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. 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. 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. 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. 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.. 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. 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. All rights reserved. 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. 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. They notify government oversight agencies, contact the polluter, and if needed, take legal action if other actions do not result in improvements. follow these guidelines. 10/13/2020 Whenever it rains in Washington, D.C., raw sewage spills into the Potomac River. That type of blue-green algae can release toxins that, when touched or swallowed, can lead to rashes and gastrointestinal illness. The agency has refused, even as evidence of the impairment has grown. 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. No fish other than trout should be eaten from the South River. The Virginia Department of Health issued an alert Aug. 5 warning the public to avoid contact with the potentially toxic algae. Over 20 years ago, DuPont and its consultants convinced government regulators that the mercury contamination would disappear on its own. 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. Recreational uses can continue in the river as long as people dont touch the blanket of scum. 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. But 47 percent of the waterways impaired by bacteria in the Shenandoah Valley lack either cleanup or implementation plans. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. When the fish arent there, fishermen stay away too, and Finch said hes seen tourism-related businesses shut down. 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. 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. Washington DC 20007, POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE This is not a day for ribbon cutting and balloons; this is a day a long-time in coming. 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. March 1, 2023. Our Mission Our mission is to protect the public's right to clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and their tributaries. That manure can leak into groundwater or wash into surrounding streams when it rains, eventually making it to the Shenandoah, which joins the Potomac that empties into the Chesapeake Bay. (For specifics, see Appendix C). 72 Percent of Sampling Locations in Valley Had E Coli Bacteria Above EPA Safe Swimming Recommendations in 2020. 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. * Spam or comments that do not pertain to the posted article Posted on April 23, 2008. DuPont's textile operations discharged tens of thousands of pounds of mercury into the South River from 1929 to 1950. 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. The Riverkeeper programs also work on some policy and legislative issues related to our work protecting access to the rivers. * Advertising or solicitations Federal, state, and local governments are mandated to provide basic services like safe, clean drinking water. We stop pollution to enhance the safety of our drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. That has not occurred according to the most recent data collected by the Commonwealth. The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because of animal waste runoff. We hope this lawsuit will change that," said Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, which has some 35,000 farmer members, pushed back against the report, calling it an opinion piece that aims to paint agriculture in a bad light. Shenandoah Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper Network, the Warren County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, and the Potomac River Smallmouth Club filed the suit and are represented by Earthjustice. Xranks ! 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. 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. Despite its popularity, the river is often unsafe for swimming. 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. 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. 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. 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. Agricultural runoff in the Shenandoah Valley are causing the algae outbreaks. The state should tighten up its recently revised water quality standards for bacteria by creating a swimming beach warning standard for freshwater areas and by issuing health advisories on websites and social media and raising no swimming signs to warn people in these areas contaminated by fecal pathogens, including in the Shenandoah Valley. 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.. Guest Article by Jeff "Yakfish" Little. Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, said: Virginia has failed to implement plans already on the books that would actually result in improved water quality in the Shenandoah Valley. Collecting and Managing Surplus Manure: Who Should Pay? 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. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. 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. Shenandoah features waterfalls, quiet woods, wildflower fields, rocky hiking trails, and so much more. 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. 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." 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. According to water quality monitoring data from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, 72 percent (or 18 of 25) of monitoring sites along the Shenandoah Valley and its tributaries had levels of E. coli bacteria last year above EPAs recommendations for swimming. Stocked trout have been tested and are safe to eat. Seven Things You Can Do To Protect the Shenandoah River From Future Fish Kills. The Environmental Integrity Project is a 19-year-old nonprofit organization, based in Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas, dedicated to enforcing environmental laws and strengthening policy to protect public health and the environment. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. EIP Study Demands Stronger Regulation of Livestock Pollution and Health Advisories for Waterways Contaminated with Bacteria. Today's announcement marks that notice. However, Virginia posted no signs warning rafters, kayakers, or swimmers about health threats as it does regularly with swimming advisories on ocean beaches and in saltwater areas. Washington DC 20007, POLLUTION REPORT HOTLINE Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023. Mercury pollution is known to cause severe physiological, behavioral, and reproductive disorders and is particularly harmful to developing fetuses. Experts say that they usually are a symptom of an ecosystem out of balance. Document the status of and trends in water quality as influenced by point source and non-point source pollution (including atmospheric deposition). ADVERTISEMENT In the Shenandoah River basin, drought conditions this summer set the stage for a bloom that began to grow in July. The number of waterway sites sampled for bacteria by Virginia is also declining, with an average of 70 places on waterways in the Shenandoah Valley sampled between 2015 and 2018, but only 35 in 2019 and 25 in 2020. 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 Commonwealth also eliminated the states swimming advisory standard for freshwater recreation areas in October 2019 and changed its standard for impaired waters. 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 Shenandoah River not only provides rich soils for farming, but also supports a wide variety of species, including white-tailed deer, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, eastern brook trout, red-tailed hawks, and the endangered Shenandoah salamander. Each of these rivers eventually flows into the Chesapeake Bay. Mark joined Potomac Riverkeeper Network in 2015 as the official Shenandoah Riverkeeper. 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. 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. Cement manufacturers are dumping their pollution into Virginian communities with impunity. The North Fork is no stranger to algae. An outdated sewer system is to blame. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. The study, conducted by the Environmental Integrity Project, says the pollution is because. Cattle stand on the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River in Rockingham County, VA, where a harmful algal bloom recently closed more than 52.5 miles of the waterway to recreational uses. 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 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. But its threatened by the failure of state and federal authorities to stop excessive nutrientsand the algae they producefrom entering the river. 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. You'll receive your first NRDC action alert and visit EIPs web page on water quality in the Valley. 2023 Environmental Integrity Project. Have you heard about how tree-mendous urban trees are? The. Some fish in the two rivers currently have mercury levels more than eight times the level at which the state issues health advisories. 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