Another Anacostia River big tire day!

Big tire. Anacostia River, MD. 3 February 2024.

Here is another big tire story from the Anacostia River. It is February and in this part of the world, that usually means cold. A North wind was adding some chop to the water and making it seem colder than the 6°C (~45°f) that the weather report said. With a wind out of the North, I thought I would go upstream and clean up the shopping carts we couldn’t load last week, however; recent flooding had moved all the shopping carts and I could not find any. Water is powerful and it is pretty amazing that something as unwieldy as a shopping cart can just disappear in a flood, but I have seen buildings swept away in floodwaters. I guess a flood moving a few shopping carts shouldn’t be so mind blowing – the Anacostia did go from a gage height of one foot to six feet – so there was some extra flow!

Anacostia River flow data from https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/01649500/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D&showMedian=false

After striking out on shopping carts, I went to check on a semi tire we noticed last weekend but we’re unable to remove because our kayaks were full of shopping carts. It was still present, in hip deep water near the shoreline. I hopped out of my kayak took off my life jacket, coat, and shirts (I hate wearing wet clothes for warmth), grabbed the shovel from the back deck of my kayak, and hopped in. It was unpleasantly cold (according to USGS monitoring water temp was about 6°C) and I wasn’t enjoying the tire removal process at all. I hopped out of the river, put my coat back on, got out of the wind, and began sun bathing to warm back up. I thought about just leaving and coming back on a nicer day, and then I thought this will only suck for a little while, so I took off my coat and hopped back in. It did suck – but I got the tire out and loaded into my kayak cockpit (semi tires are too big and heavy to safely load on the front or rear decks, so you load the tire into the cockpit and paddle from the rear deck).

Big tire safely back at boat ramp. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, MD. 3 February 2024.

The paddle back was slow, but uneventful. When I got back to the boat ramp, I met Colin. Colin is a middle school student doing a documentary about the Anacostia River and he found the idea of removing trash by kayak pretty interesting – especially when he tried to lift the tire.

Rolling the tire up the boat ramp. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, MD. 3 February 2024. Photo by Ben.

I am glad that our paths crossed. Perhaps I gave Colin a little more footage for his documentary and I hope his documentary helps people to understand that rivers are important. If nothing else it made me happy to see somebody else who cares. While pulling tires is uncomfortable, wet, and dirty work it happens quickly. Making a documentary is a lot of work, but it also has the potential to make a big difference. Thanks Colin.

Anacostia River: E. coli bacteria levels – 2 August 2023

These data are from the Anacostia River Keeper water quality monitoring program. Having a swimmable river begins with having a river that it is safe to be in contact with. This program involves sampling every 2 weeks. These data in particular represent sampling after a rainy weekend and past Anacostia River data show that increased E. coli levels correlate with rainfall.

E. coli levels from sampling performed the morning of 2 August 2023 in Prince George’s County, MD.

Levels of E. coli bacteria are used as indicator of fecal contamination of surface water. While E. coli can make you sick, there are other bacteria and viruses in fecal contaminated that will make you sicker. The presence of higher E. coli levels is also associated with higher Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), higher nutrient levels, and higher turbidity – which is all expected as more poo is in the water.

Map of sampling locations for Prince George’s County, MD.

The data are displayed as MPN (most probable number) of E. coli per 100 ml of sampled water. For a river that is moving toward being fishable and swimmable, it is disconcerting that 4 out of 5 samples rate as “use caution near water” or worse- however, the samples are after a rainy weekend.

I am very grateful to the Anacostia Riverkeeper for sharing these data, that I have shared with you. I hope we see better numbers as the summer progresses.

Mahoning River Ohio

The Mahoning River is a ~110 mile long river that flows from its source in NE Ohio to Pennsylvania, where it meets the Ohio River (as the Beaver River), and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. Being connected to such important rivers meant the Mahoning River was a corridor for exploration and development of the region.

Mahoning River Adventures shuttle bus. Canoe City Metropark, Leavittsburg, OH. 29 July 2023.

