shenandoah river pollution

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. A recent report found that 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations along the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014-2016. The. 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. Shenandoah Riverkeeper works to protect the public's right to clean water in our rivers and streams. The team has no cleanup plans. update email soon. All Rights Reserved. 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. What's plaguing the Potomac River? Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf, after a float patrol, stops at the boat launch ramp under Harry Byrd Highway (Va. 7) east of Berryville Thursday. The regions leading clean water advocate, fighting to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. But its threatened by the failure of state and federal authorities to stop excessive nutrientsand the algae they producefrom entering the river. Want to have a yard that works for clean water not against it? Mark joined Potomac Riverkeeper Network in 2015 as the official Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Virginia eliminated its state freshwater beach action value in October 2019 and changed its impairment value. Last year, pollution credit trading allowed the Strasburg Sewage Treatment Plant to release 2,942 pounds of phosphorus into the North Fork of the Shenandoah, according to the new Environmental . 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. Margaret Smigo, Waterborne Hazards Program Coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), said that her agency does not have funding or staff to conduct adequate testing in freshwater swimming areas of the state, like campgrounds along the Shenandoah River. DuPont's textile operations discharged tens of thousands of pounds of mercury into the South River from 1929 to 1950. Agricultural pollution, primarily from manure runoff from fields and livestock yards, was a source of contamination for 71 percent (or 723) of the impaired miles of rivers and streams that were assessed in 2020. 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. All across our region animals once in decline are making a comeback. 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 . All rights reserved. Think about it. 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. 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. 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. Rising salt levels in the Potomac River threaten wildlife, drinking water. In addition to E. coli, which can sicken the swimmers, fishermen and tubers who flock to the river, the report also found elevated levels of phosphorous, which contributes to the growth of algae blooms and low-oxygen dead zones.. 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. The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because of animal waste runoff. Ninety-two percent of every dollardonated goes directly to efforts to reduce illegal pollution. "The Shenandoah is one of the most beautiful rivers in the countryand a popular recreation destination. Resource briefs are short PDFs summarizing our monitoring programs or results. Recreational uses can continue in the river as long as people dont touch the blanket of scum. When the fish arent there, fishermen stay away too, and Finch said hes seen tourism-related businesses shut down. This is an opinion piece that tries to paint agriculture in a bad light, said Stoneman, who has been the federations point person on water quality and environmental issues for 22 years. Having guided on the Shenandoah and Potomac for almost twenty years, Mark Frondorf comes to the Shenandoah Riverkeeper position used to hard work and r All Rights Reserved. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. many people love the Shenandoah River, "Despite its popularity, the river is often unsafe for swimming. 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. Until Virginias waters are cleaned up, Schaeffer said, the Commonwealth should raise no swimming advisory signs in parts of the Shenandoah that are often used for swimming and tubing but that have unsafe levels of fecal bacteria. Please use language that is accurate and respectful. 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. Listing a waterway as impaired triggers a regulatory process leading to the imposition of limits on the amount of the pollution causing the impairment into the waterway. But unlike in DC where sewage overflows are to blame, its agricultural runoff thats harming the Shenandoah. They offer links to cost share programs and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices. 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. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. We reserve the right to edit or decline comments that do Monitoring Program They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. He said that the agency is trying to sample fewer sites, but targeted in areas where people actually get wet during recreation. A potentially harmful chemical has been found in drinking water systems that serve about 7.5 million California residents, according to a report by a nonprofit environmental organization. Its springtime, so lets do a bad agriculture story.. You can read through the full report and see what the Environmental Integrity Project recommends to solve these problems, Report: Shenandoah River polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli, Dog found dead under suspicious circumstances, SCSO says, ACSO looking for suspicious man in the Weyers Cave area, Pilot identified in fatal plane crash near Hillsville, Impacts the end of the COVID public health emergency will have, FDA advisers give green light for RSV vaccine approval; why this is important for older adults, Eastern Mennonite boys basketball defeats Walsingham 69-56, advances to VISAA DIII semifinals, Charlie Obaugh RV & Outdoor Student Athlete of the Week, Water Pollution from Livestock in the Shenandoah Valley.pdf. Its almost a five-hour drive for people living in the Shenandoah Valley to drive to a Virginia beach and they should not be treated like second-class citizens due to their lack of proximity to a saltwater beach, said Frondorf. Lives are lost every year from this pollution, and our economy is forced to bear the burden of . Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project, (443) 510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org Due to the protection of the surrounding forests, the water in these streams is generally of high quality and low in sediment load. The . member of Waterkeepers Alliance Shenandoah Riverkeeper works to protect the publics right to clean water in our rivers and streams. 