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From YouTube: Izaak Walton Film
Description
A film produced by The Izaak Walton League showing the ecological threat faced by the Four Mile Run 1949.
A
This
film
was
produced
by
the
Alexandria
chapter
of
the
Isaac
Walton
League
of
America
to
show
the
stream
conditions
in
the
vicinity
of
Alexandria
in
October.
1949
assistance
in
the
production
was
given
by
the
Alexandria
chapter,
the
DAR
and
the
interstate
Commission
on
the
Potomac
River
basin.
This
film,
as
well
as
the
effort
of
the
producing
organizations,
is
dedicated
to
the
elimination
of
the
filestream
conditions
that
revealed
the
map,
shows
the
city
of
Alexandria
and
its
relation
to
four
mile
run.
The
Potomac
and
Hunting
Creek,
the
red
arrow
marks.
A
The
mouth
of
four
mile
run
immediately
south
of
the
Washington
National
Airport.
These
introductory
views
were
made
from
a
rowboat
starting
at
the
point
shown
on
the
map.
Here
are
the
easily
seen
effects
of
sewage
pollution,
light
material
floating
on
the
river
water
surface
with
general,
water,
discoloration
and
sludge
boils
or
the
eruption
of
digesting
sludge
on
the
river
bottom.
These
foils
come
from
sewage
solids
that
have
deposited
in
time
past
and
are
now
undergoing
natural
decomposition
or
putrefaction
as
a
part
of
nature
scheme
of
water
cleansing.
A
In
this
view
of
four
mile
run
below
the
Mount
Vernon
Memorial
Highway,
floating
trash
is
abundant
and
the
site
of
sewage
solids
cannot
be
avoided.
The
entire
shoreline
is
most
unattractive
as
it
is.
It
lacks
completely
the
natural
beauty
we
like
to
associate
with
our
streams
all
along
this
run.
The
decomposition
of
sewage
solids
may
be
seen
plainly
with
emulation
of
gas
from
fermenting,
scum
and
sludge
deposits,
drainage,
ditches
and
Shur
irregularities.
Give
added
opportunities
for
this
condition
to
occur.
A
A
A
This
heavy
oil
scum
must
have
been
discharged
from
some
industrial
operations.
Such
industrial
waste
cannot
be
released
into
open
water
courses
without
deterioration
of
water
quality
and
without
detrimental
effects
to
the
fish
in
the
stream.
Even
if
the
water
were
not
polluted
with
sewage,
the
oil
scum
would
jeopardize
fish
life
and
kill
all
plant
life.
The
ore
demonstrates
the
density
of
the
oil
coating
on
the
water.
A
We
are
now
above
Jefferson,
Davis,
Highway
or
us
1,
and
here
is
shown.
The
submerged
outlet
of
the
Arlington
County
sewage
treatment,
plant
adjacent
to
the
county's
four
mile
run.
Dump
much
sewage
pollution
enters
the
run
at
this
point,
because
this
plant
cannot
treat
all
of
the
county
wastes.
The
plant
is
of
inadequate
capacity,
treating
but
part
of
the
Arlington
load
and
this
by
sedimentation
only
during
low
tide.
A
The
discharge
of
this
plant
could
be
seen
more
easily,
but
navigation,
even
in
a
rowboat,
would
be
impossible
across
the
creek
Alexandria's
raw
sewage
is
discharged
by
the
Reid
Avenue
sewer
at
the
heavy
gray
area
shown.
In
this
view,
a
six-inch
city
water
line,
crosses
the
polluted
Creek.
At
this
point,.
A
Proceeding
upstream,
there
is
a
truly
sick,
Creek
Bank
on
either
side
the
dump,
with
its
unsightly
deposits
of
many
kinds
of
refuse
seems
in
keeping
with
the
surroundings.
In
spite
of
the
repulsive
appearance
of
the
stream.
During
summer
months,
children
play
along
the
creek
banks
in
contact
with
the
water.
Surely
they
are
ignorant
as
their
parents
must
be
of
the
disease
germs
usually
present
in
such
waters,
disease
bacteria
usually
found
in
polluted
streams,
include
typhoid
and
paratyphoid,
fevers,
amoebic
and
bacillary
dysentery,
as
well
as
numerous
organisms
capable
of
producing
serious
skin
and
other
infections.
A
Direct
contact
with
the
polluted
water
is
not
necessary
for
exposure
to
these
disease
bacteria
as
flies
or
other
insects,
may
carry
them
from
the
run
to
the
household.
The
bacterial
population
of
the
water
shown
here
exceeded.
100
million
per
cup
for
Alexandrian
230
years
ago
will
remember
this
area
as
a
natural
lake,
and
it's
used
for
health,
giving
recreation.
A
Advancing
upstream
indications
of
present
and
past
deposits
of
sewage
solids
are
plentiful.
Pictures
made
as
far
upstream
as
rowboat
navigation
was
possible,
indicate
great
similarity
in
the
general
appearance.
The
waist
responsible
for
these
conditions
could
be
eliminated
from
the
streams
by
application
of
established
treatment
processes
before
discharge
into
the
stream
guidance
in
the
adaptation
of
specific
treatment
methods
is
available
to
Virginia
communities
through
the
state,
water,
Control
Board
and
the
State
Department
of
Health.
A
It
is
almost
unbelievable
if
these
conditions
prevail,
where
a
four
mile
run
is
crossed
by
the
Jefferson
Davis
Highway,
all
railroads,
connecting
Washington
with
the
south
and
the
Mount
Vernon
Memorial
Highway.
These
facilities
serve
tens
of
thousands
of
travelers
daily
sludge
deposits
recently
found
and
they
were
stirred
up
noticeably
when
the
ore
hits
bottom
at
the
mouth
of
four
mile
run:
bubbles
on
the
surface
emphasized
the
constant
decomposition
of
sludge
beds
under
the
water.
A
Are
views
of
the
Alexandria
shoreline
with
waterfront
industries
dependent
upon
the
river
for
shipping
and
industrial
water
supply?
In
addition,
numerous
residential
developments
have
taken
place
at
or
near
the
river
because
of
the
potential
attractions
of
such
locations.
The
water
here
is
used
for
a
seemingly
endless
variety
of
craft.
A
Near
the
Norfolk
and
Washington
steamboat
dock
at
the
foot
of
Prince
Street
is
the
location
of
another
sanitary
sewage
discharge,
even
though
the
reflection
and
the
water
shows
the
sky
blue.
There
is
a
constant
discharge
of
untreated
domestic
sewage
into
the
river
clearly
indicated
by
the
grey
area
in
the
picture.
A
A
A
The
old
Alexandria
electric
power
plant
is
a
large
industrial
user
of
river
water
for
cooling
because
of
the
grossly
polluted
condition
of
the
river
water.
Additional
costly
maintenance
of
condenser
equipment
is
required.
Approximately
50
million
gallons
of
river
water
are
pumped
through
the
plant
daily.
A
A
A
A
Huff's
run
like
perform
I'll
run
is
a
sickly
stream
with
an
unsightly
shoreline
as
well
as
water
content.
It
could
be
navigated
only
in
a
small
boat
and
at
high
tide
at
low
tide
sludge
banks
are
exposed
adding
to
that
mysteric
pollution
of
the
area
at
high
tide.
Many
sewer
lines
are
submerged,
but
the
effects
of
pollution
are
not
completely
hidden.
A
We
regret
that
the
effects
of
the
sewage
discharge
of
Alexandria's
100,000
persons
do
not
make
prettier
pictures.
We,
as
citizens
of
Alexandria,
must
realize
that
the
domestic
and
industrial
water
pollution
caused
by
our
neglect
threatens
our
health
and
the
health
of
our
children,
and
that
these
deplorable
conditions
must
be
remedied.