Acid Rain & Nitrogen Overload:  Sulfur and nitrogen are causing problems for the park as well.  These two pollutants place the Great Smokies at the top of the list of monitored parks, in terms of nitrogen loading.  The average pH of rain is around 4.5 to 5.  This is much more acidic than typical rainfall found in other areas, 5 to 6.  Clouds also carry a high level of acidity, as low as a pH of 2, they cover the mountains causing just as many problems. 

    The nitrogen carried by the air settles out on the ground, making the soil saturated with nitrogen.  Because of all the excess nitrogen other nutrients are limited.  Some of this nitrogen dissolved in the streams affecting aquatic life.  Nitrate levels in some streams are near the limit for health standards. 

Ozone:  Ozone pollution threatens human health and plants, not only in the Great Smokies, but all across the globe.  However, in the park ozone is a major problem.  When nitrogen oxides mix with hydrocarbons in the presence of the sun ozone is created.  Once again cars, factories and power plants contribute to this pollution problem.  Ozone is a terrible respiratory irritant for humans and damages the leaves on trees.  There are permanent monitoring stations across the park.  Ozone grows worse at higher elevations and has affected trees such as tu
Since these problems first began the Park Service has created many monitoring stations across the park to monitor ozone, nitrogen, and acid rain.  Under the Clean Air Act the park service has required that factories obtain permits for emissions near the park.  Any increases in pollution must be displaced by reductions in some other type if pollutant.  See National Park Service website.

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liptrees, sassafras and blackberry.  For more information on ozone and acid rain visit the National Park Service website. 

A tree affected by acid rain.

Dead Tree

 
 
Pollution for the Great Smokies has really become a problem.  In fact, a report put out by the Appalachian Voices and National Parks Conservation Association, places the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as the number one most polluted national park.  Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, is second on the list.  So, what kind of pollution is causing problems?  What is happening because of this pollution?  What's being done about it?  Keep reading and we will answer these questions.....

This picture from the National Park service shows how much visibility has declined in the mountains.  This view is from Cerlulean Knob.  The picture on the far left shows a visibility of 155 miles, the middle is 31 miles and the last picture is only 6 miles of visibility.  

Pollution in the Great Smokies

Visibility: Over the last 50 years the wonderful scenic view in the Smoky Mountains have been degraded.  Since, 1948 the view has declined by 80% in the summer time.  Automobiles, power plants, factories and the overall burning of fossil fuels has caused this problem.  This pollution usually looks like a white haze hanging over the mountains.  In non-polluted conditions visibility in the park is about 93 miles, compared to a current visibility of 25 miles.  A survey generated by the National Park Service said that 74% of people visiting the park thought that clean air was highly important.