What is one strategy for mitigating pollution in waterways?

Implementing green infrastructure solutions, such as rain gardens, is an effective strategy for mitigating pollution in waterways. Rain gardens are designed to capture and absorb rainwater runoff from impervious surfaces like roads and rooftops. This runoff often carries pollutants such as oils, heavy metals, and sediment that can adversely impact water quality.

By incorporating plants and soil, rain gardens naturally filter these pollutants before they can reach larger bodies of water. This process helps to reduce the amount of contaminants entering streams, rivers, and lakes, thereby improving overall water quality. Additionally, these green infrastructure practices can also help manage stormwater, reduce flooding, and enhance biodiversity in urban areas.

Other strategies, such as building dams or reducing water flow in tributaries, may not effectively address pollution and could potentially exacerbate other environmental issues. Discharging untreated wastewater is detrimental and outright harmful to waterways, as it introduces a host of pollutants directly into the aquatic environment.