Rebuilding a River

Monday marks the 40th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire of 1969. This small event (the fire was put on in under 30 minutes and damages were around $50,000) became the symbol of how polluted our waterways had become. It lead to the establishment of the Clean Water Act of 1977.

Having lived a few years along side the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I can personally attest to how beautiful the river is and how far it has come. It is amazing when given the chance how fast nature can heal herself.

For more information, PBS is airing a great program entitled "The Return of the Cuyahoga".

Let's celebrate the 40th anniversary as a testament of how far we have come with the water quality in this country and remember there are rivers, lakes, and bays out there (e.g. the Anacostia and the Chesapeake) that still need our help!