Subscribe Now

Each year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd. Wetlands come in many forms and go by many names – estuaries, bogs, mangrove swamps, vernal pools, marshes, riparian wetlands, cypress swamps, playa lakes and more! Wetland areas improve water quality, provide flood protection and support tons of fish, wildlife and plants. If you’ve been [...]

Estuaries may seem permanent and unchanging, but they are not. Weather patterns and seasonal cycles shape and affect estuaries. Winter storms and winds lash the coasts, raising waves that stir up and mix nutrients, silt and decaying organic matter in estuaries. Large storm waves carry a lot of energy that is released when the waves [...]

Did you know that most people in the United States live within a mile of a river or stream? More than 60 percent of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams, which also support a variety of wildlife and fish, and provide many recreation opportunities. Fishing alone generates an estimated 116 billion dollars in [...]

During the winter months, salt and sand applied to our roads, driveways and sidewalks contribute to lake and stream pollution. Fifty pounds of salt – one large bag – can pollute 10,000 gallons of water.  That’s equivalent to one teaspoon of salt in a five-gallon bucket of water. Viewer Tip: Many cities and states are [...]

The holiday season is a time for happy gatherings of family and friends. But a house full of guests can also result in higher energy bills, increased water use and stressed septic systems. Try these easy tips for a happy, healthy and environmentally-friendly holiday gathering. Heating Help: Keep everyone warm and save energy at the [...]

Did you know that the Mississippi River provides drainage for 41 percent of the continental United States?  This means that if a single drop of rain falls anywhere in this area, which includes all or part of 31 states and two Canadian provinces, it becomes a part of the Mississippi River Watershed.  The fate of [...]

Fall fishing and ice fishing are popular past times for many in the Great Lakes Region.  As you rig your line in hopes of landing that big catch, think twice about what weights your lure.  Lead has been used for weighting fishing tackle for centuries, but this heavy metal poses a hazard to human and [...]

Severe weather events—hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, storms and heat waves—can be bad news for estuaries. Strong storms, particularly hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters, can wreak havoc on estuarine ecosystems. While only about a third of all hurricanes make landfall, those that do can create dramatic surges in water levels that can push saltwater into coastal freshwater [...]

The current drought that Texas is suffering through is threatening the oysters of Galveston Bay. Galveston Bay needs freshwater to keep the salinity level of the Bay low to protect oyster reefs. Some predators and disease thrive in very salty waters, which can weaken and kill oysters. Oysters are the Bay’s keystone species, providing habitat [...]

When the leaves start to fall, neighborhoods become a flurry of rakes and leaf blowers.  Falling leaves contain nutrients that are great for your garden, compost or lawn.  With so many falling at once, they can easily cover storm drains as well as your backyard.  Clogged storm drains cause rain water to run down streets [...]

October 9-15 is Earth Science Week (www.earthsciweek.org). Every year, Earth Science Week encourages students and the public to explore the natural world around them and learn about the geosciences. This year’s theme is Our Ever-Changing Earth. Humans depend on the Earth for many resources – air, water, food, fuel, trees, metals – but we often [...]

Marshes, and particularly salt marshes, are renowned as “filters.” Streams and rivers flowing into marshes often carry large loads of sediment and silt which are trapped by marshes and used to build up and replace existing marsh soils that otherwise would be carried out into bays and estuaries. Marshes and other coastal wetlands also capture [...]

One commonly asked question is why oysters are traditionally eaten only during months with an “r” in them. There are two answers. One, earlier times lacked refrigeration and oysters spoil quickly in warm weather (months without an “r”: May, June, July and August) unless they are chilled. And two, oysters just don’t taste as good [...]

Did you know that planting one oak tree in your yard can save you money? A new oak sapling (one-inch in diameter) will save about 29 dollars over one year. Much of that money comes from the increase in property value that a tree provides, but your new tree will also absorb about 80 gallons [...]

Not all estuaries are created equal. Or at least there are different types of estuaries. Most scientists classify estuaries geomorphologically—that is, how were they formed and what is the end result of those geological processes. Most American estuaries are one of four types: A coastal plain estuary, formed when the sea level rises into an [...]

Nitrogen and phosphorus are part of healthy aquatic habitats. These nutrients support the growth of underwater plants that provide oxygen and habitat for fish and other animals. They also support algae growth, which is a source of food for many fish and shellfish. Aquatic habitats can become unbalanced, however, when too much nitrogen and phosphorus [...]

About 80 percent of Great Lakes shoreline in the United States is privately rather than publicly owned. That means most of the shoreline is vulnerable to impacts like water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus in lawn fertilizers which can encourage algae build-up.  The rapid flow of rain water runoff into the lakes resulting from near-shore [...]

More than 85 percent of the Chesapeake Bay’s shoreline is privately owned. And most of that is lined with hardened bulkheads or riprap designed to protect waterfront property from erosion and sea level rise.  These “hardened shorelines” take away from some of the Bay’s most productive acreage: the coastal marsh and intertidal areas that serve [...]

Ocean and lake beaches around the country get closed every year due to poor water quality from pathogens – disease-causing bacteria and viruses. One way that pathogens get into the water is from pet and wild animal waste being washed down storm drains when it rains. In most communities, storm drains discharge storm water directly [...]

One of the biggest sources of pollution in Chesapeake Bay is “non-point source” pollution and erosion. That’s runoff from homes, lawns, gardens, streets and other paved surfaces when it rains. Urban and suburban runoff is on the rise, but many homeowners don’t see the connection between their yards and gardens and Bay pollution. Fertilizers may [...]