Radio Smart Talk: Stormwater still an issue for Chesapeake Bay

Radio Smart Talk for Wednesday, June 19:

Progress has been made in the 30-year-old Chesapeake Bay clean up. Underwater grasses are flourishing again in some rivers feeding the bay and the populations of striped bass and blue crab have increased.

Pennsylvanians have done their part toward restoration of the bay. Farmers have changed their practices and municipalities have upgraded their waste water treatment facilities.

However, one problem that continues and is actually growing in scope is storm water run off.

Storm water run off is created when precipitation falls in urban or suburban areas and can’t be soaked into the ground because there is so much pavement, concrete, roofs, or other hard surfaces.

Storm water picks up contaminants as it moves toward streams, which eventually dump into the bay.

Phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment are the three pollutants that are still growing. Storm water can carry all three.

Appearing on Wednesday’s Radio Smart Talk to address how to reduce storm water run off will be Harry Campbell, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Pennsylvania.

Also, rain barrels are increasingly being used to help reduce storm water run off.

As mentioned on the air, Harrisburg’s Rain Barrel Festival is scheduled for Saturday, June 22 at 10 a.m. at the Broad Street Market, 1233 North 3rd Street.

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