1997. Currently, the state's population is 34 million and projected to increase to 54 million by 2025. Los Angeles alone has nearly four million people. California is losing 1.5% of its farmland to sprawl each year. Development could swallow up half of the state's remaining farmland in 30 years. Los Angeles grew 25.1% in land area from 1970 - 1990. Although per capital power usage declined by 300-kilowatt hours per year from 1979 - 1999, the population increased 10 million. Power usage increased 12% in just three years from 1996 - 1999. California is in a perpetual water crisis. It is predicted that the state will run a 4.2 million acre-feet water deficit by 2020 that could double during drought conditions. Rechannelization of the Santa Ana River reduced the 3000-acre Lower Newport Bay estuary to a 144-acre wetland. California has less than 10% of its historic wetlands in tact. One in every three native vertebrate species and one in ten native plant species are listed as endangered, threatened or concerned. About 72% of the state's native freshwater fish are candidates for extinction. The state has lost 34 species of animals and 46 species of plants since the 1880s. The state's endangered species list totals 330 animals and plants.
American Electric Power (AEP) is buying the town of Cheshire in the Ohio River valley due to clouds of sulfuric acid gas that intermittently settle on the town from the company's coal-burning plant. The 221 residents were bought out in an approved settlement. The air pollution problem persisted in spite of $175 million in emission controls added to the plant.
In 2001, 915 Maryland watermen paid the $300 oyster surcharge to tong for oysters and more than half harvested less than 50 bushels at $20 per bushel. The total Maryland harvest was 148,155 bushels where once it was measured in the millions. Watermen have helped plant more than 350,000 bushels of spat (juvenile oysters) in an effort to rebuild the industry. In addition, Maryland crabbers harvested more than 17 million pounds of blue crabs, about five million pounds below the 8-year average.
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Around the Globe*
Environment/Habitat
Deep-sea trawlers are destroying large sections of the ocean floor. With new, stronger cables and wenches, trawlers can fish at depths of 3000 feet and more. One researcher compares the damage to the clear cutting of ancient redwood forests.
Marine invasive species have discovered a new way to move from continent to continent - on floating plastic. Barnacles, worms, corals and invertebrates of all types are "hitching rides on floating debris and moving to new areas where they can pose a threat to native species."
A 30-year-old oil spill off England's coast is still polluting near-shore waters. Researchers found subsurface pockets of oil with little dissipation from the original 185,000-gallon spill. This raises concerns over the long-term environmental impact of large ocean oil spills. The tanker that recently sank off the coast of Spain is leaking 33,000 gallons of oil each day and may continue to do so for the next three years. Efforts are underway to control the leakage.
The Three Gorges Dam in Central China will be the largest hydroelectric project in the world at a cost of $25 Billion. It will displace more than one million people, create a 400 mile-long lake and have major impacts on hydrology, ecology and flow of the Yangtze River.
One third of all the nations on earth (68 of 193) are involved in organized, armed conflict to some degree. This is based on conflicts where there have been at least 1000 casualties.
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Places to Go, Things to Do
The Virginia Lakes and Watersheds Association will hold its Annual Virginia Water Conference, March 23 - 25, in Virginia Beach at the Double Tree Hotel, which is offering very good room rates. The facilities look great and are very close to the beach and other Virginia Beach amenities. The conference has hosted approximately 200 participants each year and hopes to continue a strong attendance from federal, state, and local agency employees, lake owners and operators, consultants, educators and product vendors, etc. The Association's directors will be soliciting presentations over the next few months. Submission of abstracts for consideration is encouraged. Please e-mail abstracts to Stuart Stein (sstein@gky.com). Each abstract must include author name, address, phone number, and e-mail address as well as a 1/2- to 1-page description of the presentation. Please contact Stuart Stein if you have any questions. Complete information about the conference can be found at www.gky.com/vlwa after the first of the year.
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Resources
Woody Plant ID, a tree identification CD-ROM, (for those of you who work in forested watersheds or just love trees) is available from Kendall-Hunt Publishing (1-800-228-0810). It covers 129 woody species with 2000 color pictures, compares similar species, describes ranges and allows you to create quizzes. It costs about $50. When calling, ask for Woody Plant ID, ISBN #0-7872-3803-1, authors Seiler/VTIP.
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Extension Specialist,
4-H Marine/Aquatic Education
Box 9081
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA 23806
804-862-1419
Fax: 804-524-5057
E-mail: bfox@vsu.edu
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Environmental Education and Natural Resources