Cootes Paradise is a wetland located at the western edge of Lake Ontario, surrounded by the cities of Hamilton and Dundas. The area was once a pristine marsh where aquatic plant and wild life flourished, and remains an important spawning ground for fish. Unfortunately, this sanctuary has been altered in past decades. Where once the area was entirely covered with aquatic plants, now much of the marsh is open water. This degradation is visible to any one driving past Cootes Paradise along highway 403 and highway 6. However, the damage goes far beyond what can be seen. As a recent study found, water quality and biodiversity in the wetland has significantly declined, with adverse affects on the health of plant and animals species.
The study, led by Tatiana Mayer, was conducted by Environment Canada’s Water Science and Technology Directorate. It found that Cootes Paradise contains high levels of phosphorus and of a class of chemicals known as alkylphenolics. Aquatic systems such as lakes and marshes are negatively affected by elevated phosphorus and alkylphenolic levels. High phosphorus content can lead to eutrophication of such systems, where in the water’s oxygen content often declines, and the normal ecosystem is disrupted. Alkylphenolics have been shown to alter the sexual development of many organisms. Male species exposed to these chemicals can adapt female sexual characteristics. Both phosphorus and alkylphenolics are found in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, from detergents to cosmetics to paints.
Mayer and the study team observed these levels in core samples of surface and bottom sediment taken from Cootes Paradise in 2001 and 2002. They took several core samples from different areas around the 250 hectare marsh. Marshes are especially vulnerable to the effects of contaminants, because these toxins accumulate in the sediment where their impacts can be augmented.
Results showed that contaminant levels were highest near creeks and drainage points where discharge from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) and combined sewer overflows (CSOs) emptied into the marsh. These discharges have been shown in other studies to contain high levels of pharmaceuticals, hormones and other toxins, including alkylphenolics. The study also found that higher levels of these contaminants were deposited after heavy rainfall and rapid snow melt occurred. During these events, high levels of water run off overloads WTPs and CSOs, and water is often not properly treated or processed. As such, many of the contaminants remain in the untreated water. The study showed a distinct connection between the elevated levels of these contaminants and the decline in the marsh's biotic health.
As development and population in the Hamilton-Dundas area continue to grow, new infrastructure for managing wastewater will need to be developed, while current facilities will require upkeep. As Mayer points out, impacts like those on Cootes Paradise are similarly affecting other wetlands in areas around the Great Lakes. It is in these areas that urban development is slated to grow the fastest. Considering the results of this study, it’s clear that the impacts of this wastewater on Cootes Paradise and Great Lakes wetlands should be considered, and ultimately minimized by urban developers in future infrastructure.
Reference:
http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/details.xqy?uri=/03801330/v34i0003/544_docfmdlcwcpo.xml
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I live near Cootes Paridise and have been there mny times, so I found the topic of your article very interesting. The information and results of the study were presented in a way that was both informative, and at the same time comprehendible to the general public. My only suggestions for improvment are, that you could make this article more relavent inorder to increase its impact. What I mean by this is that you discuss the ill effects of these elevated chemicals on biodiversity, and for most people this should be a cause for concern. But the impact would be more profound if you discussed the direct impact of these chemicals on wildlife and human health. When issues are internalized they often have a more profound impact for the reader. You could say that these elevated levels of contaminants are in our drinking water etc. AS a whole though, the article was very well done and I enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteI like how your article reads like an article rather than a blog post. You were able to bring up the issue and concisely summarize the important points that would be of interest to the general public. The topic of the article is interesting too because its importance scientifically might be of a smaller scale but the concern the public holds it in is higher.
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