The. Guest Article by Jeff "Yakfish" Little. Last year, health officials placed 52 miles of its length under advisory from early August to mid-September after discovering cyanobacteria in the water. 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. According to a new study , much of the Shenandoah River is polluted with unsafe levels of E. coli. & Waterkeepers Chesapeake. It can be fatal to dogs and other animals. 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. Shenandoah National Park is located in Virginia's Blueridge Mountains. * Incorrect, fraudulent or misleading content 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. 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. The cleanup plans (also called Total Maximum Daily Loads or TMDLs) that do exist lack enforcement and funding mechanisms. 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. 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. Every year they host RiverPalooza, a series of paddling events. Virginia is required by the Act to consider all information about stream impairments when updating its list. This is why Shenandoah Riverkeeper has filed its notice of intent to sue the EPA. All Rights Reserved. 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. 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. 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 The organization says it has approximately 35,000 farmer members. 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. Water sampling data from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, for sites that were sampled at least twice in the last six years. Shenandoah Riverkeeper Mark Frondorf, after a float patrol, stops at the boat launch ramp under Harry Byrd Highway (Va. 7) east of Berryville Thursday. Mark also served onthe Board of Directors for the Mid-Atlantic Federation of Fly Fishers. "For decades, DuPont has managed to dodge responsibility for dumping mercury into these waters. The . (1/7) Dear Potomac Conservancy community: After much consideration, our organization has made the decision to paus, We're a proud sponsor of the 5th Taking Nature Black Conference hosted by @, Citing public health threats, local groups sue over Shenandoah River pollution, E.coli bacteria caused the cancellation of the Nations Triathlon swim portion, History we should know: How the Potomac shaped our community. Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use herein. 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. 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. Potomac Riverkeeper Network is dedicated to monitoring the condition of the rivers through regular on-the-water patrols, volunteers, and citizen reports through the website and the mobile phone app, the Water Reporter. Our Mission Our mission is to protect the public's right to clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and their tributaries. You can reach him at jcox@bayjournal.com. 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. "The Shenandoah is one of the most beautiful rivers in the countryand a popular recreation destination. 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. If they do not, they begin legal actions by filing a mandatory 60-day letter of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act. Comments may not include: Document the status of and trends in water quality as influenced by point source and non-point source pollution (including atmospheric deposition). 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. 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 . 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. He said that the agency is trying to sample fewer sites, but targeted in areas where people actually get wet during recreation. They stop pollution to promote safe drinking water, protect healthy river habitats, and enhance public use and enjoyment. All of our protocols are peer reviewed. But there's one part of the country that's bucking the trend. Once your report is submitted it will be sent to your local Waterkeeper and to a live map available on the Water Reporter Website. The company, Electron Hydro LLC, also will pay $1 million that mostly . 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. Find out how. 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. 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. 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. Shenandoah RIVERKEEPERMark Frondorf joined Potomac RIVERKEEPERNetwork in 2015. 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. Determine the natural range of variability in water chemistry (including bacterial composition). Proposed standards are due before the end of 2023. The North Fork is no stranger to algae. 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. 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. Washington, DC 20005, Phone: (202) 296-8800 Mark Frondorf, Shenandoah Riverkeeper, (571) 969-0746) or mark@shenandoahriverkeeper.org, 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 Snows certainly not been a stanger this winter! There are 18 local Waterkeepers in the Chesapeake Bay region waiting for your reports. 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. 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. Stocked trout have been tested and are safe to eat. The Riverkeeper programs also work on some policy and legislative issues related to our work protecting access to the rivers. 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. 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. The cleanup deadlines for four of the implementation plans in the Valley have passed, but the waterways in three of these four remain impaired by fecal bacteria. (For specifics, see Appendix C). 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. To the rivers 1 million that mostly the Act to consider all information about stream impairments when its... Of intent to sue the EPA will be sent to your local and! In Virginia & # x27 ; s Blueridge Mountains the cleanup plans ( called. And service mark of Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Inc. and is licensed for use.! 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