It's just water, right?

A lot has changed since the 1970s here in the District; take the Nation’s River for example - the Potomac River. During those “dark days” the Potomac was an ecosystem hanging on by a thread. 

As a kid, we often heard horror stories of the water being so contaminated that it would, in rare circumstances, catch aflame. Back then, the river was a polluted mess- illegal dumping, farm runoff, raw sewage leaks, and over-fishing being the main culprits for its fall from pristine grace. But since those days of rampant pollution and ecological duress, how much has really changed?

Realizing there was a serious ecological issue happening not only across the country but in his own backyard, President Richard Nixon started the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 to clean up our nation’s rivers and enforce national standards for pollution prevention on a larger scale.

To this day - even with the EPA’s support, the issue of river pollution is one tackled by numerous non-profit organizations and small coalitions who all work towards the same goal – clean water and healthy ecosystems nation-wide. However, if you’ve followed the Bristol Bay/Pebble saga this year – it’s an uphill battle. There will always be folks who try to circumvent the system. That said; let’s keep it on the topic of our mighty Potomac.

Although the Potomac has progressed a lot from those days of flammable water, with good returns on shad each spring and a tremendous year-round bass fishery, pollution is still a major issue. Biologists can get into the nitty gritty better than we can but most of the river’s issues stem from a combination of the public improperly disposing of their waste (trash), farmers upriver using the Potomac to dump hazardous farm runoff and fertilizers, and raw sewage that enters the river after heavy rainfall (every wonder why that water is brown after a good rain?). These factors ultimately disrupt the entire ecosystem by changing the composition of the water from water to something a tad more sinister. This often leads to algae blooms that choke the water of its oxygen and contribute to the large fish kills we’ve seen in recent years on the Shenandoah River or even more locally at Constitution Gardens on the Mall. In addition to this, it can cause gender confusion in fish such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, which in recent years have raised concern for what is actually being dumped into the river.

 The amount of pollution entering the river has gotten so bad recently in Montgomery County, MD that the EPA, Maryland Department of the Environment, and four other environmental groups sued Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission – Prince George and Montgomery Counties’ water provider—.for their poor sewage system which contributes to raw sewage directly entering the river on an almost annual basis (gross). That said, there’s no easy solution to the raw sewage issue. It’s unfortunately how major metropolitan areas were designed back in the gilded age.

But how can we change the things we can control, while waiting for the larger scale change that we cannot?

Limited man power by the Parks Department and Park Police have essentially turned spots like Roaches Run, Chain Bridge, and Gravelly Point into free-for-alls with very little, if any enforcement. On any given day in the spring - you can see fires, alcohol, buckets full of shad, and people entering the river up by Great Falls/Chain Bridge – all of are deemed illegal as hell by the Parks Service. Which begs the question, when there are no Park Rangers to enforce these laws, who will?

 Definitely not Batman. But he’s not needed. Maybe all we need are a trash can or two?

One main issue with the pollution in the Potomac is a lack of public awareness for the River. Unfortunately the media won’t cover the topic because “most citizens just don’t care,” says Richard Farino, manager of Urban Angler fly shop in Alexandria, VA.

Pollution has always been a problem on the Potomac but because of the lack of interest by the general public and the slow-moving progress that is considered competent bureaucracy, the progress that HAS been made has gone relatively unnoticed. Says Farino, “it’s just a waterway to some people”. But through public awareness and responsible waste management practices, this can change. Clean water opens up the river for everyone.

Folks like Rob Snowhite, a local fly fishing consultant, guide, and ardent conservationist, cope with the River’s nefarious reputation on a daily basis and has even caught Largemouth Bass with six pack rings going through their gills. Says Snowhite, “If we had can deposits for people to throw their bottles in then I would not be catching Bass with six pack rings running through them.” But as is the case with Roaches Run and Fletchers Cove, some parks are “trash free”(meaning no trash cans/receptacles provided by the Park Service) and rely on good faith as their primary form of waste prevention and management…which doesn’t really work all too well if you’ve spent any time in some of these parks. But to some people the water looks just fine, even if there’s garbage floating around them. It’s just water right?

 Not so fast.

The lawsuit against Montgomery County for an inefficient sewage system should be a wake up call to neighboring cities and counties who inadvertently pollute the river with each rainfall and flush of the porcelain throne. Don’t believe us? All throughout Washington D.C there are signs alongside the river saying “Do not make contact with water after rain.” Those signs are posted because of this thing called “peak flow”, AKA when sewers overflow, toilets flush and raw sewage directly flows into the river.

Peak flow is an issue that has no clear solution. Sure you can try to purify sewage before it enters the river at treatment centers like Blue Plains in DC and Four Mile Run in Alexandria, but the filtration process can’t get negate everything sinister.  Outside of raw sewage - hormones from prescription drugs, hazardous chemicals (think bleach/draino), and heavy metals (lead) enter the river during peak flow. The main culprit  to some species containing both male and female sex organs.  

But all is not lost.

The Potomac River has gotten better since the 1970’s due to efforts of Federal Government and large environmental companies. Many people have noticed it as well, says Stephen Buezinski a frequent boater and fishermen on the Potomac - “It’s way better since the 1970s. Because of the amazing accomplishments of the EPA, the Potomac is making a comeback.” With the quality and quantity of the fishing growing with each year and efforts constantly being made clean our Nation’s River -  we’ll hopefully never go back to those dark days of the 70s…when you could light the water on fire.

Stay fly.



Article contributed by fly-dude Jake Hamilton, edited by Remick Smothers

---