When steel furnaces were developed in Youngstown, the Mahoning River became important to industry. Several low dams were built on the river to ensure the availability of water for steel manufacture and the river began recieving the hot, untreated effluent from steel processes. The river was considered one of the most polluted in the United States from 1948 to 1977. In 1977 the steel mills began to shut downm, but the legacy of PCB’s in the system and contaminated sediments continue. 

Rotary Park kayak access. Newton Falls, OH. 29 July 2023

The river is getting cleaner. There is still a fish consumption advisory, but they are allowing some human consumption. The Ohio DNR has established a water trail on 23 miles of river upstream of Warren, Ohio. I have been told there is a big difference between the river upstream of Warren and downstream of Warren – you want to use the upstream river. Locals are planning the removal of the low dams, which will help the river regain historic flow patterns.

Newton Falls Dam from the kayak access. Newton Falls, OH. 29 July 2023.

We found out about the Mahoning River while looking for a paddle spot during our summer vacation road trip. We weren’t able to make it happen during our vacation, so we decided to come back for a weekend and paddle the Mahoning and Cuyahoga Rivers.

Mahoning River, OH. 29 July 2023.

Planning a river trip requires: USGS river flow data, maps (the Mahoning River water trail brochure is very useful), historical information, and knowledge of what all the data means in terms of user river experience. Another method is to hire all the planning out and use an outfitter, shuttle service, or guide. We chose to use Mahoning River Adventures which is part of three sister outfitters (www.paddletheriver.com) on the Cuyahoga and Mahoning Rivers.

Mahoning River, OH. 29 July 2023.

We did the ‘long trip’ (11 river miles) from the Newton Falls low dam to the low dam at Leavittsburg. This trip isn’t always offered because there can be log jams that require portages and there are private property issues that could potentially be problematic for a portage – another advantage of hiring an outfitter is this bit of local knowledge is available. It is also possible that the outfitter was a major catalyst in making the log jams passable, yet another good reason to support the local folks.

Thomas A. Swift Metropark kayak ramp. Braceville Township, OH. 29 July 2023.

The Mahoning is a pretty river but it flows through a lot of private property and doesn’t have sand or gravel bars to provide nice spots to take a break. The steep, muddy banks and private property pretty much confine a paddler to the river. We did stop at the Thomas A. Swift Metropark to have snacks and stretch. There was a picnic table and no bathroom.

Canoe City Metropark, Leavittsburg, OH. 29 July 2023.

The river flowed through forest, occasional yards, and sometimes farmfields. The log jams added interest to the paddling as we looked for the best way to paddle through. After the first three miles the number of log jams reduced significantly. We had an overcast day with a threat of thunderstorms, so we often had dramatic light like a Thomas Moran painting. The Mahoning River was a very pleasant place to paddle and Mahoning River Adventures was a very easy way to get out on the river.

Wine! Mahoning River Adventures. 29 July 202

After we got back we talked with the outfitter for a bit and helped with our kayaks. As we were leaving the outfitter asked if we drank wine and explained that he had won a bottle of wine, glasses, and a 4ocean recycled plastic bracelet (www.4ocean.com) and would like us to have it. This was a nice bit of lagniappe and a very enjoyable way to toast our river adventure back at the hotel.

Keller Lake, MN

Notice of pesticide treatment. Keller Lake, Apple Valley, MN. 11 July 2023.

In the ‘land of 10,000 lakes’ (Minnesota), some of the 10,000 are in need of help. The best method is prevention, after that it becomes a lot more work. Keller Lake was a spot we chose to paddle based on proximity to family we were visiting. It was actually a pleasant little lake, but it does have issues. It is a shallow little lake that has probably always tended toward the eutrophic (nutrient rich) end of the lake spectrum and this will make future management more difficult.

A water quality monitoring team with a canoe laden with water quality monitoring equipment. Keller Lake, MN. 11 July 2023.

