On Mon, 10 Oct 2005 19:22:51 +0100, LeeChamberlain
wrote:


John,Much of the research I do concentrates on impacts of the Cheapseake
Bay, my research project is located off the Rappahannock river. The
problem within the bay environment is that is suffers from a host of
Contributions to its detriment, mainly the causitive factor for the
"Dead Zone" is the contibution of oxygen depletion due to nutrient
loading. Of this the Pennsylvania rivers are a significant contributor
to the north and to the South the single largest contribuotr is the
Wastewater Treatment Plant in Richmond which each day discharges more
effluent into the system than any of the other rivers in the state of
Virginia.
The dead zone as it is called is approximately 70 miles long and 10
miles wide fromsource information I have seen. The lack of sustainable
habitat and the constant state of change of the bay whether manmade or
man contributed is outrageous.
Development along the rivers and farming as well as industry, water
treatment and then the contributions of pollution fromships and boats
is something that staggers the imagination.
Approximately 100 years ago the Bay could clean it self enough to rival
the clear waters of Florida.Over harvesting of shellfish and lack of
respect for the systm itself have led many to believe that the Bay
could be a dead entitiy in as little as 35 years . Plans to clean the
bay have to be mulit approach oriented programs dealing with
restoration of wetlands, restoration of shellfish habitat, conservation
of fishing resources, more of an environmental appraoch to development
to lessen the vast depositions of solids and soils which now basin fill
many areas of the bay due to runoff contributions. Simple things like a
15 foot green zone around farms that plow close to shorelines,
Maintainence of shoreline formation by the insitution of boaters being
more aware of the the wakes they create near shorelines, in areas where
high banks exists and along wetlands and coastal zones. A conscience
effort and public support for research to restore wetlands and to
maintain them, enforcement of existing environmental law in cities and
along our waterways would hepl the bay beyond belief.
LeeChamberlain

Thanks Lee. I try to stay active in the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, but have
heard pros and cons about the organization. Any advice, other than sending
letters?


--
John H

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant: It's just that they know so much that isn't so."

Ronald Reagan