For the Love Of Nature, Art and Bad Humor
A Comic Gallery of Creative Expression in the Pursuit of Knowledge
Problem #2
Excess Nutrients
Like many waterways around the world, the Wekiva River is overloaded with nutrients, primarily nitrogen (in the form of nitrates) and phosphorus. While both occur naturally, excessive amounts can cause serious problems.
In the Wekiva, much of this nutrient pollution comes from fertilizers, leaky sewage pipes, and septic systems.
In other waterways, add livestock waste, pesticides,
urban runoff, and other lovelies to that toxic cocktail too.
The result is a rampant growth of slimy, gross, algae-party-crashers with zero chill or cares. They block sunlight from reaching native submerged plants, leave fish looking for oxygen like it's on backorder, and disrupt key habitats and functions of the aquatic ecosystem.
Despite existing regulations and restoration efforts, nitrate levels
in the Wekiwa and Rock Springs remain three to four times higher than the target goal. Thankfully, as the water flows downstream, aquatic plants and natural processes absorb some of that excess.
The Wekiva River's nitrate levels decrease by half by the time it
gets closer to its rendezvous with the Saint John's River.
Rivers can be self-healing superheroes!
But with numbers that high, even superheroes can get overwhelmed. When paired with water levels dropping like your phone signal in the woods, the concentration of these pollutants only intensifies,
making an urgent issue even more critical.