Keller Lake is within the greater Minneapolis urban sprawl and lake’s watershed is dominated by suburban homes. The lake is designated as impaired by the Clean Water Act (303d list) and has a TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) for phosphorus. The lake is shallow and the entire lake bottom produces vegetation, which when it dies can release phosphorus, but the lake also recieves generous amounts of phosphorus from external sources. Even though it isn’t blatantly stated in the management plan, I would be willing to bet that lawn fertilizers are playing a major role in the phosphorus loading. The local government has hired a contractor to monitor water quality, which is a very important first step in characterizing (and eventually solving) the problem.

Paddling. Keller Lake, MN. 11 July 2023.

Of course, the lake also has invasive species like: goldfish and Eurasian watermilfoil. The Eurasian watermilfoil is bad enough that the herbicide triclopyr is being used to combat the weed. Herbicide treatments like this are difficult because you can’t treat the entire lake at once because the decaying dead aquatic vegetation will suck up all the dissolved oxygen and kill the fish. So the lake gets treated piecemeal, which knocks back plant populations such that the lake can be enjoyed by recreationists, but is unlikely to remove the offending invasive plant. Reducing nutrients (especially phosphorus) will also help reduce the aquatic plant load, but it is a harder way to go as it will require the actions of many homeowners.

Ceratophyllum demersum a native aquatic plant. Keller Lake, MN. 11 July 2023.

Managing public resources, especially in areas with homes is difficult because, people are living right on the lake, everyone has different values, and everyone is an expert on what they wish to do with the lake and what is best for the lake. As stated earlier, even in a pristine state, this lake likely tended to be weedy and eutrophic. I hope Apple Valley, MN can solve the problems in Keller Lake without too much pain.

Idaho invasive species watercraft inspection

Coming into Idaho, we were surprised to see a sign saying all watercraft must stop. We did as told and I was thrilled with what I saw – an invasive species inspection station! The concept is very simple: by inspecting boats, invasive species can be detected and prevented from reaching Idaho waters.

The kayak undergoing inspection. Cottrell Rest Area I-84, Idaho. 7 July 2023.

The questions asked were pretty straightforward: 1) what waters has your boat been on in the past 30 days? and 2) where are you planning to go boating?. The inspectors then looked up the water bodies to find out what invasive species they needed to be concerned about and then inspected our kayak.

The big sign. Cottrell Rest Area I-84, Idaho. 7 July 2023

While nobody likes spending 15 minutes being inspected, this is a brilliant program! Idaho has fantastic aquatic resources that are worth protecting and I am glad to see them doing exactly that.

Let us help you help yourself. Cottrell Rest Area I-84, Idaho. 7 July 2023

Nobody wants to be the person who introduced an invasive species and ruined a body of water. The basic is your boat should be clean and dry when moving between water bodies.

Certificate of inspection. Cottrell Rest Area I-84, Idaho. 7 July 2023

Hooray for Idaho protecting their waters.

Swimming as a conservation event

Screenshot from http://www.anacostiariverkeeper.org.

Anacostia Riverkeeper is hosting the first sanctioned swim in the Anacostia River in over 50 years – Splash!

Splash will provide an opportunity for residents to legally swim in the Anacostia River! Swimming is important because fishable and swimmable are designated uses in the Federal Clean Water Act – it is pretty amazing that the ability to swim and fish in the waters of the United States had to be codified into law. Even more amazing, the waters of the District of Columbia were so far out of swimmable designation that it swimming was made illegal and has been since 1971.

However, infrastructure improvements like the CleanRivers tunnels (DC Water), sewage overflow levels into the Anacostia River have been reduced by 80%. The DC Citizen Science Water Quality Monitoring Program has found bacteria levels are passing recreational standards most of the time. In 2022, the monitoring sites at Kingman Island, Buzzards Point, and Washington Channel passed recreational water quality standards over 90% of the time. The 2023 monitoring season should yield similar results.

