Black River: There is a place It's the spot where the East and West branches of the Black River flow together after tumbling over the two most dramatic waterfalls in the region. As you stand at this confluence and watch the waters mix (the West Branch is usually muddier because it drains more agricultural land), you can feel the powerful, spiritual force of the place. In recent years, citizen groups such as the Friends of the Black River and Seventh Generation have worked to raise public awareness of this Two Falls area of Elyria's Cascade Park. They have cleaned up tons of trash, improved hiking trails, and planted trees. And they are reintroducing people to the river's Native American nameCanesadooharie. Such efforts are part of a renewed appreciation of the Black River in Lorain County. "We heard at one point that the public was apathetic and didn't care about the river," says the Friends' Cheryl Wolfe. "But now we're giving something back. The healing has begun." Among other river-related activities, the Friends have organized volunteers to monitor water quality. The Lorain County Metro Parks has greatly expanded its Black River Reservation to protect more of the river corridor. And the Black River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) has brought together government agencies, business and citizens to study the watershed and devise a comprehensive cleanup plan. The Black River RAP is part of a U.S.-Canadian effort to clean up the 43 worst toxic hotspots around the Great Lakes. In Ohio, RAPs are also underway for the Cuyahoga, Ashtabula and Maumee rivers. Just as the Cuyahoga is known as the river that burned, the Black is the river with tumor-laden fish. For years, U.S. Steel in Lorain (now USS/Kobe Steel) discharged poisonous coal tars from its coke plant into the river. Bottom-feeding fish that came in contact with these and other contaminants in the sediment developed extraordinarily high rates of tumors and deformities. As a result, in 1983 the Ohio Department of Health issued a warning not to eat any fish caught in the lower stretch of the river. In 1990, the steel company dredged out the worst of the contaminated sediments and dumped them in a hazardous waste landfill near the riverbank. Fish tumors increased shortly after the dredging, presumably because the operation temporarily stirred up contaminants. But now tumor levels have declined. Persistent problems Despite the progress, an intensive study of the river conducted by Ohio EPA and other agencies in 1996 revealed a number of remaining water quality problems:
Members of the RAP are devising strategies to deal with these pollution problems. The goal is to restore the watershed so that it can support healthy communities of fish and other aquatic life, provide habitat for wildlife, as well as meet human needs for safe drinking water, industrial uses and recreation. "The river is our lifeblood," says Cheryl Wolfe of the Friends. And a growing number of Lorain County residents agree. They are making the Canesadooharie the heart of their part of the bioregion.
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