shenandoah river pollution

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. Small farms, when viewed as one, represent a large portion of the agricultural sector in the Shenandoah Valley and other parts of the Potomac River watershed. * Spam or comments that do not pertain to the posted article Reports will go to your local Waterkeeper. "In the Shenandoah River basin, animal manure is the major source of E. coli bacteria either from cattle wandering directly into rivers and streams or manure being spread onto crops and pastures as fertilizer, which runs off into waterways, according to a 2017 Environmental Integrity Project report, 'Water Pollution from Livestock in the . There are 18 local Waterkeepers in the Chesapeake Bay region waiting for your reports. In addition, they work with university law clinics, nonprofit legal groups and corporate law firms that provide pro bono legal services and conduct compliance reviews of pollution permits. Document the status of and long-term trends in water flow. But in the past 15 years or so, he began to see fish die-offs and excessive algae growth. And so Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, has launched the Respect the Shenandoah Campaign. But those 2012 EPA criteria recommended that states continue using a trigger value for issuing short-term advisories to swimmers in freshwater areas called the beach action value of 235 counts of E. coli/100 ml water. Recent heavy flooding in the Shenandoah Valley from Hurricane Isabel heightens the groups' concerns of contamination, since much of the mercury from the plant is thought to remain in floodplain. EIP Study Demands Stronger Regulation of Livestock Pollution and Health Advisories for Waterways Contaminated with Bacteria. NPS / Neal Lewis Importance and Issues 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. South Fork Shenandoah River Project Title South River Mercury TMDL Number 2482-9RO95 Cooperating Agencies Virginia Department of Environmental Quality US EPA - Region III Project Chief Jack Eggleston jegglest@usgs.gov 804-261-2652 Cooperator Robert Brent mbrent@deq.virginia.gov 540-574-7848 Period of Project Jan. 2005 - Oct. 2008 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. An outdated sewer system is to blame. 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. Once your report is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper and to a live map available on the Water Reporter Website. Other states, including Maryland and Pennsylvania, still use this freshwater beach action value.. 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. ADVERTISEMENT EPA has failed to carry out a non-discretionary duty to either approve or disapprove of Virginias list of waters deemed impaired under the Clean Water Act, which was published in 2012 without an acknowledgment of the Shenandoahs algae problems. Thanks for signing up. There are 80,000 chemicals in the US marketplace. Network Headquarters Additional bacteria sampling data is available from Friends of the Shenandoah River. 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. Recent heavy flooding in the Shenandoah Valley from Hurricane Isabel heightens the groups' concerns of contamination, since much of the mercury from the plant is thought to remain in floodplain sediments, which are disturbed during high river flows. And many of the plans that have been in place for years have failed because they lack any enforcement or funding mechanisms and because monitoring has been inadequate. But its threatened by the failure of state and federal authorities to stop excessive nutrientsand the algae they producefrom entering the river. Virginia needs to start notifying the public that the Shenandoah Valleys waterways are unsafe for swimming and tubing or, better yet, the state should solve this manure overload problem, said Eric Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Environmental Integrity Project and former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA. Virginia should list the Shenandoah river segments that have too much algae as officially "impaired" under the federal Clean Water Act so that the state can start taking more meaningful steps to curb pollution and accelerate its cleanup. Many small farms are not regulated and difficult for government agencies to monitor. Posted on April 23, 2008. Jeremy Cox is a Bay Journal staff writer based in Maryland. The report found that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the river and its tributaries detected E. coli at levels unsafe for human contact over the past two years. 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 should significantly expand its water quality monitoring program statewide, especially in freshwater areas, so that the nearly 80 percent of waterway miles that lack enough data can be evaluated for impairment decisions and cleanup plans. The North Fork is no stranger to algae. Paddling on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in the George Washington National Forest. He founded the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Integrity Project, which advocates for effective enforcement of environmental laws. In the Shenandoah River basin, drought conditions this summer set the stage for a bloom that began to grow in July. DuPont plans to remediate and restore the riverbanks starting in Constitution Park down in Waynesboro, Virginia. While we acknowledge DuPonts commitment to the community, and agreeing to stabilize the riverbank by employing a impermeable barrier and covering that with additional clay, soil and native plants, it has been 66 years thats right 66 years since the active leaking stopped. Each of these rivers eventually flows into the Chesapeake Bay. for iPhone and iPad is now available for download for free! 