FACTS ABOUT LAKE AND RIVER POLLUTION
- The Ganges river in India is one the most polluted rivers in the world. It's contaminants include sewage, trash, food, and animal remains.
- Ground water in Bangladesh is contaminated with the metallic compounds containing arsenic which is very toxic, poisonous and a carcinogen. Approximately 85% of the total area of Bangladesh has contaminated groundwater.
- In America, about 40% of the rivers and 46% of the lakes are polluted and are considered to be unhealthy for swimming, fishing or aquatic life.
- According to UNICEF, more than 3,000 children in the world die daily due to the consumption of contaminated drinking water.
- Aquatic animals have faced an estimated extinction rate of five times that of terrestrial/land animals.
- 1.2 trillion gallons of untreated sewage, storm water, and industrial wastes are dumped into U.S. waters annually.
- Cruise ships produce over 200,000 gallons of sewage which is mostly released in the ocean and contribute at least 35,000 gallons of water contamination due to oil spill.
- Around 70% of the industrial waste in the world is dumped into water bodies.
- In China around 20% of the groundwater is used as drinking water. This is however highly contaminated due to presence of carcinogenic chemicals which cause water pollution.
- On an annual basis around fourteen billion pounds of garbage mostly plastic, are dumped into the worlds oceans and lakes.
- In 2011, the Japanese government dumped 11 million liters (2 million gallons) of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean after the nuclear crisis that followed the tsunami.
Source: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-water-pollution-facts.php
Lake Pollution & other Pollution
Lake pollution is a type of water pollution. It is related to other types of pollution like soil and air.
SOIL POLLUTION RELATION
Soil is a major source of lake pollution. In many lands that have undergone deforestation, soil erosion occurs in large amounts. In rainforests like the Amazon, Congo and the Indonesian rainforests, years of deforestation have left vast tracts of land open. During rainstorms these top soil is carried away into rivers and lakes, this thus reduces the visibility and sometimes blocks major waterways.
AIR POLLUTION RELATION
Some volcanic lakes are sources of Carbon dioxide. This gas percolates from the earth's core and thus saturates the lake water. This is then released into the atmosphere and can cause poisoning of nearby areas. A case example was in Cameroon in Lake Nyos when the lake emitted vast quantities of Carbon Dioxide killing the nearby village.
Gases like sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the air can dissolve in water during rain and deposits into lake waters. This is the acid rain phenomena. This rain lowers the lakes pH thus distorting the natural ecosystem.
Lake pollution is a type of water pollution. It is related to other types of pollution like soil and air.
SOIL POLLUTION RELATION
Soil is a major source of lake pollution. In many lands that have undergone deforestation, soil erosion occurs in large amounts. In rainforests like the Amazon, Congo and the Indonesian rainforests, years of deforestation have left vast tracts of land open. During rainstorms these top soil is carried away into rivers and lakes, this thus reduces the visibility and sometimes blocks major waterways.
AIR POLLUTION RELATION
Some volcanic lakes are sources of Carbon dioxide. This gas percolates from the earth's core and thus saturates the lake water. This is then released into the atmosphere and can cause poisoning of nearby areas. A case example was in Cameroon in Lake Nyos when the lake emitted vast quantities of Carbon Dioxide killing the nearby village.
Gases like sulfur and nitrogen oxides in the air can dissolve in water during rain and deposits into lake waters. This is the acid rain phenomena. This rain lowers the lakes pH thus distorting the natural ecosystem.
