Welcome to Potomac Riverkeeper
We stop pollution & restore clean water in the Potomac & Shenandoah Rivers & all tributaries.
Potomac Riverkeeper, Inc. (PRK) is a non-profit organization that stops pollution and restores clean water in the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and tributaries through enforcement and community engagement. Our goal is to spread awareness of the pollution threatening our rivers and streams, and to use all means available to make them cleaner.
Our goals are shared by a wide variety of people. Across the watershed, commercial fishermen and fishing guides are losing their businesses, anglers are losing their hobby, and kayakers are losing their venue. And everyone is losing access to clean drinking water. These groups of people all want a cleaner Potomac, and many of them support PRK's mission. PRK works for everybody living, working, or playing on the Potomac. We invite you to become involved and help us make healthier rivers and streams a reality.
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Written by Amber Marra
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Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River has found growing evidence that contaminants found in the river are making their way past water treatment plants and into drinking glasses.
A study conducted in the spring of 2007 by the group found low levels of 59 manmade organic chemicals in the river, according to a River Health Report released by the group.
The chemicals reported on in the report include herbicides, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, hormones, and several other types of manmade compounds.
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Written by Peter Galuszka
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This May, environmentalists hailed two developments that finally seemed to bode well for the Chesapeake Bay.
The Environmental Protection Agency settled a lawsuit with activist and seafood groups to start enforcing bay-related pollution rules. Also, the Obama administration announced it would undertake a pollution survey of bay watersheds to identify and stem pollution.
Unfortunately, the positive moves are running into a brick wall, namely Gov. Robert F. McDonnell.
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Written by Ben Orcutt
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BENTONVILLE-- While the Shenandoah Riverkeeper is all about serious business, Saturday's Shenandoah River Rodeo at the Low-Water Bridge Campground was all about fun.
"We bring members together because there's not a lot of activities that bring us environmentalists together," said Avis Moore, a board member of Potomac Riverkeeper Inc. "Most of the time we're home at our desks or at our computers writing and reading and trying to [get] legislation through Congress and we don't have time for much fun."
Residents of Gaithersburg, Md., Moore, 85, and her husband, Bill, 97, attended Saturday's third-annual Shenandoah Riverkeeper event on the South Fork of the river.
The Shenandoah Riverkeeper works under the auspices of the board of directors of Potomac Riverkeeper Inc. Jeff Kelble of Boyce has served as the Shenandoah Riverkeeper for the past five years.
"We spend our time finding pollution and trying to figure out ways to stop it," Kelble said.
Kelble, 38, said his goal for Saturday's event was to attract about 100 new members to the organization, which already numbers about 400.
"I'd say most of our members are river users, probably the majority of them," Kelble said. "We do work to keep the river useable, keep it clean and healthy for them. A lot of times it means we end up doing a lot of heavy lifting trying to tackle old, hard problems."
In addition to a catered barbecue dinner, the Shenandoah River Rodeo featured paddling, fishing, swimming and entertainment by a bluegrass band. Like Mrs. Moore, Kelble said it's good to have some fun for a group that stays in the trenches trying to fight to keep the Shenandoah River clean.
Learn more at the Northern Virginia Daily website
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Written by Chuck Epes
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Some disheartening news: A CBF analysis of Virginia’s efforts over the past year to speed the cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay indicates the Commonwealth is falling short in doing what state officials promised just a year ago. This doesn’t bode well for achieving what all acknowledge will be even more ambitious commitments needed to save the Bay in the coming years.
First, some background. As most people know, because more than two decades of voluntary agreements, unmet commitments, and missed deadlines failed to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the Obama Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are now aggressively pushing forward with a federal plan to clean up the Bay.
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Written by Val Van Meter
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It's green and rather slimy and it stinks. A new "algae bloom" is discouraging many people who usethe Shenandoah River for recreation.
"It looks the worst I have ever seen it," said Clarke County resident Bud Nagelvoort, who lives on the banks of the Shenandoah near Watermelon Park.
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