Summary and Final Tasks

Summary

In this module you confronted some significant issues in water quality induced by human activities. You now understand some of the effects of agriculture and indiscriminate waste disposal on water quality, and you are aware of the need to regulate water quality, whether in the U.S., where such controls are accepted and effective, for the most part, or in far-flung parts of the world where regulation is needed but less acceptable or economically practical at present. One should recall the objectives of Module 1, one of which entertained the "right" of all humans to adequate fresh water, which now can be extended to water of reasonable quality. If this is a laudable objective, how can it be achieved? You now have some ideas in this regard, and the next three modules further explore issues with quantity and quality.

Reminder - Complete all of the Lesson 7 tasks!

You have reached the end of Module 7! Double-check the to-do list on the Module 7 Roadmap to make sure you have completed all of the activities listed there before you begin Module 8.1.

References and Further Reading

Alexander, Richard B., R.A. Smith and G.E. Schwarz, 2000. Effect of Stream Channel Size on the Delivery of Nitrogen to the Gulf of Mexico. Nature 403: 758-761.

Goolsby, D.A. and W.A. Battaglin, 2000. Nitrogen in the Mississippi River Basin—Estimating Sources and Predicting Flux to the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 135-00.

Goolsby, D.A. and Pereira, W.E. 1995. Pesticides in the Mississippi River. in USGS Circular 1133, R. Meade, ed.

Rabalais, N.N., R.E. Turner, J. Dubravko, J., Q. Dortsch, and W.J. Wisman, Jr., 1999, Characterization of Hypoxia—Topic 1 Report for the Integrated Assessment on Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico: Silver Spring, Md., NOAA Coastal Ocean Office, NOAA Coastal Ocean Prog. Decision Analysis Series No. 17, 167 p.