Canoe Adventures

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
    - Haida Indian Saying

      

 

There are times when a solo paddle, with no others around is what you need to refresh the mind and body. And yet, other times we need to meet up with like minded paddlers to share the moments.

 

 

 

sponsor link

 

 

  Buy GoPro HD Cameras @ GoPro.com

Environmental Issues

The following links are to stories we feel need to be covered or kept in mind. If you feel that there is an issue or news story of interest, please send it in for review. The scene above is just another example of trash in a river. This pile in a small town in Texas along the Sabine River. Plastic bottles and Styrofoam paddlers see all too often, but here we even have an old TV. Try and keep your local government aware of such problems. Here is an example of photos posted on the internet. Post the photos so that they can find them.

In The news

Oil Spill in Montana River, 07/02/2011

Land and Water Funding Bill

Trinity River Standing Wave Park, additional Wave Photos

Blue Green Algae Out break at Lake Texhoma

Texas Lakes Closures, and other Info from USCAE

Short YouTube Video Mother Earth.

Texas Oil and Drillers getting big tax breaks!

Organic Farmers sue Monsanto

Honeybee Collapse Tied to Insecticide

TMDLs

submitted by Eric Neilsen

What are they? How do they affect your life? On Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 I'll be attending the gathering of stakeholders in Arlington, TX at the North Texas Council of Governments, to discuss the Greater Trinity River Bacterial Total Maximum Daily Loads Project. The TMDLs are just indicators as to how safe a water source such as a river, might be. They can be pathogens, nutrients, sediment, mercury, other metals, as well as pesticides and more. The EPA has been working with states to reexamine the process of determining what makes a water source safe for drinking, playing in, what kind and amount of contact is safe.

Pathogens (bacteria ) that enter your body through recreational use can cause real havoc to your body. They can cause severe illness and even death. We don't want to go out to have fun only to end up in the hospital fighting for our lives. Part of the responsibility of the EPA and your state agencies is to establish standards to evaluate the quality of the water we use for recreational use. We all play a part in keeping our water clean. Excessive use of fertilizers, soaps, pet feces left to simply wash into the local storm water system, can all contribute to a less than clean water supply.

The ongoing meetings will focus on making recommendation to be included in a draft that the TCEQ will make to the EPA on how the region plans to improve the water quality of the Greater Trinity River Watershed in the DFW area.

The process is slow but soon the TMDL for the Upper Trinity River Watershed will go through the final phase. July 25th, 2013.

 

additional informational links for TMDLs and bacterial information

Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program Definitions EPA

http://mi.water.usgs.gov/h2oqual/BactHOWeb.html

and here in Texas, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board has their information on TMDLs.

 

 

Add to the information

email your suggestions, or requests to info@canoeadventures.net