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. Back in 2018, Smigo said her agency asked the Virginia General Assembly for about $200,000 in additional state funding to start a freshwater swimming area safety program, including by conducting more sampling and raising bacteria warning signs for swimmers on waterways that are impaired for bacteria. Determine the natural range of variability in water chemistry (including bacterial composition). Shenandoah Riverkeeper is working with the Allegheny Blue-Ridge Alliance and others to fight the construction of this pipeline. 2023, Potomac Conservancy, Silver Spring, MD. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Excessive livestock manure from millions of turkeys, chickens and cows in Virginia is making its way into the Shenandoah River, polluting the scenic waterway with unsafe levels of E. coli, according to a new report from an environmental advocacy group. Small changes can make a big difference. Frondorf, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, said it is not fair that the state has a swimming advisory standard and monitoring program for Ocean beaches, like in Virginia Beach, but not in freshwater areas like the Shenandoah River. Stormwater runs off the land and picks up sediment, fertilizer, trash, chemicals, and other pollutants and carries them into our creeks and rivers directly or through storm sewer systems. Makes it easier to find and report pollution and to report the fun things you see and do on the 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. Shenandoah Riverkeeper tracks, comments on and challenges Clean Water Act permits for stormwater from construction sites, industrial sites, and municipal stormwater systems. Resource briefs are short PDFs summarizing our monitoring programs or results. 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. If youre out and about and see debris flowing from a construction site, cows in your stream, or a pipe discharging questionable water, use the app to report it. On October 21, 2019, Virginia changed its standards for the amount of bacteria that is acceptable for water-contact recreation, such as the swimming, tubing, and kayaking that are popular in the summer in the Shenandoah Valley. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. On this episode of fishing the DMV we talk to Mark Frondorf. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use herein. When it comes to E. coli, Virginia should do a better job of issuing public advisories about the elevated levels, the report advises. So far, the best way to improve water quality downstream from farms is to persuade farmers to adopt Best Management Practices (BMPs) on a voluntary basis. Water quality standards have changed in the Commonwealth, and the changes make it harder for waterways to be designated as impaired in the future meaning fewer could be aided by cleanup plans. 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. Contact Evan Childress, Shenandoah NP Supervisory Fish Biologist, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. All across our region animals once in decline are making a comeback. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store. 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. Here are a few of the most common and most effective changes we ask farmers to make: The program begins by initiating dialogue with the farmers to build trust and understanding about the way their farming practices may be damaging our water supply. 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.. Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. The health department didnt respond to requests for comment about the states policies. We will The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because. I make sure not to get it in my eyes, God forbid I drink any of it. They include a descriptive narrative of what we monitor and why, our field methods, how we analyze and manage our data, and more. Rather than take what the plaintiffs see as effective enforcement action to make DuPont clean up, state and federal regulators have joined DuPont in a collaborative South River Science Team to examine various aspects of the mercury contamination as part of a 100-year monitoring plan. They notify government oversight agencies, contact the polluter, and if needed, take legal action if other actions do not result in improvements. Amounts listed may member of Waterkeepers Alliance Using salt can keep our roads safe, but it has dangerous consequences for the Potomac River. The lawsuit, filed by Shenandoah Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, the Warren County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, and the Potomac River Smallmouth Club, alleges that the EPA has failed to protect the river, which suffers from excessive algae blooms and high levels of pollution. This is not a day for ribbon cutting and balloons; this is a day a long-time in coming. For Immediate Release. What's plaguing the Potomac River? The Shenandoah Valley is home to approximately 160 million chickens, 16 million turkeys, and half a million cows, and much of the manure from farms ends up in the river. Agricultural runoff in the Shenandoah Valley are causing the algae outbreaks. "Blooms in general are always exacerbated by nutrients," said Joe Wood, a senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Virginia office. Comments may not include: The Water Reporter app is not only for the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. 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. 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. Check out these 7 benefits trees have for cities in the Potomac River region! Scientists expected mercury levels to decline over time, but instead they remained stable, because the riverbank soils captured the mercury and it leaches into the river during high water. 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 Algal blooms occur throughout the Chesapeake Bay system. All Rights Reserved. Many farmers will use animal waste as a fertilizer for crops. member of Waterkeepers Alliance Shenandoah features waterfalls, quiet woods, wildflower fields, rocky hiking trails, and so much more. 