On Fri, 27 May 2005 14:55:43 -0400, "Harry.Krause"
wrote:

John H wrote:
On Fri, 27 May 2005 01:44:35 GMT, Gene Kearns
wrote:


On Tue, 24 May 2005 06:42:09 -0400, John H
wrote:


We keep waiting for some good news about the Bay, but it doesn't come. Here's
the latest from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation:

http://www.cbf.org/site/News2?page=N...m5pu741.app26a

I just looked at the latest National Geographic and it seems to echo
your concerns. However exasperating it seems.... there *has* been some
improvement.

Years ago, my Aunt and Uncle worked for the Department of Agriculture
and I had my run of DC (and the Smithsonian(s)) when the greatest
hazard was an unyielding street car.....then, the Potomac and Tidal
Basin were truly toxic.

Now, the D of A has moved to Beltsville and I still wouldn't want to
swim the Potomac... but what the hey... it *is* marginally cleaner,
even with an explosion in population...

Bottom line is the increase in population. I'm seeing that, and the
ensuing problems in my local area. Sad. Very sad, but as my father
pointed out many years ago...... inevitable.

We'll all have to become better stewards of nature to ensure that our
children and grandchildren enjoy the treasures that our parents and
grand parents left us.....


You're right. The Potomac, at least, is much, much cleaner than when I first was
assigned to this area in 1967. One of the little 'exercises' we had to perform
was a nighttime crossing of Pohick Bay (off the Potomac). It was done on
inflatables, with about 10 men per boat (a squad). If someone fell in, they were
taken to the hospital for a Tetanus shot - no questions asked. The river was
always lined with dead fish.

Now it is home to many bass fishing contests, held out of the same bay.


I still get queasy when I see guys fishing just below the sewage
treatment plant.

At various 'boaters' beaches' south of there the folks are swimming,
water-skiing, and letting their babies play in it.

--
John H
On the 'PocoLoco' out of Deale, MD

"Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it."
Rene Descartes (A true binary thinker!)