On May 3 the Shenandoah Riverkeeper posted the following on Facebook:
"As some of you are aware, during the course of this week, we have experienced a fish kill on the South Fork of the Shenandoah in the Grove Hill area of the river with a number of reports coming in of dead and dying smallmouth bass.
Jason Hallacher, VA DWR fisheries biologist, along with USGS research scientists were out on that stretch earlier this week collecting tissue samples unrelated to the unfolding fish kill so hopefully their analysis may yield some insights. And DEQ folks are being good public stewards as they immediately responded and are on that stretch of water today collecting data.
Way too many questions and few answers as to why this occurred or is still occurring. Fish kills can occur naturally and we do know that the spawn is underway and the sudden temperature jump (over 10 degrees this week) did happen but no clue if they are contributing factors. Environmental conditions change so quickly and there is often only a short window in which to collect quality samples.
Many fish kills can occur as a result of fluctuations in the natural environment such as harmful algal blooms and resulting water quality issues such as low oxygen or production of toxins. Environmental factors such as changes in pH, dissolved oxygen levels and significant algal growth and we can't ignore ag issues like herbicides being used to knock down cover crops along with parasites and pathogens that add significant stress to the spawn. No shortage of suspects at all.
Stay tuned."
Stephen Johnson posted the following comment:
"Yep another fish kill to talk about for the next few years.
Meantime, nothing ever happens nor is there a result in findings other than pulling information from the article and re running it .
Run off - still on going
Nitrogen/ Phosphorous still leaching off farm land .
Bio- solids running off onto tribs .
So called Stewart’s [sic] of the land allowing cattle to stand in feeder streams .
Blind eye to Chicken Processors discharge .
Over flow from STPs that get a tap on the wrist when they discharge .
The North and South Forks are polluted for a reason .
That reason is nothing is done to stop any of the generators.
Just water samples and flesh samples collection and a report .
Then the cycle starts all over again .
Crock of crap"
There are those who will read this and say "That's Grove Hill and the South Fork. Strasburg is on the North Fork and 50 miles from Grove Hill". While that may be true, Grove Hill and the South Fork are connected to Strasburg and the North Fork by the same river--the Shenandoah.
Furthermore, Strasburg Underground reported pollution in the North Fork of the Shenandoah in Stasburg previously:
2/14/24:
12/4/23:
8/24/23:
6/30/23:
6/13/23:
3/28/23:
3/8/23:
11/25/22:
10/11/22:
North Fork Shenandoah River at Strasburg Park public boat landing in Shenandoah County VA. E. coli levels on Wednesday June 22 versus Thursday June 23, 2022.
The source of the Town of Strasburg's drinking water is the polluted Shenandoah River. Think about that the next time that you drink a glass of water.
