fertilizer runoff
Farm field discharge
Fertilizer runoff is water carrying dissolved fertilizers—primarily nitrogen and phosphorus—that flows from agricultural land into streams, rivers, and eventually larger bodies of water.
The excess nutrients cause algae blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones where fish and other aquatic life cannot survive.
Fertilizer runoff from Midwest farms has created a massive dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
- phosphorusGlow-in-dark element
- dead zonesAreas lacking life or signal
- eutrophicationExcess nutrients depleting oxygen
- nitrogenElement seven, colorless gas
- algal bloomSudden overgrowth in water
green algae · red tide · hypoxia · anoxia · Clean Water Act · fish kills · dead fish · nitrates · stream · ammonium nitrate · biodiversity loss · Gulf of Mexico · water pollution · soil testing · contamination · pesticides · groundwater · drinking water
fertilizer runoffsmokestack emissions
fertilizer runoffwater purification
Rendering liquid safe to drink
water treatment · denitrification · water purity · bioremediation · water filtration