What Learks in Our Waterways

By Cheryl Morrison

After doing some investing I found a report stating, that since 2008, forty-five Lynchburg area streams and lakes have been on a watch list by the Department of Environmental Quality.  The reason is they are contaminated with the deadly bacteria E.Coli.

A Twenty-five hundred page report complied by the Department of Environmental Quality nearly two years ago, reveled that in sample buckets of water tested from over sixteen hundred miles of streams, rivers and lakes throughout Virginia not only did many of the waterways across the state have the E. Coli Bacteria learking in it, so did some our own local area streams and lakes.

The report conducted every two years and is due to be completed again this year, shows the D.E.Q. accesses approximately 31% of the waterways across the state, rotating each cycle to another region.  Unfortunately, it is not possible to test all the lakes, streams and ponds every cycle, so that is why the scientists rotate districts.

To conduct the analysis, the staff of the D.E.Q. takes a small sample of water from a larger bucket to test for both chemicals and bacteria.  While the general analysis standards gives an idea of what is going on, a more detailed test entails collecting a bucketful of water and analyzing what type of insects, worms and other animals without backbones live in a particular streambed.  This tells scientists if the waterway is healthy enough to support various living creatures.

Examples of unhealthy waterways are found in Bedford, Amherst and Campbell Counties as scientists found low amounts of animal life which is sign to see why this is happening.

Waterways that do make the impaired list means that a particular lake, stream, pond or river has failed the quality test more than 10.5%  of the times tested or sometimes has only failed once on a test.

There are several Central Virginia waterways on the impaired list for many different reasons.  Currently, the James River, Staunton River and Smith Mountain Lake are on the list due to a consumption advisory for P.C.B.’s and the Staunton River for high levels of Mercury.  In some areas of the James River it also tested positive for E.Coli.

Many other local waterways are contaminated with the E. Coli Bacteria which then means activities such as swimming and wading must be prevented.  To avoid coming into contact with the bacteria, abide by any posted warning signs and don’t go into water after heavy rains.

Those waterways impaired with E.Coli are all major streams in Lynchburg, due to sewer overflow and general runoff.  Other streams affected by E.Coli are the lower portions of the Pedlar and Buffalo Rivers, Harris and Graham Creeks and Piney and Tye Rivers.  Some of these contaminations are due to agriculture and wildlife runoff.  However, the upper sections of the Pedlar and Buffalo Rivers are in exceptional condition.

In Appomattox County, Stonewall, Wreck Island and Bent Creeks have been found to have E. Coli, while in Bedford County, Judith, Goose and Wolf Creeks are contaminated from septic and livestock general runoff.   In Campbell County, 13 streams have been also found to be contaminated.  Leesville Lake has also made the list.

In Amherst County another problem was found with 13 streams and lakes being impaired by low oxygen levels and higher than normal acidity that has affected aquatic life.

Since the report came out in 2008, public works employees have been working around the Lynchburg area to close off or repair sewer leaks or overflows which are partly to blame for the E.Coli outbreak and parts of the James River has also been cleaned. This year the D.E.Q. will once again begin testing to see what learks in our waterways.

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Snakehead Deadly Predator

By Cheryl Morrison

The Virginia Department of Game and Fisheries are asking fishermen for their help catching and identifying the Snakehead Fish.  An attractive stripped fish with tan and dark tiger shaped stripes has invaded our local waters.  This fish can be confused with the Bowfin, Sea Lamprey or American Eel.  The Snakehead can only live in freshwater and grows up to be about thirty three inches long.  It is thought to be a native of Southeast Asia, Africa, Korea or even Russia.

This remarkable fish can stay outside the water and breathe air for up to three days and can actually travel short distances across land using its pectoral fins to crawl.  It is also a very hardy fish by being able to survive the harshness of cold winter months by hibernating or by burying itself in mud during droughts.

This fish, while it is an interesting species, is an extreme predator eating other fish, frogs, and many other types of Virginia aquatic wildlife.  The Snakehead also does not have any natural enemy in the United States.  In Southeast Asia, they are considered food with the power to heal illness.  However, here in Virginia their impact is felt by their destruction of our native aquatic systems and their impact on the food supply is felt greatly by preying on local fish.

According to the Department of Game and Fishing, these fish also spread disease and parasites to our native wildlife and even to humans who may eat or handle them.  So care should be given when handling these fish.

Snakehead fish have the potential to create havoc with Virginia’s natural resources and local economies if a solution isn’t found to destroy the species.  If you believe you have caught a Snakehead, first give a positive identification of the fish, kill it and keep it on ice until authorities can also identify it. If you are unsure, you can keep it alive until authorities can give a positive identification of the fish.

The VDGF are also asking you to help them if you find any other unusual fish, to please contact them at the Snakehead Hotline 1-800-770-4951.  Many non native fish are getting dumped into our rivers and streams from aquariums, so they need your help to keep our rivers, ponds and lakes free from non native predators.