Neuse River, 2009 Fish Kill http://ncdenr.gov/web/wq/ess/fishkills
Neuse River, August 2003 Fish Kill http://sourcetosea.net/fish-kill-on-the-neuse-river/
For notes and information regarding this activity, please visit: http://www.sciencecases.org/fishkill/fishkill_notes.asp
http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/files/fishkill.pdf

• Summary of the Clean Water Act
– 33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972)
• The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1977.
• Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. We have also set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters.
• The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA's National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters.

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• to explain how land runoff may affect aquatic communities to describe in detail two effects that excess nutrients may have on aquatic ecosystems to describe the complex life cycle of Pfiesteria as an example of dinoflagellate biology to describe how human activities have contributed to problems such as eutrophication, which may come back to influence human health to consider the implications of our human actions develop critical thinking skills as they debate and respond to each other’s opinions propose a specific public policy change that is relevant to this case, and explain how this new policy might affect one species of wildlife and one aspect of human health

• 1. fisherman
• 2. home owner along the river/sound
• 3. environmentalist
• 4. state congressman or congresswoman
• 5. lawn care specialists for many homes in the area
(where fertilizer might move into water)
• 6. farmer (where animal waste might move into water)
• 7. waste water treatment plant operator
• 8. journalist
• 9. The Mayor and the City Council

We will hold a City Meeting to address the increasing incidence of fish kills over the last several years.
• The city council has noticed that as the fish kills have increased, tourism has decreased, and they are quite concerned.
• The city council would like to hear the opinions of the interested parties so that they can gather information and then proceed with a plan of action

– Determine three problems and three solutions to discuss at the meeting
– Prepare a poster (per group) to present this information
– Prepare a presentation to share with the rest of the stakeholders
• Show poster
• Discuss problems and solutions

– Date
– Water body
– Location
– County
– Total fish mortality
– And much more