Our Research

Possible Causes

•   Fertilizer in soil soaks into the water
•   Nitrogen pollution will increase if farmers keep producing corn crops
•  Mississippi basin drains 48% of U.S. land-nutrients combined with stratification set up the       deadly process of creating a dead zone
•  Phosphorous
•  Herbicides and pesticides

Possible Solutions

• Denitrification-convert nitrate to nitrogen that’s then released into the atmosphere as a gas; not very effective in all situations
• Production of environmentally sustainable biofuel and perrenial crops
• Improved infield management of nutrients, construction, and restoration of wetlands    
• Stronger nitrogen and phosphorous limits
• Use cellulosic biofuel (swtichgrass and poplar hybrids)-still being researched
•  New landscape design
• No-till farming-leave more residue on top of the ground and don’t disturb the soil as much
• Plant perennials
• Rain gardens
• Use soil timing and improve timing of fertilizer applications
• More use of cover crops that hold nitrogen
• Build more wetlands to hold runoff and filter water

Works Cited:

Biello, D. (14 March 2008). Fertilizer Runoff Overwhelms Streams and Rivers-Creating Vast “Dead Zones”. Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fertilizer-runoff-overwhelms-streams

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2008, April 24). Fertilizer Run-off From Agricultural Activities Blamed For Gulf Dead Zone In Gulf Of Mexico. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 16, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/04/080421143836.htm

Caruthers, E., & Everling, C., & Smoot, L. (1 January 1999). Adverse Effects of Urban Runoff. Pollution from Urban Runoff. Retrieved from http://www.cee.vt.edu/ewr/environmental/teach/gwprimer/group04/bad.htm

Gazette Editorial Board. (13 October 2010). Find more fertilizer pollution solutions. TheGazette.com. Retrieved from http://thegazette.com/2010/10/13/find-more-fertilizer-pollution-solutions/