Upper Potomac 443.480.8970 Fish kills and algal outbreaks, associated with manure from unfenced herds of cattle and large poultry operations, make the river unhealthy and unpleasant for those hoping to enjoy it. There was a problem saving your notification. You can reach him at jcox@bayjournal.com. Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the federal statute under which the two groups are planning to bring suit, a notice of intent must be served 90 days in advance of filing a lawsuit. 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 The Environmental Integrity Project and Shenandoah Riverkeeper released a report in 2019 that used aerial photography to document that only about 20 percent of livestock farms in Virginias biggest agricultural counties, Rockingham and Augusta counties in the Shenandoah Valley, had fenced their cattle out of streams and rivers. The state should either require the livestock industry --or use public funds -- to collect the excess manure that crops cant use and ship it out of the valley, to a region that needs it., The report also found high levels of phosphorous, which feeds algae and can kill fish. The Shenandoah Rive runs through Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, and Augusta counties, which, combined, have about 159 million chickens, 16 million turkeys and 528,000 cows raised annually. Once your report is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper and to a live map available on the Water Reporter Website. Washington, DC 20005, Phone: (202) 296-8800 Additional bacteria sampling data is available from Friends of the Shenandoah River. 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. Partly in response to that report and its own follow up study, Virginia boosted its reimbursement rates for farmers who install fencing, leading to increased sign-ups for the fencing reimbursement program last year. All Rights Reserved. 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. Washington DC 20007, POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. As a last resort, we will take a polluter to court to stop the pollution. Photo credit: Alan Lehman, Program Manager, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. But the public has the right to know when that water isnt safe to enjoy, said Eric Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project. Resource briefs are short PDFs summarizing our monitoring programs or results. Its a matter of basic fairness.. The government only tests water for 1 out of every 400. "Blooms in general are always exacerbated by nutrients," said Joe Wood, a senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Virginia office. South Fork Shenandoah River [ edit] The slimy mats are patchy to widespread along that stretch of river, the agency said. NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council) and the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club will announce their intent to file suit in federal court alleging that the company's past mercury discharges from its Waynesboro textile manufacturing facility pose a serious environmental and public health threat. Shenandoah features waterfalls, quiet woods, wildflower fields, rocky hiking trails, and so much more. The Shenandoah is such a beautiful and historic place and such a treasured spot for fishing, tubing, and recreation Virginia really needs to get more serious about protecting it, said Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA.. Most of all, Virginia needs to regulate the growing livestock industry to stop the chronic overapplication of fertilizer to farm fields, and mandate livestock fencing along streams.. They notify government oversight agencies, contact the polluter, and if needed, take legal action if other actions do not result in improvements. 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. 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. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. Greg Bilyeu, Director of Communications Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), said his agency is planning to increase the frequency of its bacteria monitoring in certain, select areas where people actually swim, and will release an updated bacteria monitoring strategy this fall. 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. The. Snows certainly not been a stanger this winter! To many environmental groups, the root of the algae issue in the Shenandoah is clear: nutrient pollution, especially from agriculture. Cleaning up our local streams and creeks isn't just good for public health. Discover 11 fun facts about the mysterious, magical powers of trees and how we can help support them! They offer links to cost share programs and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices. Since 2010, Shenandoah Riverkeeper has collected hundreds of complaints from river users and submitted most of them to the Virginia government in hopes it would recognize the problem and take direct corrective action. 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. In October 2019, Virginia revoked its beach action value for E. coli in freshwater areas, a trigger value that EPA recommends for issuing short-term no swimming advisories in waterways that have more than 235 counts of E. coli/100 ml of water. Shenandoah Riverkeeper isopposing the construction of the pipeline because it can be built without hurting the habitat of a number of endangered species, it endangers the George Washington National Forest, and sedimentation caused by construction could threaten the water quality. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store. Document the status of and trends in water quality as influenced by point source and non-point source pollution (including atmospheric deposition). Contact Evan Childress, Shenandoah NP Supervisory Fish Biologist, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network. Shenandoah 571.969.0746 Rising salt levels in the Potomac River threaten wildlife, drinking water. 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. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. * Spam or comments that do not pertain to the posted article Shenandoah 571.969.0746 What's plaguing the Potomac River? Shenandoah National Park is located in Virginia's Blueridge Mountains. That advisory continues today. The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Spanning over 200,000 acres of land, the park is known for its beautiful views, natural landscape, and diverse wildlife. 2023, Potomac Conservancy, Silver Spring, MD. Today's announcement marks that notice. Austin, TX 78701. Want to have a yard that works for clean water not against it? That means the health of the people in the Shenandoah Valley is at risk, and a Virginia treasure -- part of our children's heritage -- is being diminished," said Michael Town, director of the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter. 66 years have passed, and we are still dealing with a serious environmental and public health problem at the very headwaters of the Shenandoah River. 2023 Waterkeepers Chesapeake. The report by the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), Water Quality in the Shenandoah Valley: Virginias Cleanup Plans Fail to Solve Bacteria Problem, urges Virginia to take strong steps to protect people swimming in waterways contaminated with fecal bacteria, including by issuing health advisories and posting warning signs and by cracking down on manure runoff from livestock operations. All rights reserved. