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FRESHWATER SOCIETY '~ ---~"
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<br />The Freshwater Society is ~~ ~
<br />a non-profit organization ! From the desk of
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<br />dedicated to educating and '1 % ~ I ' ~:.
<br />inspiring people to value,
<br />conserve and protect all ~ i President
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<br />freshwater resources. ~~<~ =r'
<br />BOARD OF DlRECTOftS 'r n April, I viewed a powerful television documentary: "Poisoned Waters." The
<br />Todd R. Bolin, Chair PBS documentary examined the serious pollution degrading two major bod-
<br />Tom Gapinske, Vice Chair -~-'~-ies of water a continent apart-Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast and Puget
<br />Donald Theissen, Ph.D., Secretary Sound on the West Coast.
<br />Thomas B. Skramstad, Treasurer Reporter Hedrick Smith described agricultural runoff from poultry fauns that
<br />81yth Berg Brookman, is feeding algae growth and depleting oxygen in a huge "dead zone" in Chesa-
<br />Vice Chair of Programs peake Bay. In Seattle, Smith looked at stormwater washing into Puget Sound
<br />Jill Gibson Blyth from urban and suburban roofs, streets and parking lots.
<br />Bruce Bomier
<br />Richard S. Caldecott, Ph.D. Jay Manning, director of Washington State's Department of Ecology, estimated
<br />Emeritus Director that every two years the oil carried into Puget Sound by stormwater equals the
<br />Robert Eide, Ph.D. Exxon Valdez oil spill.
<br />Paul Floyd, j.D. The Clean Water Act, enacted in the 197ps, called for all of America's lakes and
<br />Richard G. Gray, Sr., D.Sc., streams to be fishable and swimmable by 1983. We spent billions to clean up sew-
<br />Stuart E. Grubb, P.G. age and industrial discharges. And we have done a pretty good. job of addressing
<br />Jo EIlen Hurr, Emeritus Director that "point source" pollution.
<br />Barbara Luikens, M.B. But the Clean Water Act never had regulatory teeth to end the widespread
<br />John Packard
<br />nonpoint source pollution we all produce. While stormwater runoff and the con-
<br />STAFF version of farmland to suburban developments are big problems, it is agriculture
<br />Gene Merriam, President that causes most of our nonpoint source pollution
<br />Joan Nephew, Executive Director In "Poisoned Waters," J. Charles Fox, a former assistant administrator of the
<br />Scott Branch, Qperations Assistant U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, says; "Agriculture is by far the largest
<br />Chris Prok, Qperations Manager source of pollution to all the waters in the country."
<br />Jeanne Prok, Program Manager I believe we all eventually will have to demand our food be produced in a
<br />Patrick Sweeney, Communicatinrrs Director way that is less damaging to our waters. We cannot keep growing what we grow,
<br />Cherie Wagner, Project rblanager
<br />Laura West, Administrative Assistant where we grow it in the way we now grow it.
<br />The documentary, as grim a picture as it paints, gives me hope that we can
<br />make the life-style choices-about what we eat and how we live-that we must
<br />1"neets of Fres{nvcttt~r is published make to reduce nonpoint source pollution. I am hopeful that a befter understand-
<br />quarterly by the Freshv.•ater Society.
<br />ing of the causes and effects of pollution will bring about the cultural shift we
<br />If reprinting this material, please must have to address the problem.
<br />contact the Society for permission,
<br />give credit to Facets of Freshzoater by The first step in solving any problem is understanding the problem and its
<br />the Freshwater Society, and send us a ~ causes. Too often, nonpoint source pollution seems too big, too diffuse, for us to
<br />copy. Fax: 952-471-7685 ~ do anything about it.
<br />For subscription or membership "Poisoned Waters" makes the point that the Freshwater Society made in its
<br />information, contact us at: report on water quality and sustainability last fall: Everything we do on the land
<br />25Q0 Shadywood Road, affects the 4vater bodies draining the land. That is a point the Freshwater Society
<br />Excelsior, MN 55331 must keep making. If people understand what they face, I believe they eventually
<br />or call 952-471-9773. will make the right choices.
<br />E-mail: Eresh~vatenF?rfreshavater.org
<br />Visit the Freshv,~ater Society cveb site
<br />at: w~a~c1=.freshGtirater.org s ~ ~
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<br />`~,?=% FACETS June 2009
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