Reduce Toxics
What is The Freshwater Trust doing here?
The Freshwater Trust (TFT) often coordinates closely with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the Snake and Columbia River basins, we act as the EPA’s Toxic Reduction Lead, working with a larger team to reduce agricultural runoff from entering the waterways and producing toxics like methylmercury.
One of our main focuses for this project is upgrading agricultural irrigation systems. Working with our partners, we run data analyses to help us prioritize which locations to update first to reduce the most runoff. From there, we move into gathering funds and installing high-impact irrigation upgrades.
Why is this important?
While agriculture is important for growing our food, it often leads to excessive fertilizer runoff that enters our waterways. Additionally, water temperatures are rising due to climate change and human activity. When you mix warming temperatures and runoff, you get problems like algae blooms and methylmercury.
- Algae blooms produce toxics harmful to wildlife, fish, and humans. They also consume oxygen in the water, suffocating fish and other aquatic life.
- Methylmercury is a toxic form of mercury easily absorbed by fish and can lead to serious health problems in humans and animals who consume contaminated fish.
Using our patented analytics tools, TFT can pinpoint the projects that will provide the most efficient environmental benefits to reduce runoff and lower water temperatures. We can also identify solutions that are financially beneficial to farmers, including aiding them in acquiring financing for agricultural irrigation upgrades to help them maintain resiliency despite unforeseen changes.
How can you support these efforts?
One key way to support our efforts is through donations. TFT ensures that every dollar you give delivers measurable results that will make a difference in a timeline that matters. You can make a one-time gift or become a regular monthly donor today.
You can also support us by staying connected through our regular newsletter and emails. Sign up today to get the latest TFT news.
Following our social media accounts and sharing our posts with friends, family, and colleagues can also help support freshwater conservation and get more people involved.
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Want to take a deeper dive?
Check out these resources to learn more about reducing toxics and other stories about the Snake River basin.
