Cuyahoga River Essay - 951 Words

Daniel Groves Environmental Geology Case Study November 22, 2011 Cuyahoga River Fires â€Å"In the United States, a concerted effort is underway to reduce water pollution and thereby improve water quality.† (Keller) A case history of river pollution is the Cuyahoga River located in Northeastern Ohio. The river is 100 miles long flowing south to Cuyahoga Falls where it then turns north until it empties into Lake Erie. Cleveland and Akron are two major cities located along the river. The Cuyahoga is known as an infant glacial river, this is because it is one of the youngest river created from the melting of the glaciers. It is estimated that the river is about 13,000 year old. The story of the Cuyahoga is one with many lows and highs. The†¦show more content†¦In 1952 a fire caused a million dollars’ worth of damage to river boats and riverfront businesses. On June 22, 1969 another river fire engulfed the river, this time the media coverage captured the attention of the nation. Time Magazine described the Cuyahoga as the river that â€Å"oozes rat her that flows† and in which a person â€Å"doesn’t drown but decays†. Many of the residents of Cleveland accepted the pollution as a necessary evil because they had jobs at these factories. This article helped the people of Cleveland pass a 100 million dollar bond to clean up the Cuyahoga River. Much of the industry that both made Cleveland rich and caused its river to burn may never be coming back. The costs of these fires were tremendous, but it did help lead to laws being passed to prevent this from happening in other rivers. One such law was the Clean Water Act of 1972. The Clean Water Act (CWA) is the primary federal law in which the US governs water pollution. The Act states the objectives of eliminating releases of high amounts of toxic substances into water. The CWA made it unlawful to dump toxic materials into navigable, waters unless given a permit. The permit is given through the EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. The purpose of The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is to regulate point sources that flow into bodies of water. The Clean Water Act has been changed over the years because ofShow MoreRelatedBuilding the Cuyahoga River Valley Organizations Essay examples1980 Words   |  8 Pages Case Study #2: Building the Cuyahoga River Valley Organization Edie Druktenis March 28, 2013 This case focuses on the development of the Cuyahoga River Valley Organization (CRVO) which is charged with caring out the Cuyahoga Valley Initiative (CVI). The initiation of this organization began with an article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer in 2000. The article discussed the history, natural beauty, and industry in the Cuyahoga Valley located in northeastern OhioRead MoreThe History Of The Enviornmental Protection Agency926 Words   |  4 PagesProtection Agencys vast history reflects their accomplishments and what they have successfully completed as a whole. In June 1969, the Fire on the Cuyahoga River caused the pollution of the water to become even worse, (EPA, 2017). This major event sparked the creation of the EPA, due to the desire to solve the issue of water pollution in the Cuyahoga River. The Environmental Protection Agency was initiated on December 2, 1970, and William D. Ruckelshaus serves as the first head of the EnvironmentalRead MoreWater Rights And Regulations Should Be Treated1258 Words   |  6 Pagesthis code has been controversial and will continue to be until the definition of conserved water is better defined along with allowable transfers (Kubasek Silverman, 2014). In 1969 the Cuyahoga River caught on fire when the sparks from a passing train ignited nearly a foot of floating flammable waste. This river had caught on fire 12 times before 1969 but it was this occurrence that was covered heavily by the media that opened the public’s eyes to the problem. The timing of this event and the 250Read More Water Pollution in America Essay563 Words   |  3 Pagesfeathers of birds or the fur of animals, often causing death. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Pesticides and herbicides are toxins that are used to kill of unwanted animals and plants. These may be collected by rainwater runoff and carried into steams, rivers, lakes, and even into the ocean. More than 14 million Americans drink water contaminated by with pesticides. 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The 1969 fire on the Cuyahoga River came at a time of peak environmental concern, the publicity aroused caused it to become a major motivator for theRead MoreWater Contamination Is Defined By The Safe Drinking Water Act ( Adwa )1693 Words   |  7 Pageswas an act of ignorance and a water war between City of Flint and Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). The greatest water war in Michigan’s history was contributed to vast p ollutions of water. In April 2014, Flint started using the Flint River as it new water source. A state expert said, The quality of the water being put out meets all of our drinking water standards, and Flint water is safe to drink† (Bosman, J., Davey, M., Smith, M., 2016). 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It is increasingly important that we educate ourselves as to what, exactly, ocean pollution is, so that we can identify the causes at their source and take action in small and large ways, and hopefully, prevent this terrible form of pollution