And fecal coliform, an indicator of disease-causing organisms, has been a persistent problem for a section of the river below the Frederick Sewage Treatment Plant. Failing septic systems also contribute to nutrient enrichment problems. National studies have shown that the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers increased four-fold from 1960 to 1980. Nitrogen is of particular concern because it readily dissolves in water and in high concentrations can cause illness in infants. While precipitation, slope, soil type, and method and timing of application all significantly affect the amount of nitrogen leached below the root zone, models show that the quantity applied is the biggest determining factor.
Pesticides represent yet another problem for the river.
Pesticide use has nearly tripled in the U.S. since 1964. The problem is complicated by such properties as solubility, absorption rate, and persistence. Ironically, a national trend toward decreasing persistence has resulted in pesticides with increased solubility and, consequently, a greater likelihood of leaching below the root zone. Two years later, the Maryland State Planning Commission released a report saying that although federal and state conservation efforts were under way, projects often lacked coordination and funding. The report recommended a dramatic increase in soil and water conservation, reforestation of large areas of the watershed, improvements in water quality, restoration of wildlife habitat, and careful development of recreational resources.