Potomac River Gets an Upgrade

Doug Jones catches a tourney winning
Blue Catfish in the Potomac

Potomac gets a ‘B-’ for health as pollution levels decrease

The Potomac River is continuing to improve in terms of health, and has been upgraded to a “B-” grade by the Potomac Conservancy.

The group had initially given the river a “D” in 2011 and a “C” in 2013, based on the amount of pollutants in the water and their effect on the river and its natural inhabitants.

According to Chad Thompson, stormwater specialist with the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, “There has been a concerted effort among the states and counties to clean up their waters” in an effort to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.

The decrease in pollution levels of the Potomac, along with an increase in fish and other aquatic life, is a result of that effort.

I'm skeptical of grading systems for rivers and the Bay, but I do think that things have been improving in the last several years. I hope the trends are real.