Phosphorous
Phosphorous, where does it come from and what does it do???
Phosphorous is commonly found in fertilizers, manure, and organic waste products.
Phosphorous is essential for plant life. The problem is that too much phosphorous can cause eutrophication to speed up. Eurtophication is the reduction of dissolved oxygen in water bodies caused by an increase of mineral and organic nutrients.
The Diagram below illustrates how human’s use things containing phosphorous and how these chemicals find their way into the water system.
What does phosphorous have to do with the Shenandoah River?
The Shenandoah river has been found to contain higher than average levels of phosphorous. Levels above 0.1 mg/L are considered to be high.
Phosphorous, though it occurs naturally in water systems can have a detrimental impact to the ecological system in rivers. Higher levels of phosphorous can cause an increase in algae blooms. Algae blooms are negative in large amounts because they cause the water to become toxic from chemicals they release and because they block sunlight from reaching other plants and organisms below the surface of the water.
Pollution