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! Omission from the list means delay in addressing a serious and growing problem. Media contacts: Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project (443) 510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org, Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, mark@shenandoahriverkeeper.org or (571) 969-0746, The James River is such an historic and iconic waterway, it is great news that this settlement agreement will help reduce sewage overflows that, About 12 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, EPA has agreed to strengthen standards for the nations largest industrial source of phosphorus pollutionand second-largest industrial source of, About 13 hours ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, James Beauchamp, president of the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance, suggests that spikes in Permian Basin methane might be coming, About 2 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, Solar, wind, geothermal, battery and other alternative-energy businesses are adding workers from fossil fuel companies, where employment has fallen., Record winter warmth across much of the eastern US has caused spring-like conditions to arrive earlier than ever previously recorded in several, About 3 days ago from Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter, 1000 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 1100 Document the status of and trends in water quality as influenced by point source and non-point source pollution (including atmospheric deposition). 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. 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. 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. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. When the contamination was disclosed in 1977, the state was forced to declare a fish consumption health advisory for over 100 miles downriver of the plant. * Misrepresentation of your identity or affiliation Shenandoah 571.969.0746 2023, Potomac Conservancy, Silver Spring, MD. Guest Article by Jeff "Yakfish" Little. 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. 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. Additional bacteria sampling data is available from Friends of the Shenandoah River. For most of this country's history, wetlands were seen as an impediment to development. Shenandoah features waterfalls, quiet woods, wildflower fields, rocky hiking trails, and so much more. Mercury is a neurotoxin and it is not to be trifled with. 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. This is a transmission line to get fracked gas out of Pennsylvania and West Virginia and ship it down to North Carolina and Portsmouth, Virginia. 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. Shenandoah River The famed Shenandoah River is the major waterway and drainage system of the Shenandoah Valley. The Shenandoah is one of the most beautiful rivers in the countryand a popular recreation destination. We will E. coli pollution is also an issue for the Potomac River. As a last resort, we will take a polluter to court to stop the pollution. The main route of human exposure is through eating contaminated fish. (Alan Lehman/Shenandoah Riverkeeper). A recent report found that 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations along the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014-2016." Potomac 336.809.6041. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. Financial statements can be provided upon request. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use herein. "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 . For more than 20 years, DuPont leaked mercury from the textile plant into the South River, eventually ending up in the Shenandoah River. 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. That advisory continues today. The cleanup plans (also called Total Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs) that do exist lack enforcement and funding mechanisms. 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. 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. 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 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. 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. 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. Furthermore, the states manure control system allows manure containing far more phosphorous to be applied than the crops need, according to the report. A recent report found that 90 percent of the water quality monitoring stations along the Shenandoah River and its tributaries detected fecal bacteria (E. coli) at levels unsafe for human contact between 2014-2016. . 2023 Waterkeepers Chesapeake. Upper Potomac 443.480.8970 When it comes to E. coli, Virginia should do a better job of issuing public advisories about the elevated levels, the report advises. The Orange County Water District estimated earlier this year that treatment could cost the average home in a local district with PFAS $4 to $5 more monthly but could reach as high as $20 per . While Virginia has taken account of similar evidence in prior decisions to list other water bodies as impaired, it has refused to list the Shenandoah as impaired despite the ample evidence submitted in this case. Many farmers will use animal waste as a fertilizer for crops. This is not a day for ribbon cutting and balloons; this is a day a long-time in coming. EPA should have identified the Shenandoah River as impaired based on extensive data demonstrating that widespread algae blooms prevent the river from meeting Virginias water quality standards. Photo credit: Alan Lehman, Program Manager, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. The Southern Environmental Law Center will be assisting in the case. Some fish in the two rivers currently have mercury levels more than eight times the level at which the state issues health advisories. Contact Evan Childress, Shenandoah NP Supervisory Fish Biologist, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is responding by calling the report "an opinion piece.". The state should take action to implement the cleanup plans it creates, so that TMDLs are more meaningful. 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. 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. 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. Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023. 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. But there's one part of the country that's bucking the trend. Unfortunately, to date, such efforts have not been successful.. EIP Study Demands Stronger Regulation of Livestock Pollution and Health Advisories for Waterways Contaminated with Bacteria. A recent report by the Environmental Integrity Project found that Virginias pollution management system allows agricultural operations to dispose of their manure by spreading it on fields that are already saturated with nitrogen, leaving the excess to run off of fields and fuel algae blooms in the river. 