Population growth and poor agricultural practices are the main culprits in a deterioration of the Potomac River’s health, according to a recent environmental study. The Potomac Conservancy released its yearly State of the Nation’s River report last Thursday, and gave the waterway a D grade, down from a D+ in its first report in 2007.

As cities surrounding Washington have grown over the past five years, development of new neighborhoods has destroyed much of the forest that usually contains and filters rainwater flowing into the Potomac. Now with the addition of many non-absorbent surfaces, such as roofs and parking lots, in cities, more polluted water is flowing into the watershed than ever.

At the same time, a growing number of farms around the river valley have led to runoff contaminated with nutrients from animal feed and waste. The decay of these nutrients in the water depletes oxygen, resulting in fish kills and “dead zones,” where there is not enough water to sustain marine life, in the river and Chesapeake Bay. The Potomac is also often unsafe for swimming after summer rainstorms, when overburdened city sewer systems spill human waste into the river, a problem that only worsens with population increase.

The poultry industry presents a particular difficulty. Chickens are big business in Northwest Virginia and Maryland, but their waste is especially harmful to the river. It is rich in oxygen-depleting nitrogen and phosphorous, along with a host of other harmful bacteria like E. Coli. Even so, there are few rules governing the handling of waste by big farms, and the policies are, according to the report, “vague.” As levels of runoff have increased, the uptick in farming activity and waste has created a particularly tough environmental situation for the Potomac.

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Greenopia USA recently released green rankings for universities, and Georgetown didn’t come out looking so great. The rankings are given out on a scale of four leaves, and Georgetown received just one lone leaf.

That means we met less than 50 percent of their criteria for environmental reporting, green building design, waste programs, renewable energy, green food options, alternative fuel vehicles and water conservation.

Greenopia did give us points for requiring LEED Silver designation for all new construction, exceeding the average for waste diversion, and using a large amount of solar energy.

Out big black mark? Environmental reporting and transparency:

Georgetown could certainly benefit from some additional reporting. Simply put, Georgetown had some of the worst reporting we came across and this is unacceptable …

Georgetown has some environmental reporting (although not much), but has yet to take part in the ACUPPCC’s challenge for reporting/transparency.

As unsettling as our evaluation is, other local schools didn’t do much better.  American also came away with one leaf, getting knocked for poor reporting, as well.  Howard didn’t get any stars, just a scathing indictment of their lack of environmental action.  George Washington, Catholic and Gallaudet weren’t included in the rankings.

Via Renewable Energy Turns Me On.