Topic > The Importance of Water Quality - 1766

Lake Erie has been impacted by introduced species (zebra mussels) (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). It is possible to carry out rehabilitation of a eutrophic lake. Artificial aeration can be used to reoxygenate water, preventing the growth of bacteria as other higher organisms may strain (Morton, 1976; Miller & Spoolman, 2009). Lake Washington in the United States is an example of a rehabilitated lake. The 11 wastewater discharge points into the lake were diverted to Puget Sound where tidal flow diluted and distributed the waste over a larger area (meaning Puget Sound did not experience the effects of eutrophication) (Wright & Boorse, 2014). Future effects of changes in land use patterns and hydrology need to be studied as this could help predict where and when lakes and streams may be affected by eutrophication (US Environmental Protection Agency, 2011). The ability to predict this would mean that management procedures are implemented before the ecosystem changes too much (US Environmental Protection Agency,