Rappahannock River Basin, Roanoke and Yadkin River Basin, Shenandoah River Basin, . 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. That has not occurred according to the most recent data collected by the Commonwealth. The number of water monitoring sites in the Shenandoah Valley declined from an average of 70 per year from 2015 to 2018, to 30 per year in 2019 and 2020, with many of the excluded sites having the highest levels of bacteria. The department continues to conduct water column tests to determine if the bacteria cells are present in higher concentrations. Guest Article by Jeff "Yakfish" Little. 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. It's great for wildlife, too. 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. Site Designed by DC Web Designers, a Washington DC web design company, Advocates Guide For Challenging LNG Projects. The government only tests water for 1 out of every 400. The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, DuPont stopped leaking mercury in 1950. We stop pollution to enhance the safety of our drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. member of Waterkeepers Alliance On this episode of fishing the DMV we talk to Mark Frondorf. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and James River Association, represented by in . Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children should not eat fish from these waters. 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. 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. its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. Jeff Taylor/The Winchester Star BERRYVILLE. 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. 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. 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. But 47 percent of the waterways impaired by bacteria in the Shenandoah Valley lack either cleanup or implementation plans. many people love the Shenandoah River, "Despite its popularity, the river is often unsafe for swimming. Shenandoah River The famed Shenandoah River is the major waterway and drainage system of the Shenandoah Valley. 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. update email soon. 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. Its website can be found at www.sierraclub.org. Sampling locations often change from year to year. An outdated sewer system is to blame. 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. State Disclosures, Nancy Marks, NRDC, 212-727-4414; Michael Town, Sierra Club, 804-225-9113; 804-319-6083. 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. Virginia eliminated its state freshwater beach action value in October 2019 and changed its impairment value. 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. Almost of half of the impaired waters in the Shenandoah Valley lack either the cleanup plans or implementation plans required by federal and state law. EIP Study Demands Stronger Regulation of Livestock Pollution and Health Advisories for Waterways Contaminated with Bacteria. Shenandoah 571.969.0746 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. Virginias monitoring of water quality is inadequate. Since mid-June, the North Fork of the Shenandoah already a shallow waterway compared with others of its size was below its 96-year average depth, according to a river gauge at Strasburg. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Using salt can keep our roads safe, but it has dangerous consequences for the Potomac River. 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. keep you informed with the latest alerts and progress reports. The report focuses on four counties in the bucolic Shenandoah Valley watershed that are also home to a large-scale farming industry. All Rights Reserved. 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. Environmental Integrity Project's Twitter. Potomac 336.809.6041. 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. Shenandoah Riverkeeper tracks, comments on and challenges Clean Water Act permits for stormwater from construction sites, industrial sites, and municipal stormwater systems. We hope this lawsuit will change that, said Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper. 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. 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. PRKNs EIN # is 54-1982624. Last year, health officials placed 52 miles of its length under advisory from early August to mid-September after discovering cyanobacteria in the water. Spanning over 200,000 acres of land, the park is known for its beautiful views, natural landscape, and diverse wildlife. Amounts listed may The cleanup plans (also called Total Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs) that do exist lack enforcement and funding mechanisms. . According to a new study , much of the Shenandoah River is polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli. Cleaning up our local streams and creeks isn't just good for public health. It could be your lawn. 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. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. The main route of human exposure is through eating contaminated fish. 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. 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 Learn More Our Rivers 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.. 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 Virginia did not follow that recommendation, and instead eliminated its state freshwater beach action value.. Many small farms are not regulated and difficult for government agencies to monitor. 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. Network Headquarters 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.. Shenandoah features waterfalls, quiet woods, wildflower fields, rocky hiking trails, and so much more. The agreement comes in response to a lawsuit filed by community and conservation organizations late last year. The regions leading clean water advocate, fighting to ensure the Potomac River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. And so Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, has launched the Respect the Shenandoah Campaign. People might be upset by warning signs, but the signs would increase public pressure on state lawmakers to invest the funds and effort needed to reduce pollution for example, by requiring farmers to fence their herds of cattle out of the Shenandoah River, said Schaeffer, former Director of Civil Enforcement at EPA. 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. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store. 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. Today's announcement marks that notice. 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. They offer links to cost share programs and other support for farmers who are willing to implement best management practices. For years, Shenandoah Riverkeeper has been pressing Virginias Department of Environmental Quality to designate the river as impaired because of the algae blooms. It's just dangerous," said Herschel Finch, a fisherman in Front Royal. 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. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. 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. 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. 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. "For decades, DuPont has managed to dodge responsibility for dumping mercury into these waters. ADVERTISEMENT Tom Pelton, Environmental Integrity Project, (443) 510-2574 or tpelton@environmentalintegrity.org Having guided on the Shenandoah and Potomac for almost twenty years, Mark came to the Shenandoah Riverkeeper position used to hard work and recognizing theimportance of a hands-on approach to protecting our rivers. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. 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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