Oysters can be a delicious meal. Whether you like them fried, broiled, or you are adventurous enough to try them raw, oysters are enjoyed all over the world. 

 Did you know that the shelled mollusk has another incredible characteristic?  Oysters are natural filters. They draw water in from their gills – trapping and consuming plankton and excessive nutrients, which improves the health of the water they inhabit. Oyster reefs also provide great habitat for other organisms; crabs and small fish can hide and live in the cracks and crevices of oyster reefs.

 Oysters can filter 2 gallons of water an hour. The phytoplankton and excessive nutrients removed helps clarify the water which allows more sunlight through and promotes bay grass to grow. The bay grass, in turn, generates more oxygen in the water which improves the water quality for living organisms. More bay grass also means less wave energy pounding shorelines and increases habitat for other organisms.

 The Chesapeake Bay is a body of water that used to have huge oyster populations. Throughout the years, the pollution added to the Bay along with a loss of habitat and disease has made the oyster population drop to dangerous lows. There are efforts being made to bolster the oyster population. More oysters in the bay means more oysters to filter pollution and more oysters the local watermen can harvest.

 Major clean water initiatives like the recently-established Chesapeake Bay “pollution diet” will help improve conditions for the oyster population and in turn help bolster the local economy that relies so heavily on tourism and people coming to enjoy the shelled delicacy of the bay. Here’s more on the “pollution diet.” Also check out the Oyster Recovery Partnership for more on this comeback effort .

Yes, you may be up to date with most new chat and instant message shorthand or acronyms used today, like “LOL” (laugh out loud), “BRB” (be right back), and “GTG” (got to go).  But no matter how much of an expert you may think you are, I’ll bet that you haven’t heard of the newest acronym on the block, “RTK!” What “RTK” stands for is, the “right to know.”  Have you ever walked or driven by an industrial factory or plant and wondered if what you see or don’t see being emitted and disposed is threatening to your community?  Do you feel as if you have the “RTK?”  The answer is yes, you do have the right, and with EPA’s newest mobile app “MyRTK,” you now have it right in your hands.

This mobile app can be found on the EPA mobile page under apps.  What “MyRTK” does is allow you to search a specific location for potentially toxic facilities surrounding it.  Say you are in an area near the Chesapeake Bay; with this app you can type in “Chesapeake Bay” or “Chesapeake Bay, MD.”  Once selected, a map will appear with all facilities in the vicinity represented by a pin.  When you select a facility, you’ll be provided with information on the chemicals they handle, what is in their releases, the potential health effects of those chemicals, and a history of the facility’s compliance with releasing the chemicals. 

Want the right to know?  There’s an app for that!  So download it now.  Also click here to check out other mobile apps offered by EPA mobile.  Think this app is a good idea, or maybe you have an idea for another app to help people know more about potential water pollutants around them, then let us know.

Since this is the Healthy Waters Blog, you might be wondering why we’re concerned about forests.  But unlike Vegas, what happens on the land doesn’t stay on the land – it affects streams and rivers, especially if the land is right next to the water.  It turns out that having forests right next to waterways (as opposed to developed or tilled agricultural land) is highly beneficial to water quality, ecosystems, and humans.  These vegetated strips of land are often referred to as “riparian buffers.”

I have always been astounded at the amazing power of trees and plants to provide so many benefits to our environment and communities.  Forested stream banks act like a sponge, filtering out excessive nutrients, sediment, and other pollutants that run off from the land that would be damaging if they entered a stream.  Shrubs and trees are also able to prevent stream bank erosion by anchoring the soils, keeping the banks stable and excess sediment out of the stream.  Buffers can even help mitigate flooding by absorbing and slowing down surface runoff.

Forested streams also provide enhanced habitat for wildlife.  Leaves, twigs, and other natural plant litter that fall into the stream provide food and habitat for organisms in the water, and the corridors of natural vegetation along stream banks allow land-based mammals and birds to thrive.

Riparian forest buffers also aid greatly in maintaining cool stream temperatures.  You know how much better it feels to stand in the shade of a tree on a hot day rather than out in the hot sun?  Well, stream organisms prefer their streams to be shaded as well.  Studies have shown that removing the canopy can cause the stream’s temperature to rise by as much as 15 degrees.  Warmer streams can’t carry as much dissolved oxygen, and some organisms can’t survive in these conditions. 

That’s all nice for the fish, but what about people?  Riparian buffers also benefit human communities.  Wouldn’t you rather fish and swim in a healthy, forested, shady stream?  I know I would.  Forested streams stimulate local economies by enhancing fisheries and recreational opportunities.  The presence of riparian buffers can also result in higher property values in communities and add aesthetic value.  The water quality improvements from buffers also enhance the quality of our drinking water, so by preserving forests, we actually protect our water supply.  The Delaware River Basin, for example, provides high quality drinking water to nearly 15 million people from New York to Delaware, largely because of the mature forest canopy that has been maintained upstream.  Preserving forests in the headwaters contributes to water quality both upstream and downstream water quality.  Another plus: buffer preservation and restoration are pretty cost-effective strategies for managing nonpoint source pollution.

Seems almost common sense given all the benefits, doesn’t it?  But there can be obstacles to implementation, like funding, competing land-use practices, political will, or lack of awareness of the benefits.  EPA encourages buffers as a best management practice through its Nonpoint Source Program, with tools and resources to incorporate buffer restoration in regional planning. 

Reforesting streams in the Chesapeake Bay is also an important strategy for the basin’s nutrient pollution diet.  Learn how the Bay program and the basin states are working to restore 10,000 miles of riparian forest in the Bay’s watershed, and see how the states have incorporated riparian reforestation into their Watershed Implementation Plans.  Watch a video by the Chesapeake Bay Program Office to hear more about how forests and the Chesapeake Bay are related, and what makes a forest healthy.

What do you think about forested versus unforested streams?  Have you noticed if streams and rivers in your area have trees or not?  Do you know of any initiatives to create and preserve riparian buffers?

Are you a student who lives or attends school in the Schuylkill River watershed?  Do you enjoy activities along the Schuylkill River or one of the streams that flow into it?  Have you ever left a movie theater thinking, “I could make movies”?  If you answered yes to these questions, then the Schuylkill Action Network wants YOU to make a film!

The Schuylkill Action Network (SAN) is a collaboration of more than one hundred organizations and individuals, including EPA Region 3, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the Philadelphia Water Department, the Delaware River Basin Commission, and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.  The goal of the SAN is to improve the water resources of the Schuylkill River watershed.

To encourage people to return to the river for fun, the SAN is launching a student Schuylkill Stories video contest with the theme “This is My Watershed.”  If you’re a student in elementary, middle, high school or college tell us, in your original video 3-minutes-or-less, what you love about the Schuylkill River watershed.  From fishing to rowing to bird watching, sketching and picnicking, the 2,000 square mile watershed gives everyone plenty of opportunities for fun.  Creativity is encouraged!  Use your own video footage, animation, claymation or music to show the world what you love most about your watershed.

Is amateur filmmaking not really your thing?  Don’t forget about SAN’s other student competition, the annual Drinking Water Scholastic Awards.  The awards recognize schools in the Schuylkill River watershed that promote drinking water protection through educational programs or class projects.  Did you know that the Schuylkill River watershed has 52 drinking water intakes that collectively serve 1.5 million people?  Moreover, many are surprised to learn that schools are one of the largest combined property owners in the entire watershed!  What is your school doing to spread the word about protecting sources of drinking water?

For more information about both contests, including prizes and deadlines, visit the SAN website.

In the meantime, share your comments below about what you love to do in, on or by the Schuylkill River!