Introduction
The Mississippi River is the fourth-longest river in the world and is known for its enormous contribution to the economy and well-being of the many states it traverses. It is also a major source of sediment and nutrient inputs to the northern Gulf of Mexico, with the Mississippi River discharge plume’s seasonal dependence causing seasonal changes in the riverine loading of sediment and nutrients. The Mississippi River discharge plume therefore has an important role in the overall health of the northern Gulf of Mexico, and therefore needs to be studied and understood in more detail. This article aims to explore the seasonal dependence of the Mississippi River Discharge Plume and look at the way it affects the northern gulf of Mexico.
Background Information
The seasonal variation of the Mississippi River discharge plume due to rainfall and snowmelt affects the transport of sediment, dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus – the nutrients that are regarded as the main contributors to the hypoxic area of the northern Gulf of Mexico. The hypoxic area is a nutrient-rich, low oxygen area in the Northern Gulf of Mexico that has become increasingly due to nutrients and pollutants load discharged by the Mississippi River. The main sources of these pollutants are large agricultural and urban areas located along the entire stretch of the Mississippi River.
Previous studies have found that during the winter months when the Mississippi River discharge plume is unaffected by snowmelt and rainfall, the maximum amount of sediment and nutrient load is transported to the Gulf of Mexico. Because of this, the Mississippi River discharge plume has been identified as a primary contributor to the hypoxic area of the northern gulf.
Data
A report by the USGS revealed that out of 38,000 metric tons of nitrogen being sent to the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River, roughly half reaches the hypoxic area that covers an area of more than 8,500km squared. This amount of nitrogen is equivalent to the amount of nitrogen released through nitrogen fertilizers used in the agricultural areas of the Mississippi River basin. This data suggests that the Mississippi River discharge plume and its seasonal variations is playing a major role in the hypoxic area of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Another study conducted by the University of Michigan found that during the winter months, the highest concentrations of sediment and nutrient load was seen in the Mississippi River discharge plume compared to during the summer months. The study also found that the heavy sediment load was being transported further down the plume in the winter months compared to the summer months due to higher discharge rates in the winter months.
Expert Perspectives
According to the USGS report, the seasonal variations of the Mississippi River discharge plume have a major impact on the overall health of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Scott Phillips, a marine ecologist at the University of Michigan, commented on the findings of the report saying “The findings from the USGS report show that the seasonal cycles of the Mississippi River discharge plume have a direct bearing on the health of the northern Gulf of Mexico. It’s clear that controlling the pollution due to sediment and nutrient load is key to keeping the hypoxic area of the northern Gulf of Mexico in check.”
Jacqueline Green, a hydrologist at Old Dominion University commented on the findings of the University of Michigan study, saying “It is clear that winter is the critical time for the health of the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is during this time, when the Mississippi River discharge plume is most active, that the highest concentrations of sediment and nutrient load are transported to the gulf. This causes a significant impact on the health of this area which cannot be ignored.”
Insights and Analysis
The data and expert perspectives show that the Mississippi River discharge plume has an important role to play in the health of the northern Gulf of Mexico. It is clear that this is due to the strong seasonal cycle of the Mississippi River discharge plume, as there is a much higher concentration of nutrients and sediment during the winter months than in the summer months. This data is further corroborated by the expert perspectives which emphasize the importance of controlling the pollution arising from the Mississippi River discharge plume in order to preserve the health of the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
It is also important to note that controlling the nutrient pollution input from the Mississippi River discharge plume and ensuring that it does not become a major contributor to the hypoxic area of the northern Gulf of Mexico, can only be effective if the sources of these pollutants are investigated. These sources include agricultural and urban areas located in the Mississippi river basin, and it is important that these areas are monitored and regulated closely in order to reduce the nutrient pollution in the region.
Additional Section 1 – Management of Nutrient Pollution
One key issue that needs to be addressed in order to reduce the nutrient pollution in the region is the management of agricultural and urban areas in the Mississippi river basin. In many cases, the nutrients and pollutants released by these areas are not managed or regulated, leading to them being released into the river and subsequently the northern Gulf of Mexico. There are a number of measures that can be taken in order to reduce this type of pollution.
One such measure is the implementation of nutrient management plans. These are plans that are designed to reduce nutrient pollution by controlling the application of nitrogen-rich fertilizers and also reduce runoff into water sources. The use of organic fertilizers and soil improvers can also help reduce nutrient pollution from agricultural areas. Urban areas, on the other hand, can take measures such as coating road surfaces with materials that reduce the runoff of pollutants into water sources.
In addition, there are also legal and regulatory measures that can be implemented in order to curb nutrient pollution from both agricultural and urban areas. For instance, setting standards for the allowable levels of nutrient pollution and strict enforcement of these standards can be extremely effective in reducing nutrient pollution levels.
Additional Section 2 – The Impact of Nutrient Pollution
The high levels of nutrient pollution caused by the seasonal discharge of the Mississippi River has been found to have a number of detrimental effects on the ecosystem of the northern gulf. For example, excessive nutrient pollution has been found to lead to a decrease in water clarity, which has a damaging effect on the native species of fish, crabs, and other marine life. In addition, these areas also become more prone to algal blooms, which are caused by high levels of nutrients.
Algal blooms can increase local temperatures, reduce oxygen levels in the water and lead to the production of toxic substances, which can be deadly for fish and other marine life. This can have a devastating effect on the local ecosystem and cause long-term damage. In addition, algal blooms can also lead to the accumulation of toxins in the water, making it unsafe for humans to drink or swim in.
Nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River has also been found to be a major cause of hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Low levels of oxygen in the water can result in the death of fish and other marine organisms, which can cause long-term damage to the ecosystem. It has also been found that the hypoxic area can move further out into the gulf during winter months, resulting in a much wider area of water being affected.
Additional Section 3 – Potential Solutions
In order to reduce the amount of nutrient pollution entering the northern gulf from the Mississippi River, it is important to implement measures that can reduce the amount of fertilizer and pollutant load that is released into the river. One such measure is the implementation of nutrient management plans in agricultural and urban areas. These plans can help reduce runoff of pollutants into water sources and decrease the amount of nutrients entering the Mississippi River.
In addition to this, more stringent legal and regulatory measures such as setting standards for the allowable levels of nutrient pollution and ensuring that these standards are strictly enforced, can also help reduce nutrient pollution levels in the region. Furthermore, technologies such as wastewater and stormwater treatment systems can be effective in reducing the amount of pollutants entering waterways.
Finally, additional research into the effects of nutrient pollution and the seasonal variations of the plume can also help to better understand the issue and develop solutions to reduce the impacts of nutrient pollution on the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Additional Section 4 – Economic Effects
Nutrient pollution not only has an effect on the health of the environment but can also have serious economic impacts. For example, nutrient pollution can lead to a decrease in water clarity, resulting in the death of marine organisms which can reduce fish stocks and revenues from fisheries. In addition, hypoxia caused by nutrient pollution can lead to the loss of coral reefs, which can have a devastating effect on tourism and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Nutrient pollution can also have an impact on the cost of drinking water. The presence of excessive nutrients in water sources can result in additional costs for water treatment in order to make the water safe for drinking and other uses. Furthermore, nutrient pollution can also lead to increased costs for agriculture, as the nutrients can injure crop and livestock production.
The high levels of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River plume can also lead to increased costs for coastal communities. This is due to the fact that these communities rely heavily on the river for transport, recreation, and tourism, and any damage to the river caused by nutrient pollution can have disastrous effects on their economies.
