10 APRIL 2022 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Owner, Qwater Well Developer and WorldWide Drilling Resource® Hydrogeologist Algae Blooms - A Threat to Our Surface and Groundwaters I have lived most of my life in Florida and have seen our surface and groundwater resources degrade greatly in quality over the last 50 years. Our streams, rivers, and lakes have become toxic to many forms of aquatic life and vegetation, which has resulted in large-scale killing of plants, fishes, mammals such as manatees, game fish, and birds. The wide misuse of toxic chemicals and nutrients (fertilizers) have grossly upset the natural balance of plant and animal life in our streams, rivers, bays, the Gulf of Mexico, and groundwater. These toxic conditions are a result of misuse, excessive use, and ignorance of the complex effects of these chemicals. Their use, intended to fix one problem, can often cause a chain reaction affecting a wide range of plants and other naturally occurring biota upsetting natural biologic systems. Fortunately, many natural systems are resilient to low and moderate stress introduced by man-made activities. However, prolonged exposure and accumulation of those chemicals and nutrients can easily “overwhelm” natures’ ability to dilute, biodegrade, and destroy the cocktails of chemicals and nutrients accumulating in these once pristine environments. The theory that if a low level of a certain herbicide, pesticide, or nutrient seems to work, then a higher dose will work faster and last longer - often leads to disastrous results. To protect and preserve our groundwater and surface resources for us and future generations, we MUST begin to limit our usage of herbicides, pesticides, nutrients, and other chemicals that are bioaccumulating in our surface water, groundwater, and soils. We need to better understand and take responsibility for all of the side effects of the overuse of these chemicals. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com ENV and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Center. The 95,000-square-foot, two-story facility will include a hydraulics lab, water quality labs, field testing facilities, environmental chambers, sensor innovation space, warehouse, training labs, network operations center, and administrative offices. Unique features of the hydraulics lab will include a tilting flume and test basin for simulating river and stream processes and a 350-foot-long tow tank and carriage, which will provide a national water velocity standard for calibrating field instrumentation. USGS + UA continued from page 8.
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