Environment in San Joaquin Valley - Assignment Example

Environment in San Joaquin Valley (air, water, land) A person’s environment is the most important contributor towards his quality of life and well being. A person is heavily dependent on his place of residence in terms of health and other health associated behaviour. San Joaquin Valley’s residents not only face problems from social deviance such as crimes, lack of education and poverty but also from environmental problems such as air or water pollution and land degradation. San Joaquin Valley has a high population density and is inhabited by people of different ethnicities and thus the quality of the environment including that of the ambient air, water and land represent environmental hazards which contributes significantly to the community health and is today a major public health concern in the U.S. The government has adopted various programs to tackle these growing problems but proper implementation has not been met yet leading to an increase in health concern. Figure 1: Race/ Ethnicity in San Joaquin valley, CA. (Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies, 2012) AIR POLLUTION Air pollution and Air Quality in San Joaquin Valley San Joaquin Valley is said to have the most polluted air in the entire country. The pollution has detrimental effects not only on the environment of the place but also on the people residing in the area and the present thriving faunal life. Thus, one may say that the quality of life owing to the immensely polluted air is extremely low. San Joaquin Valley exceeds the limits set by National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone and particulate matter. The Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment currently declared that the San Joaquin Valley has been suffering from the lowest level of air quality in recent years. The Regional Administrator of EPA, Jared Blumenfeld, recognized the severity of the condition: “Four times more people die in the San Joaquin Valley from air pollution than they do from traffic fatalities” (Bailey para 2). The administrator of the Central Valley Air Quality Coalition, Kevin Hall, provides a more thorough explanation (Bailey para 2-3): During this prolonged red-air season, not a single Air Alert was (or will be) issued by the Valley Air Board. Children ran and played through recesses. Evening football games were played. Seniors took morning walks. Joggers went on their runs. Little did they know the damage being done to their lungs, their hearts, their futures—and the immune systems of their future descendants. Not once did the regional agency formed to address this public health crisis issue a word of warning. This severe air pollution has been attributed to the weather by the air district. Nevertheless, the still air is contributing to the toxicity of the environment by absorbing large amounts of pollution. What’s worse is that the level of air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley is going down very slowly, even with all the efforts of different organizations (Yarris para 2-3). Geography and Causes of Pollution San Joaquin Valley has a unique geographical position which plays an important role in enhancing the problem of air pollution in the area. It is situated in the sourthern part of California and looks like an elongated bowl. The area is surrounded by mountains on three sides which assist in trapping the air borne pollutants, prohibiting them from dispersing or diluting thereby concentrating them within the region where the residents live. This affects the environment of the place as a whole. The two main causes of air pollution in San Joaquin Valley are ozone and particulate matter. Ozone is created by chemical reaction between sunlight and chemicals such as NOX (nitrogen oxides) or volatile organic compounds mostly emitted from vehicles and other daily products such as building paints or even body sprays. The leading causes of fine particulate pollution in the area are diesel trucks, residential burning, ‘managed’ burning, and farming activities. The new member of the California Air Resources Board, Dr. Alex Sherriffs, sent a memo to a newspaper appealing to people to discontinue their practice of burning wood: “Our Valley has had a string of unhealthy air days, and I see it in the asthma visits to my office and patients with lung disease struggling to breathe” (Bailey para 5). Limiting the use of fireplace could contribute much to the lowering of air pollution levels, but the Valley requires more crucial and extensive response. Particulate matter comes from various activities in the areas including building demolitions, industries, farms and combustion of coal or wood. However a major percentage of such particulate matter comes from trucks that ply on the highway 99 situated in the Valley and emit soot. A study noted that broilers were important sources of ammonia emissions. Basic ammonia gas reacts with atmospheric acids giving rise to NH4 aerosols which is detrimental (Harper et al, 2010). Health problems related to air pollution The poor quality of air in the San Joaquin Valley poses health risks for the people residing in the area since these people are exposed to polluted air containing high levels of harmful air pollutants that causes serious and chronic illnesses in most cases. The impassive response of the air district has formed a crisis spreading out slowly. Not merely is the air pollution raising the prevalence of respiratory disorders like asthma, cardiovascular disorder, and many more other severe effects, it could be affecting the brains of an entire generation exposed to the continuous attack of air pollution (Bailey para 3-4). A current research revealed brain changes similar to Alzheimer’s disease among children residing in neighborhoods with large amounts of air pollution. This substantiates an increasing number of findings