Researchers at North Carolina State University recently found forest loss to be significantly associated with declining drinking-water quality. This loss is largely the result of urban sprawl and agriculture encroachment into the Middle Chattahoochee area. The research spotlights the importance of changes in land cover from forests to other land uses. This regulatory rollback can yield a dramatic increase in nitrogen pollution and sediment into our waterways, endangering our drinking water supplies for decades to come.
Katherine Martin is an associate professor in the NC State University College of Natural Resources. As co-author of the study, she illustrated the need to maintain forest cover in proximity to streams. The study combined several socioeconomic and climate change projections to model the impact of all these factors through 2070. It underscores the reality that land use changes can have a profound negative impact on water quality.
Key Factors Influencing Water Quality
Two important indicators of water quality the study looked at were nitrogen levels and sediment concentration. Nitrogen is often found in fertilizers applied to our nation’s industrial agriculture. When it enters in waterways, that can lead to harmful algal blooms and other ecological issues. Increased sediment can transport pollutants and harm aquatic habitats.
The researchers found that when intact forests were replaced with urban or agricultural developments adjacent to streams, it has dire effects. This change threatens water quality since the damage spreads downriver. Elly T. Gay, one of the study’s lead researchers, explained that when land becomes disturbed, it can exacerbate these effects. This increase in filtration is a big deal. As we lose our forests, the natural filtration they provide vacates, leading to water with more sediment and nutrients.
The study’s findings indicate a clear connection between land use changes and deteriorating water quality indicators. For communities downstream where trees have been removed, nitrogen concentrations and sediment loads in rivers, streams, and other water bodies frequently increase. This relatively simple change can have profound effects on the ecosystem.
Implications of Land Use Changes
The implications of this research extend even further than the immediate environmental impact. It poses enormous public health dangers. As water quality becomes impaired by higher concentrations of nitrogen and sediment, our drinking water supplies will be jeopardized. This could significantly raise treatment costs for cities and towns. It might create serious health risks to the residents who rely on these often-underreported water sources.
Katherine Martin, WWF’s global forests practice leader, added that the continued conversion of forests is killing life on earth. It further threatens public health by increasing the likelihood of toxic drinking water. The study’s preliminary projections through 2070 paint a bleak picture for water quality if current land use trends persist full steam ahead.
Additionally, the research considered different socioeconomic futures that might impact land use decisions down the line. Researchers wanted to compare potential outcomes with climate change models. More importantly, they wanted to provide an inclusive bigger picture to show how different issues could impact water quality in the future.