The Scoop...November 14, 2011
Posted by Jim Krumel
on Nov 14, 2011
Beth Seibert of the Ottawa River Coalition talked about the coalition’s mission, its accomplishments and what it yet needs to accomplish
President Jerry Courtney called the meeting to order. There were several special reports about Christmas events. Rotarians were urged to be involved in at least one, if not all: Monday, Nov. 28, will be the Christmas auction at 6 p.m. in the City Club. Tickets are $35 a couple or $20 for an individual. People are urged to sign up soon. Dec. 10 is bell-ringing for the Salvation Army. Dec. 17 will be the special needs Christmas Party. Rotarians were urged to be involved and to also have their family’s take part. If they’re unable to attend, it was asked that they donate a gift valued at $40. Beth Seibert of the Ottawa River Coalition was the speaker. She talked about the coalition’s mission, its accomplishments and what it yet needs to accomplish. The mission, she said, is to ensure the community needs are met while at the same time natural resources are used wisely. She looked back to 1976 and 1993 when the Ottawa River was being closely watched statewide. It was basically a small river running through a large city with lots of industry. The main channel of the river, from Lafayette to Kalida, was not in attainment. This was measured by the habitat along the river and its ability to sustain life, be it fish, insects or mammals. They were shocked to find fish with deformities such as lesions, tumors or eroded fins. In 1987, the main channel of the river saw 47 percent of its area with some type of negative occurrence. In 1989, it was found that 90 percent of the pollution was not “point of source” pollution but instead was things like yard fertilizer and pet waste which entered the river through the sewer system. Armed with that information, a high priority was put on clean-up efforts in 1993. Through the efforts of many people, including industrial leaders, those problems have remarkably been attacked and corrected. Today, less than one percent has some type of occurrence. “The solution to pollution is dilution,” said Seibert.