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. Today's announcement marks that notice. When they find that a facility is violating its pollution permit, they consider factors, such as the impact of the violations on public health, and the size and scope of the violations, before taking action. The department continues to conduct water column tests to determine if the bacteria cells are present in higher concentrations. "Instead of solving the problem, the DuPont funded team is just generating lots of reports, not one of which is aimed toward a cleanup.". Determine the natural range of variability in water chemistry (including bacterial composition). The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because. follow these guidelines. Document changes in stream channel characteristics at sampling sites. 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. Bill Hayden, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Quality, said the state health department is responsible for deciding when and where to notify the public about water quality. 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. 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. Among the causes: nutrient pollution from fertilizers and sewage, as well as increasing problems from climate change, such as extreme wet and dry spells and warmer water temperatures. 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. Four local environmental groups are suing the EPA over pollution levels in Virginias Shenandoah River, a major tributary to the Potomac. Learn More Our Rivers As a result of high air pollution levels, atmospheric deposition is the greatest threat to protected mountain streams. Document the status of and long-term trends in water flow. Snows certainly not been a stanger this winter! visit EIPs web page on water quality in the Valley. 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. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. 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. Rappahannock River Basin, Roanoke and Yadkin River Basin, Shenandoah River Basin, . 72 Percent of Sampling Locations in Valley Had E Coli Bacteria Above EPA Safe Swimming Recommendations in 2020. 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 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.. But 47 percent of the waterways impaired by bacteria in the Shenandoah Valley lack either cleanup or implementation plans. 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 . "Blooms in general are always exacerbated by nutrients," said Joe Wood, a senior scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Virginia office. Learn how our community allows pollution into our Nation's River the drinking water source for you and nearly 6 million people and what you can do about it. 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. Agricultural runoff, including manure from the Valley's 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. It could be your lawn. Find out how. State Disclosures, Nancy Marks, NRDC, 212-727-4414; Michael Town, Sierra Club, 804-225-9113; 804-319-6083. Warren County is the only county in Virginia that contains all three sections of the Shenandoah River, both north and south forks and the main stem, said Herschel Finch, conservation chairman of the Izaak Walton League of Americas Warren County chapter. Only 21 percent of the rivers and streams miles in the Shenandoah Valley, and 22 percent statewide, have been assessed by the state to determine if they are impaired with pollutants. Shenandoah RIVERKEEPERMark Frondorf joined Potomac RIVERKEEPERNetwork in 2015. Fax: (202) 296-8822, 1206 San Antonio Street The lawsuit says EPA did not fulfill its duty under the Clean Water Act when it approved Virginias decision not to identify the Shenandoah Rivers algae impairment on the states list of quality-impaired rivers and streams. The Shenandoah Riverkeeper Swim Guide lists over 70 access points on the three major reaches of the Shenandoah River. Shenandoah Riverkeeper tracks, comments on and challenges Clean Water Act permits for stormwater from construction sites, industrial sites, and municipal stormwater systems. No fish other than trout should be eaten from the South River. To many environmental groups, the root of the algae issue in the Shenandoah is clear: nutrient pollution, especially from agriculture. 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.. Where does that leave us now? The river in this county flows not just over the Shenandoah Valley bedrock, not just through our fields and forests and over limestone karst; it flows through our citizens veins, and our hearts. Virginia is required by the Act to consider all information about stream impairments when updating its list. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. But she said the state General Assembly rejected those requests for additional funding and an expanded freshwater testing program. * Insults, verbal attacks or degrading statements Ever wonder where all that salt on the roads goes? 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. Algal blooms occur throughout the Chesapeake Bay system. Last year, health officials placed 52 miles of its length under advisory from early August to mid-September after discovering cyanobacteria in the water. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use herein. Trees do so much for our climate and clean water, but what do they do for our health? 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. Xranks ! 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. We hope this lawsuit will change that, said Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. Ninety-two percent of every dollardonated goes directly to efforts to reduce illegal pollution. Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. On this episode of fishing the DMV we talk to Mark Frondorf. The North Fork is no stranger to algae. Federal, state, and local governments are mandated to provide basic services like safe, clean drinking water. The Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club has over 16,000 members. Among the causes: nutrient pollution from fertilizers and sewage, as well as increasing problems from climate change, such as extreme wet and dry spells and warmer water temperatures. 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. Coli bacteria Above EPA safe swimming Recommendations in 2020 the Environmental Integrity Project, says the.. 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