IV-331 

 SECTION 4. FUTURE WASTE DISCHARGE IMPACTS 



The amounts and impact of wastes generated by man's activities 

 are a function of population growth, urbanization, industrial 

 and commercial development, changing technologies, and consump- 

 tion of goods and services -- even those associated with leisure 

 time activities. The following discussion defines trends and 

 the probable future course of events related to waste discharge 

 affecting the estuarine zone. However, in most cases, only an 

 indication of the magnitude of the problem can be set out here 

 due to the lack of comparable long-term data, the complexity 

 of the waste discharge assimilation process and the unknown 

 quantity and composition of future waste discharges. 



The emphasis in the following discussion is on those trends in 

 waste discharge that most directly affect water quality, although 

 it must be recognized that the problems associated with wastes 

 affect the total environment, and extend well beyond the defined 

 area of the estuarine zone, both landward and seaward. 



LIQUID WASTES 



Fresh Water Inflows 



Many of the sources that determine estuarine water quality are 

 and will be external to the estuarine zone. The quantity, as 



