RIDICULOUS
I guess one can say that I am very upset with the events that have taken place on Dunkard Creek over the last weeks. To put it bluntly, IT IS RIDICULOUS. In this day and age, to have a total stream wiped out is just not acceptable. It is my opinion that there is no excuse for the disaster. The ramifications will reach much further than the dead fish that are visible. No one will know the damage done to the aquatic inhabitants: the insects, or salamanders, or crayfish, or reptiles, or frogs, etc. Although one does not see all the corpses of these inhabitants, it does not mean they have not been eradicated. How does one calculate this damage? This action has set water quality back 100 years.
If my memory serves me right on the year, in 1961 when I was fishing Ten-Mile Creek, I noticed that the water seemed to turn gray. As the water color changed, fish were dying in large numbers. It was so bad that I can remember the fish actually jumping from the water onto the bank. The kill backed up dead fish from the Route 88 bridge that crossed Ten-Mile to where now Ten-Mile County Park is located.
An educated estimate at that time indicated that over 1 million fish perished. The dead fish left an odor that could be noticed more than a mile away. This disaster was one of the reasons I became a Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer in 1970. The culprit at that time was a mine that released hydro-sulfuric acid into the stream. The memory still looms in my mind. Eventually, better laws were passed to protect our waterways.
With the new emphasis on the need for energy, we seem to have stepped back to those days when companies did what they wanted. This cannot and will not be accepted today! Laws are in place to protect our water. Sure, there will be fines levied and apologies given. My questions are, Why did it happen in the first place? Who is to blame? Is that person going to lose their job or get a jail sentence?
I’m sorry, but in this case an “I’m sorry” will not cut it!
All industry in the area will be blamed; however, it may not be justified. There are companies that do try to follow the rules, and those that do should also be up-in-arms. With or without just cause, they will be lumped into the same category as the ones that violate.
Other factors must also be considered. What will the effect be on the drinking water in the area?
One can say that the water can be treated in the extraction plants, but if you look closer, the main goal at water plants is to provide bacterial-free water. Chemicals are checked and if safe limits are breached, the plant must correct the problem. We all know who will eventually foot the bill.
On a deeper level, there are other impacts. What happens if this water enters the wells in the area? How does one clean up a contained well? What about the cattle that drink the water? What effect will be noticed in them? What about the animals that need the water for drinking? How will the deer be affected or will they be affected? What about the dads and moms that take their children to the creek to recreate? They are now being told to stay away from the creek. Wait a minute, I thought that clean water laws were passed for such disasters? Where are our rights? Where are our children and grandchildren’s rights? It is time to cry out and force the agencies in charge of investigating this disaster to enforce the laws that are presently in place. In order to stop more of these incidences, retributions of such inconsiderate actions that have taken place in Dunkard Creek must be met with decisive, just and proper recourse.
Look, we and our children have the right to clean water and the ability to use clean water to recreate, and it is up to us to make sure that the culprits make restitution and ensure that such “accidents” do not happen in the future. We must also remember to not blame all for the actions of one. Level heads are important at this time, but let us not forget: “ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO CLEAN WATER”!
As always, going to church on Sunday just seems to make the future look a little better.