Reducing pollution in Lake Naivasha
As the water pollution in Lake Naivasha continued for many years, the local community of farmers and fishermen decided to take actions and reduce the destruction of the lake. In co operation with the local government they were able to reduce the pollution of the lake. At the moment, water levels at Lake Naivasha Kenya are raising to levels witnessed during the El Nino rains of 1998. It is with sustainable methods can the lake be able to support all the economic activities on its shores like the tourism, horticulture, fishing, agriculture and pastoralism. The following actions have been taken into account:
Source: http://www.informafrica.com/society-africa/agriculture-society-africa-news/lake-naivasha-conservation-efforts-begin-bearing-fruits/
As the water pollution in Lake Naivasha continued for many years, the local community of farmers and fishermen decided to take actions and reduce the destruction of the lake. In co operation with the local government they were able to reduce the pollution of the lake. At the moment, water levels at Lake Naivasha Kenya are raising to levels witnessed during the El Nino rains of 1998. It is with sustainable methods can the lake be able to support all the economic activities on its shores like the tourism, horticulture, fishing, agriculture and pastoralism. The following actions have been taken into account:
- One of the methods being employed is the planting of papyrus on the lake's shore to help in purifying the lake and can be used to generate income and an alternate source of fuel as the papyrus is fast growing.
- To reduce soil erosion and silt deposition on the lake bed, the government has started a tree planting scheme upstream to reduce rate soil erosion into the lake.
- To reduce the over-reliance on the lake the local community together with the government have constructed one dam and planned for others in order to find other water sources and reduce the pressure on the lake.
- All this efforts have managed to help reduce the destruction of this vital lake which is now on its way to recovery.
Source: http://www.informafrica.com/society-africa/agriculture-society-africa-news/lake-naivasha-conservation-efforts-begin-bearing-fruits/
Pollution in Lake Naivasha (Kenya)
Its waters and shores are home to fishermen, farmers and a huge flower industry that is important to the local economy. The lake also borders two national parks and It’s also home to a wide range of wildlife like flamingos, hippos among others.
Lake Naivasha area attracts thousands of local and international tourists a year to its resorts and that's the reason why its is called Kenya’s most economically important lake. But in recent years there’s been trouble here with its fluctuating water levels.
The lake’s water levels have always fluctuated (gone up and down) but many are blaming some of the recent extreme changes brought about by increased human activities especially farming which not only reduces water levels but also creates pollution problems
Nearby forests have been cleared to create space for farms which increases the soil runoff into the lake. Fertilizer runoff from these farms have caused fish-killing algae blooms.
Recent studies suggests that the booming flower industry close-by is the main pollutant for the lake. The lake is surrounded by hundreds of greenhouses which are an important source for flowers to the EU. As both the farms and the lake are important for the Kenyan economy officials want to support the flower industry while reducing its impact on the environment.
The Kenyan Wildlife Service is undertaking several programs to limit the water use and reduce pollution. One of these, run by the World Wildlife Fund, is an effort in which the downstream farmers pay upstream farms to keep their runoff clean and there are signs that some of these are having a positive outcome.
Source: Public Radio International (PRI)
Its waters and shores are home to fishermen, farmers and a huge flower industry that is important to the local economy. The lake also borders two national parks and It’s also home to a wide range of wildlife like flamingos, hippos among others.
Lake Naivasha area attracts thousands of local and international tourists a year to its resorts and that's the reason why its is called Kenya’s most economically important lake. But in recent years there’s been trouble here with its fluctuating water levels.
The lake’s water levels have always fluctuated (gone up and down) but many are blaming some of the recent extreme changes brought about by increased human activities especially farming which not only reduces water levels but also creates pollution problems
Nearby forests have been cleared to create space for farms which increases the soil runoff into the lake. Fertilizer runoff from these farms have caused fish-killing algae blooms.
Recent studies suggests that the booming flower industry close-by is the main pollutant for the lake. The lake is surrounded by hundreds of greenhouses which are an important source for flowers to the EU. As both the farms and the lake are important for the Kenyan economy officials want to support the flower industry while reducing its impact on the environment.
The Kenyan Wildlife Service is undertaking several programs to limit the water use and reduce pollution. One of these, run by the World Wildlife Fund, is an effort in which the downstream farmers pay upstream farms to keep their runoff clean and there are signs that some of these are having a positive outcome.
Source: Public Radio International (PRI)