Rappahannock River Basin, Roanoke and Yadkin River Basin, Shenandoah River Basin, . Find out how. Those animals generate more than 410,000 tons of poultry litter and about 1 billion gallons (3.8 billion liters) of liquid manure a year. Many farmers will use animal waste as a fertilizer for crops. Xranks ! Rising salt levels in the Potomac River threaten wildlife, drinking water. What's plaguing the Potomac River? Network Headquarters Prevent cattle from using the river as a restroom by fencing cattle away from rivers and streams, Stop feeding of cattle on the banks of rivers and streams, Creating buffers to catch rainwater that carries animal waste, dirt, fertilizers and pesticides into the river during rain storms, Clean Water Act 50th Anniversary Campaign, South West & Rhode Riverkeeper Elle Bassett. Shenandoah Riverkeeper is working with the Allegheny Blue-Ridge Alliance and others to fight the construction of this pipeline. RICHMOND, Virginia (October 20, 2003) -- Two environmental groups will sue DuPont to force a cleanup of mercury from the South River and the South Fork of the Shenandoah River because of health risks for people who eat fish from those waters. But unlike in DC where sewage overflows are to blame, its agricultural runoff thats harming the Shenandoah. The Shenandoah Riverkeeper Swim Guide lists over 70 access points on the three major reaches of the Shenandoah River. Financial statements can be provided upon request. They notify government oversight agencies, contact the polluter, and if needed, take legal action if other actions do not result in improvements. , much of the Shenandoah River is polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli. The Riverkeeper programs also work on some policy and legislative issues related to our work protecting access to the rivers. The main route of human exposure is through eating contaminated fish. The health department didnt respond to requests for comment about the states policies. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. In a victory for clean water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its intent to publish updated water pollution control standards for slaughterhouses and animal rendering facilities by August 2025, following a lawsuit filed by community and conservation organizations late last year. Agricultural runoff, including manure from the Valleys many livestock operations and industrial scale poultry operations, is a source of contamination for 71 percent of the polluted river and stream miles in the Shenandoah Valley, according to state figures. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. He said that the agency is trying to sample fewer sites, but targeted in areas where people actually get wet during recreation. SEATTLE (AP) A company that operates a century-old hydroelectric dam near Mount Rainier National Park and its chief operating officer each pleaded guilty to a single criminal count Monday in connection with a spill of synthetic field turf and the tiny rubber particles used to make it into the Puyallup River in 2020.. Many of these chemicals that are not regulated or tested for are endocrine distruptors, a type of chemical pollution believed to be the cause of fish kills and intersex fish in the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers. Cleaning up our local streams and creeks isn't just good for public health. The state should take action to implement the cleanup plans it creates, so that TMDLs are more meaningful. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. In a story April 26 about a report on pollution in the Shenandoah River, The Associated Press reported erroneously that the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has 3,500 farmer members. The Shenandoah River is a very popular river for canoeing, river tubing, and white-water recreation such as rafting and kayaking (class I-III in season, II-III+ during the spring run-off), and several commercial outfitters offer a variety of guided trips and rentals. Washington, D.C. A new report finds that Virginias efforts to restore the health of the scenic Shenandoah River are failing because of toothless and absent cleanup plans, a lack of regulations on the livestock industry, and inadequate monitoring. Its springtime, so lets do a bad agriculture story.. VDEQ intends to complete the bacteria pilot study in 2021 and will share the results with the public., VDEQ in October 2019 also modified the standard that the state uses to determine if waterways are impaired for recreation, a determination that triggers requirements for long-term clean-up plans under the federal Clean Water Act. The threshold used in this graph is EPAs recommended beach action value for swimming, which recommends states to notify the public when bacteria levels exceed 235 counts of E. coli bacteria/100 ml water. Resource briefs are short PDFs summarizing our monitoring programs or results. DEQs refusal to even evaluate this evidence to make an impairment determination is unacceptableas is EPAs failure to step in and perform its oversight duties as the Clean Water Act requires it to do., Phillip Ellis, Earthjustice, (202) 745-5221, Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, (571) 969-0746, Phillip Musegaas, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, (914) 806-0916, Hershel Finch, Warren County, VA Chapter of Izaak Walton League of America, (540) 270-1590, Stephan J. Kimm, Potomac River Smallmouth Club, (703) 928-5473, Potomac Riverkeeper We wish to see our river returned to the condition it once was, a fishable, swimmable waterway, and enjoyable experience, unencumbered by the thick, extensive mats of algae we see today.. Because of the sensitivity of the streams to acidification, long-term monitoring of stream water chemistry and hydrogeochemical processes is a major component of the Inventory and Monitoring Program. Together, farmers in Augusta, Page, Rockingham and Shenandoah counties raise more than 172 million chicken and turkeys a year and more than half a million dairy and beef cows, the report says. Four local environmental groups are suing the EPA over pollution levels in Virginias Shenandoah River, a major tributary to the Potomac. Discharge Pipes (or any other apparent point source pollution) - Discharge pipes that are discolored, emitting a foul odor, a lot of foam, or some other detectable pollution fall under this . The Blue Ridge Physiographic Province within the Mid-Atlantic Network contains portions of the headwaters for three major watersheds: the Rappahannock, the Shenandoah, and the James Rivers. That has not occurred according to the most recent data collected by the Commonwealth. Have you heard about how tree-mendous urban trees are? Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. Hear from a lawn care professional on how to harness natures power and take steps to ensure your lawn, big or small, is river friendly! Discover 11 fun facts about the mysterious, magical powers of trees and how we can help support them! The North Fork is no stranger to algae. Seven Things You Can Do To Protect the Shenandoah River From Future Fish Kills. Mark Frondorf, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, said: The river and its users cannot afford the sleight-of-hand technique employed by authorities on water quality standards. "Blooms in general are always exacerbated by nutrients," said Joe Wood, a senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Virginia office. Mark also served onthe Board of Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Fly Fishers. 7 local animals making a comeback thanks to clean water, 7 tree-mendous facts: How trees support the Potomac River, us, and each other, Study finds the Potomac is getting saltier, threatening drinking water and wildlife. Collecting and Managing Surplus Manure: Who Should Pay? The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is responding by calling the report "an opinion piece.". Potomac Riverkeeper Network is dedicated to monitoring the condition of the rivers through regular on-the-water patrols, volunteers, and citizen reports through the website and the mobile phone app, the Water Reporter. Washington DC 20007, POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE CAPTION: A Symbol Of Pollution Is No More Cameras rolling, onlookers view the demolition of the 30-story smokestack of the the former Avtex Fibers plant, a Superfund site on Virginia's. Site Designed by DC Web Designers, a Washington DC web design company, Advocates Guide For Challenging LNG Projects, Water Quality in the Shenandoah Valley: Virginias Cleanup Plans Fail to Solve Bacteria Problem, Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter. In order to guarantee that our water is safe, these pollutants must be stopped from entering waterways in the first place, and we must study, test for, andif necessaryremove endocrine disruptors in our water supply. People might be upset by warning signs, but the signs would increase public pressure on state lawmakers to invest the funds and effort needed to reduce pollution for example, by requiring farmers to fence their herds of cattle out of the Shenandoah River, said Schaeffer, former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA. * Information that violates a person's right to privacy The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because. Mercury is a neurotoxin and it is not to be trifled with. Today's announcement marks that notice. Shenandoah National Park consists of nearly 200,000 acres of protected land in Northern Virginia and boasts over 500 miles of hiking trails, the 105 mile Skyline Drive with beautiful views, and thousands of living creatures, including the endangered Shenandoah Salamander that is only found in the park. Experts say that they usually are a symptom of an ecosystem out of balance. Those behind the report, however, have focused their criticism on the state. Shenandoah Riverkeeper uses information from monitoring and community activity and takes actions to create positive change. The department continues to conduct water column tests to determine if the bacteria cells are present in higher concentrations. However, those numbers could soon fall not because the waters are any cleaner, but because Virginia recently revised its water quality standards to tolerate higher concentrations of fecal bacteria, according to EIPs report. The water from these springs is very cool and, on its downhill journey, forms the numerous high gradient and highly oxygenated streams found in Shenandoah. The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) report is based on an examination of state records and water quality monitoring data, and includes the following findings: EIPs report also examines how the regulatory landscape is shifting in Virginia. 5 *completely legal* ways to pollute the Potomac, 6 local wetlands to quench your wanderlust. Under federal and state clean water laws, impaired waterways (to use the term in the Clean Water Act for waters that are so polluted they cant be safely used for swimming, drinking, fishing, or other purposes) are supposed to have cleanup plans and implementation plans. The South River Science Team was established in 2001 and began conducting studies to understand how mercury enters the South River and why mercury in South River and South Fork Shenandoah River fish continue to remain elevated some 60 years after it was used at the former DuPont facility in Waynesboro, Virginia. The report focuses on four counties in the bucolic Shenandoah Valley watershed that are also home to a large-scale farming industry. Periodically, we publish reports that describe what we are learning in the field. These Combined Sewer Overflows release pollutants like fecal coliform bacteria and e. coli into the waterway that can sicken animals, fish, and humans, and deplete oxygen levels causing harmful algal blooms. Last month, the DuPont Company announced its plan to stop mercury from contaminating the South River, which is one of the leading tributaries for the South Fork of the Shenandoah. The Environmental Integrity Project is a 19-year-old nonprofit organization, based in Washington D.C., that is dedicated to enforcing environmental laws and strengthening policy to protect public health. For decades, Virginia has collected bacteria data in both fresh and saltwater areas of the state, but has only posted warning signs for swimmers on ocean and saltwater beaches. For several years, Shenandoah Riverkeeper has worked with research partners at the USGS and other agencies on further understanding the health effects of endocrine disruptors in rivers, vigilantly monitoring the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers for further fish kills, and are building community awareness. