Multiple factors have contributed to the decline in water quality of The Sparkill Creek. The stuff that is supposed to stay in our yards, our sewers and our garbages is making its way into the water. The following are the main problems facing the creek today:
Runoff
When pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are applied to our lawns they have a tendency to migrate, especially when it rains. They follow the natural course that the water is on. The same is true for other chemical pollutants and litter as well. The associated harmful substances collect in the organisms that live in the water and they appear in other parts of the food chain.
Too Many Nutrients
Fertilizers do significantly more damage as they cause an overgrowth of algae, lowering the levels of dissolved oxygen in the water and giving it a cloudy appearance. This makes it harder for fish to survive and spawn which makes it harder for birds to survive. See how the water appears green in the following photograph.
Untreated Sewage
One of the major issues with The Sparkill Creek is that it is incorporated into the design of the local wastewater treatment plant in Orangeburg, seen in the picture below. The plant is sometimes overwhelmed after large storms create too much water to treat. In these rare events, they simply dump untreated sewage into the creek. This causes pollutants to enter, harmful bacteria to thrive and the ecosystem is further damaged. As of 2009, the plant is making an effort to prevent this problem by making internal improvements.
Another problem is the overflow of untreated sewage at individual sewers. It is a difficult problem to prevent given that the root of the problem is often underground. The following table provides some examples of such overflows.
Recent Sewage Spills Into The Sparkill Creek -NYSDEC Spills Database
Date
Location
Gallons Spilled
April 7, 2005
Route 304
1,000
November 8, 2006
530 Route 303, Blauvelt
Unknown
March 19, 2007
Route 303, Orangeburg
10,000
April 15-19, 2007
530 Route 303, Blauvelt
215,000
November 21, 2008
Oak Tree Rd
Unknown
Erosion
The land in Orangetown is prone to erosion due to the overdevelopment that has occurred. Sediments become dislodged from our properties and flow into the creek where they settle. When this happens, the habitats are altered, it degrades the water quality and accelerates flooding by obstructing flow. An example of how erosion can impede water flow can be seen in the picture below, adjacent to Route 303.
Flooding
The flooding of The Sparkill Creek typically occurs after major storms move through the area and dump a lot of rain in a small amount of time. When this occurs, the ground becomes saturated, the tributaries run wild, the sewers back up and the wastewater treatment plant exceeds capacity causing even more water to directly enter the creek. This combination of events makes certain areas of the creek overflow and cause serious flooding. Flooding pushes water into yards and streets, it grabs garbage and pollutants, accelerates erosion and the cycle continues.
The Sparkill Creek submerges Oak Tree Road
Litter
People of all ages continue to litter in and around The Sparkill Creek. Mainly it's plastic bottles and coffee cups that make their way into the creek, although all sorts of garbage can be found in the water. If it lands on 303 in Orangeburg, it can appear in The Piermont Marsh. The litter itself causes problems, but the substances that they break down into can enter the ecosystem and cause further damage. This is the easiest problem to solve and prevent.
Conclusion
The take home lesson is that all of these issues are interconnected, and they can all be prevented. By addressing each one, local citizens and their government have the power to greatly improve the quality of The Sparkill Creek. See What You Can Do. For a more detailed explanation of the environmental issues see the Environmental Science Section.
