Cause And Effect Of The Pollution Of Lake Huron

759 Words4 Pages
Cause and Effect Of The Pollution of Lake Huron Edward Holbrook March 10, 2012 ENG115 Professor McGeehan The Pollution of Lake Huron Lake Huron is the second largest of the Great Lakes with a surface area of 23,000 square miles but is only 3rd largest by volume with 850 cubic miles of water. It has an average depth of 195 feet and has a maximum depth of 750 feet, making it the third largest fresh water lake in the world. As you can see in the picture below, Lake Huron’s waters and shores are filled with beauty and are thriving with life. All of which are being jeopardized by pollution. The pollution of Lake Huron is damaging its ecosystem and the local economy and needs to be cleaned up. There are many different causes for the pollution in Lake Huron. Some of the pollutants found include chemicals and metals, nutrient enrichment, pathogens and bacteria, and calefaction (thermal pollution). Most of these pollutants come from urban areas. As populations grow, so does the amount of urban areas. The urban areas are constructed with a lot of impermeable materials used to lay roads and build houses. With impermeable materials covering most of the ground, there is no place for rain water to sink in. All the rain water, along with all the chemicals it washes away, runs off in a gutter system. This in turn flows into a stream or the lake itself. This type of runoff includes chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and suspended solids. Sewage treatment plants are another source of the pollution. When in stormy conditions, the sewage treatment plants tend to overflow and empty raw sewage directly into the lake. However most of these systems have been, or are in the process of, being replaced. As seen in the picture below, Bruce Nuclear Power Development (BNPD) is a major industry on the Huron that contributes greatly to its pollution. BNPD affects

More about Cause And Effect Of The Pollution Of Lake Huron

Open Document