Thermal pollution

Introduction Thermal Pollution is the harmful increase in water temperature in streams, rivers, lakes, or occasionally, coastal ocean waters.It is the degradation of water quality by any process that changes ambient water temperature.A temperature increase as small as 1 or 2 Celsius degrees (about 2 to 4 Fahrenheit degrees) can kill native fish, shellfish, and plants, or drive them out in favor of other species, often with undesirable effects. When water used as a coolant is returned to the natural environment at a higher temperature, the sudden change in temperature decreases oxygen supply and affects ecosystem composition.Fish and other organisms adapted to particular temperature range can be killed by an abrupt change in water temperature (either a rapid increase or decrease) known as “Thermal shock.” Sources The major sources of thermal pollution are discharge of heated water or hot waste material into water bodies from: -