Dairy Farms Pollute Lake

A New Zealand lake is undergoing a $11.6 million project to clean up pollution from nearby agricultural runoff. Research from New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research places Lake Ellesmere at the top of the list of 140 polluted lakes. The cleanup of the lake could take up to 30 years to complete and will require increased regulation of farming practices. Dr. Russel Norman, co-leader of the New Zealand Green Party, says, “Scientists have shown that land-use intensification, such as putting more fertilizer and cows on our land, is the primary reason for water quality decline in New Zealand.”