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. The Potomac Riverkeeper Network is a 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.. Virginia in 2019 also eliminated its fecal bacteria public health warning advisory threshold for swimming in freshwater areas called the beach action value. The Virginia Department of Health continues to use a health warning and monitoring system for saltwater beaches in the state, but has never issued warnings or posted signs to protect people in freshwater areas like those along the Shenandoah River. For more than 20 years, DuPont leaked mercury from the textile plant into the South River, eventually ending up in the Shenandoah River. visit EIPs web page on water quality in the Valley. Furthermore, the states manure control system allows manure containing far more phosphorous to be applied than the crops need, according to the report. The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club has over 16,000 members. Experts say that they usually are a symptom of an ecosystem out of balance. 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 Clean Water Act and other environmental laws allow residents to improve their local rivers and streams through citizen suits. On behalf of Potomac Riverkeeper Network members and the residents throughout the watershed, Shenandoah Riverkeeper and its attorneys routinely monitor known polluters. Ninety-two percent of every dollardonated goes directly to efforts to reduce illegal pollution. Mark joined Potomac Riverkeeper Network in 2015 as the official Shenandoah Riverkeeper. DuPont plans to remediate and restore the riverbanks starting in Constitution Park down in Waynesboro, Virginia. Network Headquarters 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. Paved, drained, dammed and polluted to the point where it is barely recognizable as a stream, the Santa Ana River has long been more a source of ridicule than recreation, more of a waste pit than . An all-too-familiar scourge has returned to the Shenandoah Rivers waters this summer: thick, green mats of algae. No more than two meals pound each or the size of your hand of fish per month should be eaten from the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. The streams are formed from numerous springs, some of which are located near the ridge tops. The Commonwealth also eliminated the states swimming advisory standard for freshwater recreation areas in October 2019 and changed its standard for impaired waters. Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. The Riverkeeper programs also work on some policy and legislative issues related to our work protecting access to the rivers. Virginia is required by the Act to consider all information about stream impairments when updating its list. Shenandoah Riverkeeper continues to receive complaints from river users about slimy green growths of algae, which cause bad odors, interfere with swimming, fishing, paddling and boating, and are contributing to a decline in the health of fish and aquatic ecosystems in the river. The state should take action to implement the cleanup plans it creates, so that TMDLs are more meaningful. The Environmental Integrity Projects report makes the following recommendations: The Virginia General Assembly and VDEQ need to invest enough in staffing and resources to create cleanup and implementation plans for the nearly half of impaired waterway miles in the Shenandoah Valley that lack one or the other of them today. Interactive map of the South River Science Team showing the fish consumption advisories: http://southriverscienceteam.org/map/, Purpose and roles of the SRST: http://southriverscienceteam.org/what-is-srst/, SRST Mercury Fact Sheet: http://southriverscienceteam.org/news/fact-sheets/SR_No2.pdf, SRST newsletter going into great detail as to how they are going to perform the remediation: http://southriverscienceteam.org/news/newsletters/2016/UPDATE_2016_First%20Half_final.pdf, Potomac Riverkeeper Virginia should strengthen its bacteria standards and post swimming advisory signs in freshwater areas used by rafters and swimmers that are contaminated with fecal bacteria, especially now that rafting and tubing season is starting up on the Shenandoah River, said Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project. Each of these rivers eventually flows into the Chesapeake Bay. With all the progress made since the Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, it may still surprise you to learn there are plenty of ways you can still legally pollute the Potomac River. The Southern Environmental Law Center will be assisting in the case. He said theres always room for improvement in the states nutrient management program, but Virginia has seen an overall improvement in bacterial contamination in the Shenandoah River basin. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 550,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Detect water quality measures that exceed threshold values and determine their compliance with state and federal water quality standards. Despite its popularity, the river is often unsafe for swimming. Sampling locations often change from year to year. The evidence of pollution observed during monitoring includes polluted runoff from construction sites and farm land, fish kills and fish with lesions, algae blooms, illicit discharges from pipes and many other signs of compromised water quality. Paddling on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in the George Washington National Forest. member of Waterkeepers Alliance 72 Percent of Sampling Locations in Valley Had E Coli Bacteria Above EPA Safe Swimming Recommendations in 2020. If constructed, this pipeline will traverse the South River, one of two rivers that join up down by Waynesboro to form the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. The agency had to pause a high-frequency bacteria pilot study (and all other monitoring) in spring and early summer 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bilyeu wrote in an email. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) 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. 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. 7 benefits of urban trees for communities, clean water, and more! Learn about the threat of rising salt levels in the Potomac and its tributaries, and alternatives to traditional salt to keep both our roads and freshwater safe. It can be fatal to dogs and other animals. All Rights Reserved. Hayden said no one at the agency had reviewed the report yet, so he couldnt comment on the specifics. Shenandoah Riverkeeper works to protect the public's right to clean water in our rivers and streams. Using state records, it was found that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the Shenandoah River found fecal bacteria (also known as E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact. WASHINGTON, D.C. 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. Potomac 336.809.6041. The main route of human exposure is through eating contaminated fish. After a review, in most cases, they contact the worst polluters to tell them to stop polluting our water supply and to clean up existing pollution. 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