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Pollution Up in Delaware Waterway

mytopo.com

A new report has found that the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen in Herring and Guinea Creek is 10 to 12 times above the healthy limit.

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays says that 68 percent of the increase has come from development over the last ten years that has come from runoff from lawns and roads.

Executive Director Chris Bason told WBOC that too many nutrients have created low oxygen levels which have been detrimental to the crabs and shellfish.

In addition, he said that there were also indications of fecal matter in the upper Guinea Creek meaning that it is not generally safe for swimming.

The report says that solutions ranging from maintaining septic systems and moving toward sewer systems to water protection requirements for developments and building forest buffers.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.