Where Nutrient Pollution Occurs
Nutrient pollution affects air and water around the country. The impacts of excess nutrients are found in all types of water bodies. Pollutants often enter upstream waters like creeks and streams and then flow downstream into larger water bodies like lakes, rivers and bays. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can also travel thousands of miles to coastal areas where the effects of the pollution are felt in the form of massive dead zones, such as those in the Gulf of America and Chesapeake Bay.
The National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) are collaborative programs between the EPA, states, and Tribes designed to assess the quality of the nation's coastal waters, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, and wetlands using a statistical survey design. NARS results indicate that nutrients are a pervasive issue impacting waters across the country. Excessive levels of phosphorus and nitrogen are reported in greater than 40% of rivers, streams, and lakes and approximately 20% of coastal waters.
Additionally, nutrients can soak into groundwater which supplies the wells used by millions of Americans for drinking water. Urban areas across the country have hazy skies and air quality problems related to airborne nitrogen pollution.
Learn more about where nutrient pollution occurs: