Hypoxia Task Force to support US water quality schemes

The Mississippi River / Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient (Hypoxia) Task Force will support state-level strategies and actions to curb water pollution in partnership with 12 land grant universities.

According to the EPA, individual states are already collaborating with land grant universities on research pertaining to local water quality and agricultural programmes.

Issues such as soil conservation, water quality and the way nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus travel in water bodies are being researched by the non-governmental entities. Educational programmes benefit farmers, local businesses, and conservation and watershed management professionals.

The Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Arkansas, University of Kentucky, Mississippi State University, Ohio State University, University of Tennessee, University of Missouri, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, Iowa State University and Louisiana State University are already conducting research.

However, no specific focus has been set on the goals and activities of the task force or a formal process for sharing university research and ideas across the 12 task force states.

One of America’s most widespread, costly and challenging environmental problems, nutrient pollution is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the air and water. Its impacts are found in all types of water bodies. Due to nutrient pollution, over 100,000 miles of rivers and streams, close to 2.5 million acres of lakes, reservoirs and ponds, and more than 800 square miles of bays and estuaries in the US have poor water quality.