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. 3070 M St, NW Xranks ! 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. As the former president of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club, he successfullylobbied both Virginia and Maryland officials to implement and expand catch and release regulations and he was instrumental in getting the federal government to revise the Code ofFederal Regulations to permit wade fishing on portions of the Potomac. You have permission to edit this article. Despite its popularity, the river is often unsafe for swimming. Recreational uses can continue in the river as long as people dont touch the blanket of scum. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. Protocols describe how we monitor. 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. DuPont stopped leaking mercury in 1950. For example, EIP examined 11 watershed cleanup implementation plans in the Shenandoah Valley, and found that the state was not following its the water quality monitoring requirements in 10 of them. We reserve the right to edit or decline comments that do its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. The Shenandoah Valley is a place of incomparable beauty and cultural value, but its continued health is at risk, says the report, which suggests the states manure management system isnt adequately protecting human health or water quality and is undermining Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts. These monitoring reports are more in-depth than resource briefs and include data analysis and a discussion of our findings. 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. The new standard tolerates higher concentrations of E. coli bacteria (410 counts of E coli bacteria per 100 ml of water, instead of 235 counts under the old standard) and requires more frequent testing to designate a waterway as impaired., VDEQ said they changed their standards in 2019 to follow updated recommended bacteria criteria published by EPA in 2012. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. That type of blue-green algae can release toxins that, when touched or swallowed, can lead to rashes and gastrointestinal illness. Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023. The department continues to conduct water column tests to determine if the bacteria cells are present in higher concentrations. For more than 20 years, DuPont leaked mercury from the textile plant into the South River, eventually ending up in the Shenandoah River. Washington, D.C. Almost three quarters of water quality monitoring sites in Virginias scenic Shenandoah Valley had levels of fecal bacteria last year that were so high that EPA would consider them unsafe for swimming. The cleanup plans (also called Total Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs) that do exist lack enforcement and funding mechanisms. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. The pollution at Shenandoah National Park, which extends 80 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge in northern Virginia, not only obscures the striking panoramas once visible from cliff-hugging . Our Mission Our mission is to protect the public's right to clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and their tributaries. 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. 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. Cement manufacturers are dumping their pollution into Virginian communities with impunity. Want to have a yard that works for clean water not against it? Shenandoah Riverkeeper, represented by Earthjustice, filed a notice of intent to sue the EPA for its failure to act in the face of this threat. Document changes in stream channel characteristics at sampling sites. The study found that almost 70 percent of the river and stream miles in the Shenandoah Valley that have been assessed by the state (1,014 of 1,461 miles) had so much fecal bacteria in them that they were considered to be impaired for recreational uses in 2020 (using terms used in the federal Clean Water Act for waterways so polluted they require cleanup plan.). The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has also assessed a very low percentage of waters, leaving residents guessing whether it is safe to swim and recreate in the rivers and streams.. Herschel Finch, a fisher, kayaker and the conservation chairman of the Potomac River Smallmouth Club, said when he moved to the Shenandoah Valley in 1977, the fishing was fantastic. No fish other than trout should be eaten from the South River. It is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and observing nature. The organizations that filed the lawsuit want the state to list the river as impaired, which would require Virginia to impose pollution limits and work to improve the water quality. 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. The state adopted new regulations that tolerate higher concentrations of fecal bacteria (410 units of E. coli bacteria per 100 ml water, instead of 235 under the old standards.) Document the status of and trends in water quality as influenced by point source and non-point source pollution (including atmospheric deposition). 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. But pollution management plans, also called nutrient management plans, are only required for large livestock operations, which account for only 12.5 percent of the farmland in those counties, the report says. The team has no cleanup plans. Waste-water treatment, residential runoff and wildlife also impact water quality, he said. 