Winter nutrient pollution affects waterways by delivering sudden doses of nitrogen and phosphorus at a time when streams and lakes are less able to process them. Once runoff carries these nutrients into the water, rising temperatures stimulate algae growth, triggering spring and summer blooms.
As algae die and break down, they consume oxygen, which can stress or kill fish and other aquatic life. Because these nutrient pulses often occur during thaw events, they can overwhelm natural buffering systems and create long-lasting water quality problems that become more noticeable as the weather warms.