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Wilmer Stoneman, director of commodities and marketing for the Farm Bureau Federation, said farmers face stringent regulations and are doing more than ever to improve conservation overall. The legal steps being taken today are required because the political will to do anything about the algae problems we see on the Shenandoah River seems to be lacking both in Richmond and by our federal regulatory agencies, said Stephan J. Kimm, president of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club. The number of water monitoring sites in the Shenandoah Valley declined from an average of 70 per year from 2015 to 2018, to 30 per year in 2019 and 2020, with many of the excluded sites having the highest levels of bacteria. The members of our local chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America stand shoulder to shoulder with our local Riverkeepers and others to ensure this river is restored, and remains the national treasure we know it to be.. It's just dangerous," said Herschel Finch, a fisherman in Front Royal. Washington, DC 20005, Phone: (202) 296-8800 Furthermore, the states manure control system allows manure containing far more phosphorous to be applied than the crops need, according to the report. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. "Instead of solving the problem, the DuPont funded team is just generating lots of reports, not one of which is aimed toward a cleanup.". We reserve the right to edit or decline comments that do In the absence of a mechanism for conducting frequent seasonal bacteria monitoring at freshwater beaches, VDH lacks the data necessary to make advisory decisions for these waters, Smigo wrote in an email. (1/7) Dear Potomac Conservancy community: After much consideration, our organization has made the decision to paus, We're a proud sponsor of the 5th Taking Nature Black Conference hosted by @, Citing public health threats, local groups sue over Shenandoah River pollution, E.coli bacteria caused the cancellation of the Nations Triathlon swim portion, History we should know: How the Potomac shaped our community. Virginia did not follow that recommendation, and instead eliminated its state freshwater beach action value.. 2023 Waterkeepers Chesapeake. That advisory continues today. Determine the natural range of variability in water chemistry (including bacterial composition). 7 benefits of urban trees for communities, clean water, and more! Think about it. 2023, Potomac Conservancy, Silver Spring, MD. Additional bacteria sampling data is available from Friends of the Shenandoah River. It has never issued public health advisories or posted signs in freshwater areas like the Shenandoah River, even though rafting and swimming are common in the scenic waterway. Reports will go to your local Waterkeeper. In the event that discussions break down, or improvements stall, the program will use local regulations where they exist that may compel farmers to make changes. The alert applies to about 11 miles of the rivers North Fork, extending from just above Strasburg at VA Route 644 to just below the town at Route 611. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. Fax: (202) 296-8822, 1206 San Antonio Street South Fork Shenandoah River [ edit] Federal, state, and local governments are mandated to provide basic services like safe, clean drinking water. There are sections where its just completely unproductive to go fish anymore because the algae is taking up all the oxygen and the fish just cant survive, he said Wednesday in a conference call with reporters. His passion for the water,combined with his people and analytical skills, honed over 25 years as a think tank seniorpolicy analyst tackling some of the most vexing issues facing our nation, make him ideallysuited to defend the Shenandoah against pollution, protect our right to clean water, andpromote the recreational use of this beautiful river. The team has no cleanup plans. You can reach him at jcox@bayjournal.com. Despite the years of growing evidence of impairment, EPA failed to take the action required by the Clean Water Act to limit the pollution causing these algae blooms, said Jennifer Chavez, the Earthjustice attorney representing the river groups. In December 2013, EPA compounded Virginias inaction by failing to either approve or disapprove of Virginias decision not to list the Shenandoah as impaired, in violation of an explicit statutory duty to take action. Lives are lost every year from this pollution, and our economy is forced to bear the burden of . For most of this country's history, wetlands were seen as an impediment to development. In this case, Virginia would be required to develop limits on the total amount of nitrogen and phosphorus being discharged into the Shenandoah that are protective enough to prevent algae blooms and improve water quality. Once your report is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper and to a live map available on the Water Reporter Website. Learn more about listing the Shenandoah as impaired, Learn more about Shenandoah Algae Elimination Campaign, Community Science Water Quality Monitoring Program, Shenandoah Riverkeeper on WZRV 95.3 The River. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. So far this time, cyanotoxins have been below or just above the detection level in water samples tested not high enough to trigger advisories, health officials say. Shenandoah River Basin, Shenandoah River Basin, three major reaches of the Shenandoah River a! 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