This week, we’re taking a look at the different types of urban industrial pollution, how NOAA responds to pollution events and aids in the recovery of natural resources lost due to pollution, and what you can do to help keep pollution out of your waterway. Stay tuned as we explore these topics through a series of blogs. In our latest blog, NOAA’s Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant pollution prevention extension specialist Sarah Zack shares tips for how to reduce your household pollution footprint.

In this guest blog from the Brandywine Conservancy by guest author Gerald McAdams Kauffman, director of the University of Delaware Water Resources Center, learn more about the restoration efforts that led to the return of the nation's founding fish to our most historic watershed. (This blog was originally published by the Brandywine Conservancy on June 6, 2020). 

The Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., was a poster child for America’s degraded urban waterways. Years of industrial land use on the waterfront and floating trash scared many people away from recreating on or by the river. However, in recent years local advocates, government agencies, and water utilities have made great strides in restoring this urban river

You might be surprised to learn what swims through America’s cities. Even waterways with a history of pollution are full of life and are vital parts of local communities. Coastal Superfund sites, where hazardous waste contaminates the environment, are one of the key sources of pollution for many urban waterways. Many American cities sprang up around waterways because they provide opportunities for transportation, trade, and industry. Unfortunately, many of these industries also release contaminants into the environment—where they can linger for decades.

When you think about a trip to the beach, do you picture an idyllic island somewhere far away or a city park a few feet away from a busy commercial or residential district? The coastal urban environment is an important place for people to enjoy a little bit of nature, and equally valuable for the animals and plants that make it their home. However, with people comes trash, and coastal areas close to large population centers can face a heavy burden of marine debris. The NOAA Marine Debris Program works with partners across the nation to prevent and remove marine debris in urban areas.

Imagine the perfect day at the beach, lying in the sand, fishing from the pier, maybe taking a boat out on the water. Then an oil spill occurs, and the beach is no longer a fun place to be. When an oil spill or other pollutant keeps people from enjoying a natural area, it’s up to agencies like NOAA, acting as public trustees of affected areas, to determine the impact of pollution on public recreation.