Colorado River Pollution - 1861 Words

Pollution in the Colorado River By Axia College The Colorado River supplies water to most of the southwestern United States and despite this fact, pollution levels are continually rising and in some cases above acceptable limits. The Colorado River supplies and runs through five states and during some parts of the year to the Mexican border. During the rivers journey various types of pollutants come into contact to with it degrading the water quality downstream. The river water benefits humans in multiple ways the first obvious answer is by drinking it. Farming and other agricultural uses demand 60% and sometimes as much as 90% of its water. Using polluted water for irrigation passes the contaminants into the crops and ultimately†¦show more content†¦In 2005, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) formed the Clean Colorado River Alliance (The Alliance) under a recommendation from then Governor Janet Napolitano. The Alliance’s first task was to develop recommendations for dealing with current wa ter problems in the Colorado River. Next, address the water quality of the river for human sustainability now and into the future. Lastly develop an action plan for dealing with the pollution issues of the river; The Alliance delivered the final report to Governor Napolitano in December 2005. The preliminary report outlined a partnership plan modeled after the Chesapeake Bay Program. Although major differences exist between the Colorado River cleanup project and the Chesapeake Bay reclaim project, the fundamental principles of a successful program are similar. The final report delivered to Governor Napolitano is a detailed look into the major pollutants contained in the river system. The Alliance detail seven pollutants devoting a chapter to each one, including an action plan for dealing with the pollutant individually. The six pollutants covered are nutrients, metals, endocrine disrupting compounds, perchlorate, bacteria and pathogens, salinity/total dissolved solids, and sediments and suspended solids. The Alliance’s report gives a comprehensive action plan for reducing the amount of pollution in and river and improving overall waterShow MoreRelatedThe Deterioration of the Colorado River1475 Words   |  6 PagesThe Colorado RIver is best known for being the principal river of the southern United States and Mexico, but it soon could lose that title. Running about 1,500 miles long, the river is a vital source of water for agricultural and urban areas in the southern desert lands of North America. However over the past decade or so, the river has begun to deteriorate. There are many causes and solutions to the deterioration of the Colorado River. The Colorado River is formed by small streams created by aRead MoreMackenzie Jurosko. Geo 1110 Geology . 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