Nonpoint Source Pollution affects water quality by entering connecting waterways as surface runoff, groundwater contamination, or precipitation. On the other hand, Point Source Pollution comes from a single-identifiable source. Some Point Source examples are industrial discharge points or municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Nutrient overloads impact local water quality and the Chesapeake Bay. Excessive amounts of chemical and organic nutrients being applied to crops may pollute water.
Excess nutrients alter the Bay's ecosystem by causing an overgrowth of algae.
Both humans and wildlife depend on healthy streams and rivers. We depend on the Bay and tie Bay depends on us. In order to restore and protect our natural neighborhood, we must learn how to become responsible citizens of the Chesapeake Bay Basin community. While it's true that the Chesapeake Bay is a long way from Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna River connects 440 miles of land, people, and wildlife to the Chesapeake Bay. The activities of the 13 million people living and working in the Bay Basin affect not only the Bay, but local water quality as well.