Measure of the Mission River's Capacity for Absorbing Pollution - Pollution Abatement in Region V

Abstract

The Mission River cannot support an appreciable supply of freshwater organisms since encroachment of bay water by tidal fluctuation covers 65 per cent of the river and rainfall and runoff allows the river to flow naturally only 2- per cent of the time. The river is capable of supporting marine life providing the pollution load does not exceed the absorption capacity of the river. The Mission River has the capacity for self-purifying and absorbing most of the pollution received from the 2.5 million gallons per day of oilfield waste; however, the insoluble oil present in the waste flows downstream until it is filtered out of the water by the river banks and debris in the river, clings to clay particles and settles to the bottom. The river carried a silt load of 164 tons in 1962, or enough to cover one acre of bay bottom with one-inch of silt. This silt accompanied with the oil can destroy Mission Bay as a nursery grounds for marine organisms.

Description

10 pages; available for download at the link below.

Keywords

Mission Bay, Mission River, siltation, industrial waste, water pollution

Citation