Howdy River Folks,

I wanted to make sure you knew about the PBS FRONTLINE Program "Poisoned Waters" which premieres Tuesday night from 9 to 11 pm. I guided the producers around Lancaster factory farms and Conowingo Dam for this documentary on the Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound. The previews I have seen show how these estuaries are continuing to be degraded by chemicals we know, like fertilizers and pesticides, plus a look into the emerging contaminants like the estrogen mimickers that are likely causing the intersex (male smallmouth with female characteristics) in the Susquehanna.

QUICK DIGRESSION: In a recent discussion I had with USGS scientist Vicki Blazer (the "coroner" for diseased fish), she said that some sections of the Susquehanna have higher percentages and higher severity of "gender bending" than the Potomac and Shenandoah. One likely source for this is the flush of Atrazine and other pesticides that we see each spring in the Susquehanna. This flush occurs just as the eggs are being formed in the female smallmouth. Though monitoring has shown the concentrations to be relatively low, new research shows that low level exposure (25 ppb or less) can affect the gene function of aquatic species.

So... check out www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/poisonedwaters/ for a preview, then watch "Poisoned Waters" on FRONTLINE, Tuesday at 9 pm.

Thanks to the 60 folks that came out to the Codorus Spring Cleanup, including Wagman Construction, the Children's Home of York and West York Rotary Club. A special thanks also goes out to Bethel #! Job's Daughters International for their fundraising and participation. This section of the Codorus hasn't looked this clean in a hundred years! On Saturday, before the cleanup, I caught a 15 inch largemouth at King's Mill Dam just as a bald eagle was flying right down the Codorus through York City! This is a dream come true, thanks again.

CLEANUP: If in the Maryland area this Saturday, April 25th, join the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) for the Conowingo Creek boat ramp clean up 9:00 am. Location: 222, turn West on Mt. Zoar Rd, take it to the end.

Finally, if you are interested in promoting technology and business that is healthier for the Susquehanna and our communities, join the York County Conservation Alliance on April 25th from 8:30 to 12:30 for "GROWING GREEN JOBS" at Penn State-York. There will be great speakers including Acting DEP Secretary John Hanger. See yorkcountyconservationalliance.org for more info or contact the Alliance at info@yorkcountyconservationalliance.org or 717-845-3797.

Thanks again to all the volunteers that made the Gut Road and Codorus Cleanups a great success. Please continue to send in your announcements of activities and I will try and include what I can in each update.

From the Mighty Susquehanna, Michael R Helfrich
Lower Susquehanna RIVERKEEPER®

 

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