Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Clean up the Roanoke River
From the RoundTable blog
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Greg L. Rieley
Rieley, of Troutville, works for Wells Fargo/Wachovia.
I recently had the opportunity to explore the Roanoke River by kayak. I have canoed, kayaked and rafted many waterways in West Virginia and Virginia. Only a few minutes downstream, the beautiful Sunday afternoon we hoped to enjoy turned into a dark and murky experience.
First we encountered bags of floating trash. Having never experienced this type of pollution on any local waterway, we first dismissed it as an isolated incident likely caused by recent heavy rains.
I would still like to think that this was the problem, but evidence seems to support otherwise, as this did not seem like an isolated incident. Halfway through our trip, we began to encounter all types of disgusting debris, and it was obvious that this was not a safe place for our children and pets to swim.
Near the confluence of Back Creek and the river, we encountered sealed barrels that could contain any number of chemicals or manufacturing waste. Dangerous plastic pipes that appeared to be drainage or sewage pipes laced the river and threatened to overturn our vessels.
With almost every turn, we saw trees downed, harboring every type of trash imaginable from tires to junked vehicles to chemicals floating on the water's surface.
We soon made the decision to exit the river not knowing what lay ahead. The scene became worse downstream, and we saw one barrel that appeared to be oozing its contents into a small tributary of the river.
The Roanoke River should be the pride of both the city and county that share its name. Most Roanoke Valley citizens pride themselves in the amazing beauty and bounty of our mountains and natural resources.
Residents and corporate citizens who do not, should be fined, ticketed and brought to justice before further harm is done to our local environment.
In its present state, I would never recommend anyone -- visitor or native -- to visit the river for recreational purposes. I have observed both the north and south forks of the river before they traverse through the city. In defense of communities upstream, the river appears as a clear-running stream before it enters the city, but an ugly, unsightly, dangerous mess afterward.
Roanoke city and the counties that border the river probably have a number of resources available from local or federal funds to help combat this problem. Every avenue possible to clean up what has been created should be employed.
The city appears to subsidize almost every museum and special-interest cause that comes across its desks, yet allows one of its most important resources to go unchecked.
All residents of the Roanoke Valley and Smith Mountain Lake, which is fed by the river, should be outraged that funding can be had for the most trivial of projects, but our leaders seem to be apathetic to the recreational and aesthetic needs of the communities they serve. It is little wonder that Smith Mountain Lake State Park had to be closed a few years ago after visitors became sick from swimming in its water.
Homeowners and businesses in the valley should form joint partnerships and call on their local officials. Corporate citizens, private residents and officials alike need to be aware that the water they are enjoying is not acceptable in this day and age of environmental responsibility.
What was once our pride is now our shame, and it is time to take action.
