Our Natural Resources Many natural resources are necessary for survival, but none can be obtained without water. Water is the main source of life. However, most rivers and streams in the United States are polluted largely due to agriculture. Although there are laws to protect rivers, they are often contaminated by runoff or illegal disposal of chemicals. The massive amount of runoff caused by agriculture affects bacterial growth in rivers as well as algae blooms, endangering aquatic organisms. Water contamination from agriculture will affect fish, plants, and human health (Maczulak 124-125). In "Trends in Water Quality in the Nation's Rivers," Smith argues that water cleaning is expensive and won't work because of plagiarism denial. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay on urbanization and agriculture (Smith), but researchers have found ways to reduce agricultural pollutants from bodies of water by using plants to remove most of the toxins (Walker). Because agriculture affects rivers and spreads diseases as water moves downstream, water pollution harms aquatic life, plants and humans. “Festuca arundinacea” (Zhao. et al.) should be more widely used to reduce water toxins caused by agricultural pollutants. Additionally, the United States is known for its agricultural industry and high resource consumption, as the country consumes a lot there. we need agencies to manage our resources. Unfortunately, some agencies were created to protect our natural resources, but many of these agricultural agencies focus on soil conservation rather than water conservation. In an article titled Take a Closer Look at What's Impacting the Health of Our Rivers and Lakes, he explains that in a survey by "the EPA said that 40 percent of rivers and lakes in the states “United States are too polluted for swimming or fishing” (The Nature Conservancy). Furthermore, most pollution today is due to agriculture and the massive use of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers to mass produce food. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) discusses polluted runoff and how it is “created by precipitation or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As runoff travels, it captures and carries natural and human-made pollutants, eventually depositing them into watersheds via lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and even our underground sources of water. drinking water. Agriculture not only affects rivers and lakes, but could also affect our groundwater, which ultimately means no drinking water. If a body of water comes into contact with a pollutant, it will move with the water, making all water hazardous (Center for Disease Control). The rapid spread of blue-green algae last summer from Massachusetts to California was due to farmers. The amount of algae increases due to high amounts of ammonia in the water; threatening the life of aquatic organisms. Algae absorbs oxygen from the water, killing any organisms nearby. Unfortunately, highly contaminated water not only affects fish but also plants. The high chemical content in the water causes the pH level of the water to become acidic, which ultimately means that the ions attach to the moleculesH, which lowers the PH level. The acidity of the water will weaken the tree's immune system; therefore, making it more vulnerable to diseases (Effects of acid rain). It's not just plants and animals that are affected by water pollution. Humans are also affected by toxic water full of bacteria, parasites and diseases from eating plants. In an article from the CDC, it states that “people who eat fruits or vegetables exposed to contaminated water are at risk of developing a foodborne illness. Some of the bacteria that spread in water in the United States include E. coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Toxoplasma, norovirus, and hepatitis A virus” (Centers for Disease Control). Water contamination does not only affect fish or plants, it also affects the entire ecosystem. Citizens are taking a huge risk by not protecting water, which can cost them their lives. Only we have the power to stop our water from disappearing. In 1972, the U.S. government created the Clean Water Act to regulate water pollution, but unfortunately, this law's restrictions only protected waters from spills. There are not many laws or regulations that prevent runoff into rivers and streams. However, there have been more regulations on rivers and lakes to prevent pollution from occurring because of big corporations. To make the Clean Water Act clearer, the EPA created "The Clean Water Rule ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined, more predictably determined, and easier to understand for businesses and industry. » (US Environmental Protection Agency). Making policies clear could help farmers improve their manure disposal techniques and improve their farming methods. President Obama's administration has protected and implemented many policies aimed at protecting the environment, but in an article "Donald Trump Could Put Climate Change on a Path to a 'Danger Zone,'" Davenport expresses his concern about new environmental policies that President Trump may implement. The newly elected president has made numerous statements about global warming, caused by the high concentration of carbon in the air. Even though global warming has been tested and proven by researchers, Mr. Trump has said he does not believe in environmental issues and wants to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency. In an Ohio University study led by Hal Walker, he claims that a water filtration system using plants performed better than other methods. This filtration system can remove ninety-five percent of toxins from water. This system uses “activated carbon” which traps organic molecules and can be used to clean up spills. If these plants were planted in rivers to help control algae, it could reduce the presence of bacteria as well as other pathogens. This method should be implemented across the country to reduce and prevent algae growth. This method would help combat runoff from agriculture and the intensive use of pesticides. Preventing pollution of rivers and streams and the death of aquatic creatures should be a priority. Using this plan will help preserve the life of fish and other organisms. Additionally, it would also extend the time left in the world, because without water there is no ».