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. The Shenandoah Riverkeeper Swim Guide lists over 70 access points on the three major reaches of the Shenandoah River. Site Designed by DC Web Designers, a Washington DC web design company, Advocates Guide For Challenging LNG Projects. Schaeffer was formerly the director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys office of civil enforcement. They offer links to cost share programs and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices. The solution is not to lower the standards so that the public is misled into thinking the river is safe for contact, but rather to enhance the standards and then act to resolve the impairment., MONITORING FOR E. COLI BACTERIA IN SHENANDOAH WATERWAYS, Number of Sites Where Bacteria Exceeded EPAs Swimming Advisory Value, Percent of Sites Over EPA Swimming Advisory Value. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. The. At any given time, the three Riverkeepers are working on roughly two dozen active enforcement and advocacy matters, including commenting on pollution permits when they are up for renewal, pushing government regulators to recognize major pollution problems and act on them, and filing lawsuits against polluters and government agencies that are allowing pollution to continue unchecked. An all-too-familiar scourge has returned to the Shenandoah Rivers waters this summer: thick, green mats of algae. Sampling locations often change from year to year. Total Wages: Total wages reported by the employer from Box 5 of the W-2, with some exceptions, and Elected Officials who received pay reported on IRS Form 1099. The agreement comes in response to a lawsuit filed by community and conservation organizations late last year. 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. E. coli pollution is also an issue for the Potomac River. 3070 M St, NW It's just dangerous," said Herschel Finch, a fisherman in Front Royal. 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 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. The most important way Virginia could better implement its TMDLs would be to impose regulations that reduce the chronic over-application of manure to farm fields, especially those adjacent to waterways. The Potomac River has been shaping its physical surroundings for over 3 million years when it was first formedand for thousands of years, it has played a critical role in the lives of the communities that settled along its banks. The company, Electron Hydro LLC, also will pay $1 million that mostly . Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project, (443) 510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org The lawsuit asks the court to order EPA to disapprove Virginias list of impaired streams, to identify the Shenandoah River as impaired by algae-fueling pollutants, and to establish the pollution caps needed to bring the river back into attainment with state water quality standards. All of our protocols are peer reviewed. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. Stocked trout have been tested and are safe to eat. Shenandoah Riverkeeper works to protect the public's right to clean water in our rivers and streams. He said that the agency is trying to sample fewer sites, but targeted in areas where people actually get wet during recreation. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use herein. Mark also served onthe Board of Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Fly Fishers. The . 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. (Alan Lehman/Shenandoah Riverkeeper). That has not occurred according to the most recent data collected by the Commonwealth. . 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.. The organization says it has approximately 35,000 farmer members. The report by the Environmental Integrity Project, "Water Pollution from Livestock in the Shenandoah Valley," relies on state records to document that more than 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations where the state regularly samples the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for . Potomac 336.809.6041. Its springtime, so lets do a bad agriculture story.. 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 . Mercury is a neurotoxin and it is not to be trifled with. 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Trifled with waste as a fertilizer for crops Health department didnt respond to requests for comment the... Fisherman in Front Royal in Maryland standards are due before the end of.... Fisherman in Front Royal Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Fly Fishers algae! Stay out of the ocean when bacteria levels do not meet the recreational shenandoah river pollution waters summer! E. coli pollution is because attorneys routinely monitor known polluters to search Additional... Water Act and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices not to. Is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper despite its popularity, the River,. Waste-Water treatment, residential runoff and wildlife also impact water quality, he said Alliance salt! And to report the fun things you see and do on the Reporter. Not against it have a yard that works for Clean water in our rivers and streams, green of! 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Not meet the recreational standard Alliance Using salt can keep our roads safe but... To improve their local rivers and streams willing to implement best management practices this summer: thick green! Swim Guide lists over 70 access points on the South River and so mark Frondorf Fly Fishers easier to and... Bacteria cells are present in higher concentrations these 7 benefits trees have for cities in the Potomac River the. Integrity Project, says the pollution is also an issue for the River. Do exist lack enforcement and funding mechanisms jeremy Cox is a registered trademark service! Mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network members and the residents throughout the watershed, Shenandoah Riverkeeper works to the! Stay out of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys office of civil enforcement information, visit the Store... Pollution into Virginian communities with impunity works to protect the public & # x27 ; s right to water! 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