that air pollution is negatively affecting the normal development of the brain, resulting in lower IQs and perhaps facilitating the development of autism (Yarris para 6-8). One of the main reasons for high mortality is congenital defects which is associated to environment. Padula et al studies the relation between traffic and ambient air and congenital heart defects and found that PM10 and poor traffic air in San Joaquin Valley contributed significantly in development of heart problems such as septal defects in ventricles and pulmonary valve stenosis (2013). It has been seen that asthma is prevalent in both children as well as in adults owing to the poor quality of respired air. In locations with high ozone and particulate matter pollution, higher levels of asthma diagnosed individuals are seen. In fact asthma has reached an epidemic level in air where 1 in 6 children are afflicted by the problem (Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies, 2012). WATER POLLUTION Water pollution is another major concern for the people in San Joaquin Valley. Absence of proper water management and management of agricultural runoffs increases the concern. Numerous small communities in San Joaquin Valley do not have clean and safe drinking water, as well as the resources or means to replace or mend their polluted source water. In spite of numerous bond initiatives and programs to solve these issues, the number of polluted water systems keeps on increasing. Nitrate is the most widespread pollutant in the area. Nitrate in drinking water can hinder the absorption of oxygen by the blood stream, bringing about ‘blue baby syndrome’ in newborns (Moore et al. 13). Other known health outcomes attributed to nitrate are thyroid disruption, sudden infant death syndrome, and cancer. Agricultural activities like irrigation, food processing, and production of dairies in San Joaquin Valley employ or generate large volumes of nitrogen. Nitrogen is transformed into nitrate while it penetrates the soil and finally into the groundwater on which almost all inhabitants of the Valley depends for their drinking water. With a vast area of irrigate lands under production, this area is agriculturally cultivated more vigorously than any other regions in the world. Severe problems of nitrate pollution are among the outcomes. Amount of nitrate in Valley groundwater is rising (Moore et al. 13-15). Water Quality in San Joaquin Valley Groundwater in the area is polluted. However, groundwater also contains some naturally occurring inorganic chemicals which maybe altered and concentrated owing to anthropogenic activities. The United State Geological Survey conducted a quality check of the water of the area and found that trace elements such as arsenic, boron and vanadium were found in high concentrations in 245 of the primary aquifers while minor elements such as aluminium, barium and lead were found in less than 2% of the aquifers. Figure 2: Pesticides and Crops Used in the San Joaquin River Basin (Dubrovsky et al. 6) Uranium and other radioactive constituents were also seen to be present int he waters during the survey conducted by USGS. 7% of tje aquifers showed very high concentration of radioactive substances while 7% showed medium concentrations of uranium. Under natural conditions the levels of nitrites and nitrates was found to be within limits however owing to the activities of humans such as usage of fertilizer and tending to livestock leads to increase in these chemicals in some places thereby causing pollution. The concentration for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) was found to be much higher than the recommended value set by the State of California in almost 1% of the aquifers but in high concentration (within the recommended limit) in 13% of the primary aquifers. Other constituent that have been noted to have the potential to run-off such as perchlorate and N-Nitrosodomethylamine were also present in the waters (Burton and Belitz, 2011). Primary Concerns and Health problems San Joaquin Valley has some of the most polluted aquifers in the country. The primary source of drinking water is the groundwater and the levels of compounds such as nitrates and arsenic have been found to be present in high levels in the water. Nitrate is of primary concern since the levels of nitrates are aggravated by human activities and adversely affects health. Being the agricultural heartland of California, the Valley contains over 6.6 million acres of irrigated land and each acre produces almost 80 pounds of nitrogen annually which leach in to the groundwater system causing pollution. Animal and livestock waste is another major nitrate source. In 2008, San Joaquin had almost 1.6 million dairy cows and calves and over 161,000 beef cattle. However the waste produced by these animals is not properly treated and often contaminates water causing severe pollution (Community Water Center, 2010). An extensive study has shown that certain birth defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate and missing limbs have been associated with bad water quality especially nitrate contamination. A cross-sectional study of some of the community water systems that serve the residents from lower economic backgrounds showed high concentrations of arsenic in the waters which was much higher than the recommended value of the arsenic levels at 10 μg/L (Balazas et al, 2012). Water Drainage and pollution Harmful contaminants such as selenium, cadmium, boron , arsenic and other chemicals are present naturally in the soil, mud and rock of the San Joaquin Valley. Therefore, farmers and growers in the San Joaquin area supply extra water to leach out these chemicals from the soil and grow their products successfully. However, these salt often accumulate on the soil and percolates down to a layer known as Corcoran Clay. The more water for irrigation is supplied higher rise sthis Corcoran Clay layer which leads to problems with drainage as well. The poisoned waters move downhill to ditches, wetlands and towards the San Joaquin river where they pollute the waters again thereby keeping the water pollution cycle intact. Prior to 1999, contracts given in agreement with state water quality laws implied that this form of agricultural contamination was not controlled. California policymakers ratified legislation in 1999 obliging State and Regional Water Boards to start safeguarding water from agricultural releases (Dubrovsky et al. 8). The Central Valley Water Board started obliging agricultural lands in 2003 to observe and check quality of surface water. Nevertheless, monitoring of groundwater remains voluntary and policies to implement lesser use of fertilizer remain nonexistent. Once established, projects focused on the problem of water pollution can start to conserve and bring back the cleanliness and high quality of water through enhanced irrigation techniques and lesser use of fertilizer. Other advantages will involve cost reductions on water and fertilizer usage, and lesser greenhouse gas pollution (Dubrovsky et al. 10-12). Excessive fertilization of farms can have threefold of the climate-altering effect of carbon dioxide pollution (Moore et al. 9-10). The problem of Drought Water pollution is not only the major cause of concern but another major problem concerning water is the fall of the underground level of water. Since, the Valley is very much dependne on its farmland, water is absolutely necessary for survival of the San Joaquin Valley. However, surveys show a rapid loss of water from aquifers and other resources which has initiated a “race for drilling” in order to explore more water sources. The main cause for this is unmanaged pumping of the ground water. States such as Kansas and Texas have lows limiting the pumping of ground water however, in California; no such law implementation had been done. Such rapid water pumping of the groundwater leads to decrease in the level of the water table and ultimately leads to collapse of the land since recharging of the water is barely allowed. This has brought in a drought like situation. LAND DEGRADATION San Joaquin valley is California’s most important agricultural area. However given to several factors instances of land degradation have emerged which is a major cause of concern since it affects land used for agricultural purposes as well as other purposes such as dairy land or orchards. For many years the rich and productive soils of the San Joaquin Valley, which generates roughly 40 percent of fresh produce for the whole of America, have drawn laborers from more impoverished areas, such as Central America and Mexico, who now comprises the biggest portion of the agricultural workforce (The Economist para 3). In recently years, Californians and other American residents have transferred to the area, drawn by low costs of living and house prices. Such movement contributed to the inflation of a bubble that burst in 2007-08, yet the state remains persistent that the Valley’s population will greatly increase by 2060 (The Economist para 3-4). A recent research declares that sinking ground, or land degradation is accelerating in the Central Valley. Land degradation is occurring at the pace of roughly one foot annually, mainly due to the growing population and the dependence of farms on groundwater. The pumping and utilization of groundwater has sped up due to drought and a consequent absence of surface water reserves. Land degradation can hinder supply of surface water. Sinking ground causes land to become uneven, thus pushing water upward. Sack Dam can be found on the Valley’s west part, where Merced, Madera, and Fresno districts intersect (Haagenson para 4-5). Figure 3. Proliferation of Wells in San Joaquin Valley (Krieger para 6) In the latter part of the 19th century, the Sack Dam was constructed to reroute the course of river into irrigation canals. Recently, the San Luis Canal Company declares that the dam is below the canal’s level. The company declares a project is being developed to reroute extra water to adjacent farms to elevate the level of the land in due course. Nevertheless, that still depends on the behavior of wet weather (Haagenson para 5). Another alternative could be a highly costly pumping facility, to direct the river uphill into the canal. In another area, land degradation is bringing about another dilemma. The East Side Bypass, which is a rocky arid stream bed developed to accommodate overspills from the San Joaquin River, is currently unleveled and is uphill in some points. The company said that there could be a problem if it becomes filled with water again (Haagenson para 9-10). Causes of land shrinkage Land degradation is attributed to factors such as urbanization, salination and soil erosion. Urbanization refers to building of houses and other public facilities such as roads, parks, theatres etc. for the common good. This has been done primarily by using up the land that could have been sued for agricultural or other beneficial purposes such as planting fruit tress or rearing livestock. Urbanization has increased in the area of San Joaquin Valley given to movement of people into the land, from neighbouring areas. This has led to increase in the population which has enhanced the need for more land for building houses and to build more facilities for the population. Erosion is another natural contributor towards the shrinking of the farmlands in the valley. Even though erosion is a natural process it can be intensely aggravated in the presence of factors such as intense cultivation, over-grazing and land mismanagement. Soil loss tolerance refers to the rate of erosion below which a land can be used for various purposes. However, almost 250,000 acres of land in San Joaquin county suffers each year from wind erosion leading to heavy loss of soil thereby affecting the agricultural land(Grossi, 1987). Salinity and changes in the pH levels also leads to loss of land since it renders the soil unfit for agricultural purposes. Salty irrigation wastewater accumulates in many land areas and reduces productivity of the area. However several areas manage this by disposing off the removed brine into water bodies for example the Imperial Valley discharges its wastewater into the Salton sea, however in case of san Joaquin valley no such solution is present which makes the wastewater a major cause of land degradation(Grossi, 1987). Buildings, roads, and crops would be put at risk. One demonstration reveals what is happening throughout the Valley. Land degradation is anticipated to begin causing severe complications for buildings, roads, and canals. A hydrologist, James Borchers, collaborated with other researchers in a study which reveals land degradation is a more severe complication than many recognized and is wreaking havoc to water delivery and canal systems. The research finds out that sinking ground has sped up recently to roughly a foot annually as farmers are obliged to pump a greater amount of water (Haagenson para 11). Borchers stressed that the state stopped studying the effects of land degradation, brought about by pumping of groundwater more than three decades ago (Haagenson para 11-12). Land desertification One of the major examples of land degradation is that of desertification. Loss of water and degradation of plant cover and soil erosion contribute towards the phenomenon of desertification. In San Joaquin Valley the prime factors have been urbanization, over-grazing and salination. Another major problem factor for desertification is mismanagement of the land, for example, San Joaquin Valley produces close to 96% of the country’s raisin supplies however, and to convert grapes into raisins the framers burn the grape trays thereby harming the land itself. Another major problem is subsidence. Subsidence is said to have began in the late 1920’s with introduction of ground water pumping in the area. By 1977, the area had sunk almost by 30 feet. This particularly occurred owing to over-cultivation of land and intense pumping out of ground water which forced the clay layer to come nearer to the surface thereby inhibiting ground water recharging since percolation of water into the deeper layers in prevented by the clay layer. This means that land is severely affected owing to loss of water from the underground layers which would have future negative impacts on the soil productivity as well. Land Pollution Misuse or improper use of land is prevalent in some areas of San Joaquin valley which leads to pollution caused on land. Proper disposal lands are absent in many areas leading to dumping of hazardous waste products, treated human sewage and chemicals to be dumped off in random sites. Works Cited Bailey, D. “Unrelenting Air Pollution in California’s San Joaquin Valley this Winter.” Switchboard, 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. Balazas,C.L. et al.” Environmental justice implications of arsenic contamination in Californias San Joaquin Valley: a cross-sectional, cluster-design examining exposure and compliance in community drinking water systems.” Environmental health: a global access science source.(2012) 11.84. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-11-84 Burton, C. And Belitz. K.” Groundwater Quality in the Southeast San Joaquin Valley, California.” Unites States Geological survey (2011). Retrieved from http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2011/3151/ on 15 October, 2014.(2012) 11.84.  doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-11-84 Community Water Centre.” Water & Health in the Valley:Nitrate Contamination of Drinking Water and the Health of San Joaquin Valley Residents.”(2010). Retrieved from http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/communitywatercenter/pages/58/attachments/original/1394396864/CWC_Water-and-Health-in-the-Valley-Nitrate.pdf?1394396864 on 15 October, 2014. Dubrovsky, N. et al. Water Quality in the San Joaquin-Tulare Basins, California, 1992-95. Denver, CO: U.S. Geological Survey, 1998. Haagenson, G. “Sinking Land is a Growing Problem in the San Joaquin Valley.” ABC Action News, 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. Harper,L.A. et al.” Ammonia emissions from broiler production in the San Joaquin Valley.”Poultry Science, 89.9 (2010):1802-1814. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20709964 o 18 October 2014. Grossi, R. et al.”California’s Shrinking Farmland.”California Agriculture, (1987), 22- 24.Retrived from https://ucanr.edu/repositoryfiles/ca4107p22-63026.pdf on 17 October, 2014. Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies.” Place Matters for Healthin the San Joaquin Valley: Ensuring Opportunities for Good Health for All.” (2012). Washington: US. Retrieved from https://www.fresnostate.edu/chhs/cvhpi/documents/cvhpi-jointcenter-sanjoaquin.pdfon 17 October, 2014. Krieger, L. “California Drought: San Joaquin Valley Sinking as Farmers Race to Tap Aquifer.” San Jose Mercury News, 29 Mar 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. Moore, E. et al. The Human Costs of Nitrate-Contaminated Drinking Water in the San Joaquin Valley. Oakland, CA: Pacific Institute, 2011. Padula,A.M. et al. “Ambient air pollution and traffic exposures and congenital heart defects in the San Joaquin Valley of California.” Pediatric and Perinatal epidemiology27.4 (2013): 329-339. Print. The Economist. “Down on the Farms: California’s Recovery is not Fixing the Chronic Problem of its Heartland.” The Economist, 3 Aug. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. Yarris, L. “Air Quality in San Joaquin Valley Improving According to Study.” Phys Org, 21 Aug. 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2014. Read More