![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Nitrogen and phosphorus are naturally occurring nutrients that in modern times have become overabundant in the environment and are the cause of poor oxygen levels in Bay waters. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program has found the Conowingo adds 6 million pounds of total nitrogen and 260,000 pounds of total phosphorus load to the Bay each year. Sediment and nutrients, which originate throughout the Susquehanna River watershed and particularly from the high density of farms in the Lower Susquehanna River Basin, are also coming through the dam absent a large, named storm, scientists found. While large storms have for many years caused the reservoir to spill its contents through the dam and out into the Bay, damaging plants and wildlife, the fact that the dam is at max capacity has meant the threshold for damage has decreased, scientists found. In about 2016, scientists determined that the reservoir was essentially full of sediment, unable to trap any more. Sediment and pollution have collected behind the dam since its construction in 1929. The effort relates to the search for solutions to the ongoing problem of sediment releases from behind the dam, which is the lowermost structure on the largest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. The pilot project offers an opportunity to examine the sediment and feasibility of dredging on an initially small scale. The MES contractor Northgate Dutra Joint Venture will be collecting sediment samples in the Maryland portion of the Susquehanna River and analyzing them for data that can help determine safe options for the sediment's reuse. The state of Maryland is kicking off an exploration of the sediment impacted behind Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River and how that clay, silt and sand - mixed with various forms of debris and pollution - might be reused.Ī $1.5 million study of the characteristics of the sediment behind the dam is the first phase of the project that will begin in December, according to a Maryland Environmental Service news release. Watch Video: Conowingo Dam gates open after river reaches flood levels ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |