Nutrient Pollution

Nutrient pollution occurs when there is too much nitrogen and phosphorus in an aquatic ecosystem. The primary sources for these nutrients include agriculture, stormwater, waste water, and home landscaping. When a water system is overloaded with too much nitrogen and phosphorus, algae will grow more quickly than the ecosystem can handle. This growth, called an algal bloom, harms the water quality.

Useful Information

Here's a presentation from the 2024 River Rally featuring Val Schull, Debbie Neustadt, & Albert Ettinger, Members of the Clean Water For All Nutrient Pollution Workgroup

Nutrient Pollution:Problem-Solving in the Great Lakes Basin, Mississippi Basin, and Beyond

This is from the EPA - Basic Information on Nutrient Pollution

Helpful Sierra Club Fact Sheets -

A Very Brief Introduction to Nitrogen

Phosphorus and Harmful Algal Blooms

Sewage Wastes and Harmful Algal Blooms