The Anacostia Riverkeeper reminds us: “Swimming is still illegal in District waters and you may only swim during a sanctioned Special Swim Event like this one with a permit from DC Department of Energy and the Environment. We do not encourage swimming in the river outside of these events.“

This is a big deal and a celebration of the efforts of so many people.

Be the change you wish to see in others.

Anacostia Watershed Society tour boat ‘Lotus Bloom’ with the pilot’s single-use plastic cup circled in red. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, MD. 11 June 2023.

The Anacostia Watershed Society takes people on river tours. This is an important activity because people can get excited about conserving a river they have seen before. People need to see their river.

When leading these tours, it is best to model good river stewardship as a tour leader. Given the crushing amount of single use plastic trash in the river, bringing plastic trash on the water seems pretty tone deaf. My kayak is made of plastic and I have used and will use single use plastics – but using single use plastics while on the water just seems a little disrespectful and doesn’t help spread the idea that we should all try to minimize our use of these items.

It is easy to point fingers. When it comes to plastic trash, there is only us. We all use and discard plastics. The Anacostia Watershed Society shouldn’t stop doing river tours, the river tours are crazy important. They should just try to model best practices for river health (like no single use plastics on the boat) while teaching the public about their river and the importance of a healthy river to healthy and vibrant communities within the river’s watershed.

In saving the river, we just might save our selves.

Woodpecker crimes against bees

A friend in Woodbridge, VA had something happen I had never heard of and it is cool enough that I want to share it with you. They had bee boxes that attracted woodpeckers, who destroyed all the efforts of the bees and really disturbed my friend. This is a circle of life moment. It points out how difficult it is to be a bee – on addition to loss of habitat, loss of floral resources, and ubiquitous pesticide use, there are bloodthirsty woodpeckers who can’t wait to slurp up your larvae!

A happy bee box filled with larvae in a simpler, innocent time. Woodbridge, VA. 21 April 2023.

Bee boxes are really cool and let you get a peek at the lives of these fascinating creatures. The Xerces Society has some great information about bee boxes and bee box management (https://www.xerces.org/publications/fact-sheets/nests-for-native-bees). Like most of nature, if you take the time to observe and learn about any aspect of nature, then you will find wonder, amazement, and joy in the organisms you know. My friend mourns his bees.

Oh! The humanity! A post woodpecker carnage bee box. Woodbridge, VA. 26 May 2023

When the woodpeckers (there were two) found the bee boxes, they were likely very excited to find such an abundance of food. Now my friend has choices to make.

#1 a simple enclosure that limits woodpecker access, but not bee access could be constructed.

#2 take the nest box contents and distribute nest sites diffusely throughout the yard such that woodpeckers can’t destroy them all at once. Be small and sneaky.

#3 plant the entire yard to native plants and put up 100’s of bee boxes. Go big! Make it impossible for the woodpeckers to destroy all of the bee larvae.

#4 quit entirely and never fall in love with nature again.

A visit to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park

My work group visited the Smithsonian National Zoological Park (a.k.a. zoo) today. I am not a big zoo goer, but it was good to see my coworkers and the zoo is really well done.

Visitor Center. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, DC. 10 May 2023

The zoo has redone their aviary. I never saw the old one, but this is really well done. I have never been this close to a dunlin or bufflehead before – they are so pretty. Zoos started simply as collections of animals for entertainment, but the National Zoo has embraced animal welfare and conservation. As an example, here is a link to their page for the Panamanian Golden frog: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/panamanian-golden-frog.

Happy children having fun watching the sea lion. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, DC. 10 May 2023

However, the big thing zoos do is educate. There were school groups of children filling the park. You can’t spend time at the zoo and not learn something.

Triceratops. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, DC. 10 May 2023

My zoo learning on this day had to do with dinosaur images and a statue near the reptile house. Romer (1956) in his ‘Osteology of the Reptiles’ says (and I am paraphrasing) that based on the vascular state of the bones, one would assume dinosaurs were warm-blooded, but we all know that was not the case…

So I I had to go look at some modern taxonomic treatments and gasp in amazement at how taxonomists have dealt with our new views on dinosaurs! Taxonomists and the taxonomies they create in an attempt to recapture phylogeny are always entertaining. I leave it to you to enjoy the modern taxomies and fresh views of how dinosaurs populate the ‘tree of life’.

