Fish kills diminish

The fish kills that have affected the watersheds of the upper James and Shenandoah rivers this spring apparently are abating. This matches the pattern seen in similar fish kills on the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah that began in 2004. Though scientists have not confirmed any causes of the fish kills, the investigation is making progress and is now concentrating on several key areas. Numerous studies are under way to narrow the focus of possible causes of the fish illnesses and deaths. DEQ and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries are coordinating the fish kill investigation. Additional information is available on the DEQ website.

Bill Hayden, Central Office

Algal bloom continues on Potomac

An algal bloom that began June 11 on the Potomac River continues but is becoming less intense. The bloom started upstream of Colonial Beach on the Northern Neck peninsula and extended downstream along the Virginia coastline at

An algal bloom in the Potomac River off the coast of Colonial Beach, Va., turned the water a reddish-brown color on June 11. Photo courtesy Bill Portlock, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

least 16 miles. The algal bloom has caused fish kills in the Potomac River and along the Virginia shoreline.

Biologists from the Piedmont Regional Office continue to sample water quality weekly at up to nine locations from Colonial Beach to below the Yeocomico River, about 30 miles downstream. Most of the algae in the Potomac River bloom are called Karlodinium. This type of algae turns the water a reddish-brown color and produces a toxin that may kill fish. DEQ is also coordinating with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and members of the Virginia Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force. More information is available on the DEQ website.

Mark Alling, Piedmont Regional Office

USGS recognizes paper written by DEQ scientist

The Virginia Water Science Center received the 2006 U.S. Geological Survey David A. Aronson Award for a technical paper written by DEQ and USGS hydrogeologists. T. Scott Bruce, manager of DEQ’s Office of Ground Water Characterization, and Randy McFarland of the USGS wrote a paper called, “The Virginia Coastal Plain Hydrogeologic Framework,” describing the results of a multiyear study by DEQ, USGS and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. It explains a new interpretation of the geologic structure and ground water resources of the Virginia Coastal Plain based on analysis of the Chesapeake Bay impact crater and other recent studies.

Julia Wellman, Central Office

DEQ supports brownfields forum

The Virginia Roanoke River Basin Advisory Committee hosted a Brownfields Land Renewal Forum in Halifax on June 14. The meeting, which 29 people attended, targeted local government officials who work with economic development issues. Chris Evans and Bob Estes of DEQ’s remediation and brownfield programs presented information and answered questions about Virginia’s Brownfields Land Renewal program. Other speakers included Brian Brown of Roanoke who spoke about the city’s brownfields experience, Charles Williams of the Gentry, Locke, Rakes, and Moore law firm who addressed legal concerns associated with brownfields, and Paul Palma of Auto Recyclers who discussed a developer’s perspective. The advisory committee has been urging the basin localities to develop an inventory of available sites. Greg Anderson, who serves as DEQ’s staff assistant for the advisory committee, arranged the meeting and worked with the Roanoke River Basin Planning District Commissions to identify attendees.

Greg Anderson, West Central Regional Office

South Central volunteers teach importance of wetlands

DEQ's Mark Bushing (right) teaches students about plants that grow in wetlands.

Mark Bushing and Amanda Gray from the South Central Regional Office attended an outdoor classroom activity at Perrymont Elementary School in Lynchburg on June 7. Bushing, Gray, representatives from the local Soil and Water Conservation District and community volunteers guided children through a constructed wetland to teach them the importance of wetlands and their function. The children were asked to find clues to help them determine what kind of animals and plants live and grow in a wetland. They also completed a watershed activity to show where the water comes from to help create the wetland.     

Amanda Gray, South Central Regional Office

2007 Environmental Stewardship Awards announced

Three individuals and one group received the 2007 Virginia Environmental Stewardship Awards during a presentation in June by Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant Jr. and Executive Director of the Virginia Petroleum Council Mike Ward. The event marked the 12th year of the statewide environmental recognition program, which is co-sponsored by the Virginia Petroleum Council (a division of the American Petroleum Institute) and the Commonwealth. The winners are the military housing project at Fort Belvoir, Wayne Kirkpatrick of Stuart, Jennifer Weatherly of Sterling and Dr. David Jones of Martinsville.

Julia Wellman, Central Office

West Central celebrates Earth Day

The West Central Regional Office participated in Earth Day on April 21 by providing an information booth. The Blue Ridge Environmental Network coordinated the Earth Day celebration which consisted of numerous information booths, music, food and seminars.  Between 40 to 50 people visited the DEQ booth, asking questions about DEQ, permitting, water quality, the Chesapeake Bay and other topics. WCRO volunteers included Marcia Degen, Robina Jordan, Becky France, Larry Hagy, Gail Steele, Ashton Plymale, Jeffrey Hurst, Cathy Kibler and Gary Phillips.

Marcia Degen, Central Office

Community concern initiates cleanup in Winchester

Old railroad ties and other debris used to litter this area of the railroad site, which has been cleaned up.

Contaminated soil and debris have been cleaned up and removed from a railroad property in Winchester after citizens and local officials notified the DEQ Valley Regional Office in April. The reports indicated there were diesel fuel spills at the small aboveground storage tank site, solid waste, discharges to the storm drains, and large piles of old railroad ties and debris. Nonna Good, VRO pollution response coordinator, notified the Valley’s petroleum storage tank program manager and the hazardous materials officer for CSX of the concerns. Within a week the cleanup process, including remediation of the spill area, the removal of the contaminated soil and relocation of the tank, began. On June 21, DEQ received the final cleanup report and verified the cleanup on June 22. Seven hundred tons of materials were sent to the Frederick County landfill at a cost of $28,995. CSX reported that the approximate total cost of the cleanup was $70,000, not counting the expenses to remediate the aboveground tank area.

Nonna D. Good, Valley Regional Office