Join Friends for our 5th Annual Fish Fry Fundraiser
on October 17, 2009 on the banks of the North Fork!!Enjoy Food by Shaffers, Music by Con and Cash, a Live Auction by Hoyle Laughlin of River Inspired Floor Cloths designed by local artists and other great surprises to benefit Friends’ efforts to protect the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. Click here to SPONSOR the Fry or buy tickets, or call 459-8550 for more information.
|
VA's DEQ and DCR Attempt to Improve Water Health in the Commonwealth……but they need our help and support! Two sets of regulations that would protect waterways from stormwater pollution and increased nutrient levels are working their way toward the State Water Control Board and we hope to Govenor Kaine's signature prior to his leaving office in January. Stormwater management regulations for new developments are essential to reducing the flow of pollutants and the flash of hot, eroding water into our streams and rivers during heavy rainstorms. While every other pollution source for the Chesapeake Bay (agriculture and point source related) is declining, runoff pollution from development is increasing (see chart p. 3). It's time for developers to do their part along with our farmers and our municipalities.
Poultry litter regulations will work to manage the use of litter as fertilizer in the Commonwealth. The majority of soils in Shenandoah, Augusta, Page, and Rockingham Counties are completely saturated with phosphorous (a major component of chicken litter). Once soil is saturated, any remaining phosphorous runs off the ground surface during rain events and into our rivers and streams. Too much phosphorous in the water leads to an overgrowth of plant life. When the plant life dies, it decays and uses up all of the dissolved oxygen in the water. Without oxygen, fish and other organisms without lungs to breath air will die. Stormwater management and poultry litter management will each help reduce harmful phosphorous levels in our streams and river. These regulations are crucial stepping stones toward achieving healthier water in the North Fork Shenandoah River and in the Chesapeake Bay.
|
|
|
North Fork Notes by Leslie Mitchell-Watson, Exec. Director Summer is waning in the North Fork watershed, while Friends is gearing up for a busy fall season of river cleanups, monitoring, advocating and teaching our neighbors about how we all can contribute to improving the health of the River. Recently, I've made a commitment to myself to make exercise and eating healthy foods a fundamental part of my daily life. We all know how difficult it is to say no to the overabundance of dietary pleasures that society offers but we also have the ability to say NO to these unhealthy foods AND to make a decision to maintain our personal fitness. Our cherished river does not have the ability to make these choices. The North Fork and its tributaries are the recipients of the bad and good decisions that we, and our local and state officials choose to make on a daily basis. Our Commonwealth is on the verge of making some very important decisions for the health of the North Fork and waterways throughout Virginia. Regulations regarding stormwater management and poultry litter management are working their way through the regulatory process. Our local county boards of supervisors and our state legislators need to hear our support for these rules, which will help Virginia take two huge steps towards improving water health. Please talk to your local town, county and state elected officials about your love and concern for the North Fork and ask them to support these new and essential regulations.
|
Recycling in Shenandoah County - Just Do It!!guest article by Friends’ volunteer Carlye Keller Recently, I was asked to write an article about the Shenandoah County landfill. Like most individuals, I recycle at home and am becoming "greener", so I was interested to learn more about the inner workings of our landfill - what happens to all of that stuff? Cindy Frenzel, education coordinator for Friends, joined me on my trip to talk trash with Brad Dellinger, Operations Manager at the landfill. While there, I learned that most things can be recycled if we just take the extra time to learn what to do with our trash.
The Shenandoah County landfill is approximately 200 acres of land dedicated to trash disposal and recycling. A trash landfill is a maze of pipes, drains, and a system of many layers. This acreage is divided up into numerous different cells, each with a drainage system to collect leachate (the liquid resulting from landfill compaction) from the cell. A packed clay layer forms the bottom of each cell. A plastic liner lies on top of the clay and confines the liquid leachate. Several layers of gravel, sand, and other textiles lie on top of the plastic liner. These items are followed by the actual trash. Leachate from the trash flows downward through the sand, gravel and textiles to the liner and exits the cell through pipes leading to a holding pond. The holding pond collects all leachate AND all surface water runoff from the landfill site. This leachate is presently pumped out and hauled to a waste treatment facility on the east side of Rt. 11, directly across from the landfill. Shenandoah County has approved the installation of a pipe that will pump leachate from the landfill to this facility, eliminating the need to haul this waste.
Mr. Dellinger currently uses crushed glass and chipped tires to act filtration layers. Due to the current economic situation, it is not financially viable to sell glass as a recycled product. So, Mr. Dellinger has found a use for the glass that works well for the landfill's needs - this means you can continue to recycle your glass and ceramic products so they can be reused!
Currently Mr. Dellinger is testing a recycling project at Peter Muhlenburg Middle School (PMMS) that he hopes will evolve into a county wide program to collect plastic spoons and sandwich/snack baggies from students at lunch time. He also has one recycling bin at PMMS in Woodstock. So far, with help from Friends’ member and Blue Canoe Crew co-owner Steve Shaffer, the effort is going very well.
Mr. Dellinger also pointed out that Frederick County is experimenting with shoe recycling. He is currently researching this opportunity for Shenandoah County as well. One challenge when recycling shoes is that you have to ensure that the shoes are a pair as the shoes are collected, resoled and sent overseas.
Currently, the Towns of Strasburg and Edinburg have curbside recycling programs and the Town of Woodstock is exploring the feasibility of curbside recycling - please help reduce landfill waste by encouraging your local officials to support these efforts!
Items accepted at the 17 dumpster sites in Shenandoah County or at the landfill:Paper Products: All kinds - mixed paper, newspaper, office paper, cut cardboard, cereal and other food boxes, etc.
Aluminum: Cans, new and used aluminum foil, pie pans, aluminum siding (siding must be taken to the landfill), etc.
Tin/Steel: All food containers with a tin coating.
Glass: All colors and ceramics too.
Plastics: ALL plastics numbered 1-7 ARE recyclable. Lids can be left on containers. Plastic shopping bags are Not accepted by the County, but can be take to places like Wal-Mart or Food Lion.
Styrofoam CANNOT be recycled so please choose NOT to use it!
|
|
