GEOL Assignment #6: Due Friday, April 26
The Catawba River: Your Source for Drinking Water
Yesterday, Earth Day 2013, The Catawba River was listed as one of the nation’s most endangered rivers. Although it has been listed for many years, the concern had been overuse of the stream. However, the concern has shifted to contamination issues.
Read the following press release:
http://www.americanrivers.org/newsroom/press-releases/2013/mer2013-catawba-river-among-americas-most-endangered-rivers.html
Assignment:
I. Visit the Catawba Riverkeeper website (
http://www.catawbariverkeeper.org/
), and answer the following Questions (taken from the website: answers found on website):
Scroll down to view the Catawba River Basin:
1. What fish advisories are currently in effect? Answer for Mountain Island Lake, unless you live close to (or recreate in) another lake for which you would like to report data.
2. Which water segments are considered impaired? Describe where the impaired segments are concentrated.
3. Where are the sources of pollution?
4. What are the major
water issues
in the basin? List them, and discuss one in detail.
II. Visit the Charlotte Mecklenburg Utilities website to view the quality of water as analyzed at various locations:
http://charmeck.ci.charlotte.nc.us/city/charlotte/Utilities/PublicationsandEducation/Pages/waterqualityreports.aspx
1. Look through all 3 reports. Were there any violations?
2. Based on the information you have examined in this exercise, are you concerned for the quality of drinking water provided by Mountain Island Lake? Think both in terms of now and into the future.
