Re: NANFA-L-- The myth of restoration?

Moontanman-in-aol.com
Thu, 5 May 2005 18:56:11 EDT

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In a message dated 5/5/05 6:16:11 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
rheopresbe-in-hotmail.com writes:

> Even if you do,
> what's the point of having perfectly Rosgen-balanced channels when your
> water chemistry is totally screwed up? How do you fix water chemistry when
> 50% of your upstream watershed is impervious surfaces - shopping malls,
> highways, and asphalt parking lots?

We have a lot of similar problems around here in SENC. The entire county is a
pollution source, if it's not paved or a lawn it's a golf course. I'm not
sure what the numbers are but I'm sure the total run off in the form of
fertilizers and insecticides must be enormous. Greenfield Lake which is the cities
center piece should be a beautiful place with large stands of bald cypress in the
center of the lake and huge long needle pines surrounding the lake with lots
of palm trees and other wet ground loving trees and shrubs. but the lake it's
self is a giant mass of algae and pest type water plants. The lake is an
eyesore, a nasty mess that looks nothing like the healthy swamp/lake it should be.
Realistically I have to admit the lake is very productive, supporting large
numbers of fish, turtles, water birds, crustaceans, and other water dependent
species but between the siltation and pollution it's a sad sight for anyone who
knows what a swamp is supposed to look like. many people see the huge algae
mats and the often aromatic water and think "it's a swamp and it's supposed to
look and smell nasty". At least in your area there would seem to be a real
effort-in-recovery. around here very little is being done except more paving and
more grass. I get very frustrated every time I go to the lake. The city has
passed an ordinance specifically to prohibit dipnetters because someone noticed
that people were dipping so much nasty stuff out of the lake it makes the lake
look even worse and most people don't like the idea of putting the nasty stuff
that fills their nets back in the lake. I usually take two buckets with me
when I go, one for the fish and one for the nasty stuff I find. My point in all
this rambling is that Greenfield Lake is the cities centerpiece for the towns
tourist attraction. Lots of money is spent maintaining the lake and all the
beautiful trees and flowering shrubs (azaleas) but due to the many golf courses
and well maintained lawns the fertilizer runs into the lake and the result is a
mess. But like many places instead of a real effort to control the problem
the polluters have too much influence for anything to be done. Because it's not
a chemical company or sewage out flow it's impossible to get enough people
really interested in controlling the use of chemical fertilizers. Too many people
think that because we have a small handle on big polluters the problems are
solved but nothing could be further from the truth.

Michael Hissom (AKA Moon)
Lower Cape Fear River, Waccamaw Lake and river system, and coastal salt water
and brackish water estuaries in the same location. (South Eastern North
Carolina)
I have access to the only natural Ocean Shore Rock out cropping in Coastal NC

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In a message dated 5/5/05 6:16:11 P= M Eastern Daylight Time, rheopresbe-in-hotmail.com writes:


Even if you do,
what's the point of having perfectly Rosgen-balanced channels when your
water chemistry is totally screwed up? How do you fix water chemistry when <= BR> 50% of your upstream watershed is impervious surfaces - shopping malls,
highways, and asphalt parking lots?


We have a lot of similar problems around here in SENC. The entire county is=20= a pollution source, if it's not paved or a lawn it's a golf course. I'm not=20= sure what the numbers are but I'm sure the total run off in the form of fert= ilizers and insecticides must be enormous. Greenfield Lake which is the citi= es center piece should be a beautiful place with large stands of bald cypres= s in the center of the lake and huge long needle pines surrounding the lake=20= with lots of palm trees and other wet ground loving trees and shrubs. but th= e lake it's self is a giant mass of algae and pest type water plants. The la= ke is an eyesore, a nasty mess that looks nothing like the healthy swamp/lak= e it should be. Realistically I have to admit the lake is very productive, s= upporting large numbers of fish, turtles, water birds, crustaceans, and othe= r water dependent species but between the siltation and pollution it's a sad= sight for anyone who knows what a swamp is supposed to look like. many peop= le see the huge algae mats and the often aromatic water and think "it's a sw= amp and it's supposed to look and smell nasty". At least in your area there=20= would seem to be a real effort-in-recovery. around here very little is being= done except more paving and more grass. I get very frustrated every time I=20= go to the lake. The city has passed an ordinance specifically to prohibit di= pnetters because someone noticed that people were dipping so much nasty stuf= f out of the lake it makes the lake look even worse and most people don't li= ke the idea of putting the nasty stuff that fills their nets back in the lak= e. I usually take two buckets with me when I go, one for the fish and one fo= r the nasty stuff I find. My point in all this rambling is that Greenfield L= ake is the cities centerpiece for the towns tourist attraction. Lots of mone= y is spent maintaining the lake and all the beautiful trees and flowering sh= rubs (azaleas) but due to the many golf courses and well maintained lawns th= e fertilizer runs into the lake and the result is a mess. But like many plac= es instead of a real effort to control the problem the polluters have too mu= ch influence for anything to be done. Because it's not a chemical company or= sewage out flow it's impossible to get enough people really interested in c= ontrolling the use of chemical fertilizers. Too many people think that becau= se we have a small handle on big polluters the problems are solved but nothi= ng could be further from the truth.
   
Michael Hissom (AKA Moon)
Lower Cape Fear River, Waccamaw Lake and river system, and coastal salt wate= r and brackish water estuaries in the same location. (South Eastern North Ca= rolina)
I have access to the only natural Ocean Shore Rock out cropping in Coastal N= C
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