While I would still rather take a walk in the woods than go to the zoo, I enjoyed my visit and saw some really cool animals that I might never see otherwise and gained a new respect for taxonomists.

Household IPM: Embrace a new lawn paradigm

IPM (or Integrated Pest Management) is a conceptual framework for making decisions with regard to activities used to maintain systems. At the core of IPM are human values, the idealized landscape and what we want from it are the standards to which the system in question is compared. If the system is not attaining our goals, then what activities will bring the system in line with our goals? We then choose to perform an activity and re-compare to the ideal. Of course the activities are have costs and an important aspect of an IPM framework is the concept of economic threshold which can be thought of as either ‘bang for the buck’ or ‘cost and benefit’. Given that a weed or pest species is a human construct, what happens when the human values that guide IPM change? This blog post examines that conceptual change.

Close up view of a lawn that receives water, fertilizers, pesticides, and at least weekly mowing. NE DC. 11 April 2023.

A recent post told a story of a lawn and pesticide use associated with a church.  Every house I have owned I have replaced portions of the lawns with garden beds, no-mow strips, native plants, shrubs, and trees. Additionally, my lawn care routine has consisted of minimal water, minimal mowing, no supplemental water, no fertilizers, and no pesticides. I just do not understand why people would want a chemical-drenched, water-intensive, and biodiversity-impoverished monoculture of a (more often than not) non-native grass.

Close up view of a lawn that receives only occasional mowing. NE DC. 11 April 2023.

This blog post is accompanied with photos of two lawns that are across the street from each other here in NE DC that are very differently maintained. One I don’t even like to walk my dog on because of all the pesticides used – the little signs a commercial applicator installs after a lawn pesticide treatment are there because pesticides are poisons. Being mortal I tend to avoid poisons. The other lawn is at the home of a hard working gentleman, who when he isn’t working is often helping other people – as such his lawn receives minimal care and does just fine because of it.

Overview of a lawn that receives water, fertilizers, pesticides, and at least weekly mowing. NE DC. 11 April 2023.

Up close, the first thing you notice is the low maintenance lawn is much more colorful. Next you will notice is that the high maintenance lawn is primarily one species of grass while the low maintenance lawn may not even be predominantly grass, however, among the grasses in the low maintenance yard are prized native species like little blue stem (Schizachyrium scoparium). The low maintenance yard has butterflies and bees visiting the low growing flowers, while the high maintenance yard does not. I have not done cover plots, but to my eye, both lawns have a similar amount of bare ground.

Overview of a lawn that receives only occasional mowing. NE DC. 11 April 2023.

From a distance, both lawns currently look pretty much the same. The high maintenance lawn will not change much, while the low maintenance lawn will have a seasonality as the spring weeds yield to summer weeds which will yield to fall weeds. The low maintenance yard will get about a foot tall between mowings.

The big difference between the two lawns is the high maintenance lawn represents increased ( perhaps unnecessary) fertilizer and pesticide run-off into the Chesapeake Bay. The high maintenance lawn represents pesticide drift and contact exposure to pesticides for any animal that happens to cross the yard. The high maintenance lawn means all the noise of equipment and applications. The high maintenance lawn represents so many resources wasted to achieve an aesthetic paradigm that any idiot willing to poison themselves, their neighbors, and their environment could achieve. To me it is just ugly.

The agro-industrial lawn complex has spent a great deal of money and time selling the beauty of a high maintenance lawn to consumers. Lawns are important. Lawns can create a fire defensible space around a house, lawns are important as spaces to recreate, and lawns help moderate urban heat island effects. I do not hate lawns, I hate toxic, bio-impoverished, environmentally hazardous lawns. There is a difference, and the choice is up to you.