In http://www.wapt.com/weather/Jackson-creek-turns-into-raging-river/-/9158494/22099124/-/15h6qnqz/-/index.html">WAPT's online video they don't identify the Jackson-area creek (is it Town Creek?) that turned into a "raging river" after today's rains, but one look at the video does force me to wonder out loud about the water quality of any lakes or riverwalk projects that we end up developing for downtown Jackson.
Jackson has many impermeable surfaces with oil, grit and other residue (not to mentioned trash, street drainage, etc.) that rush off to the creeks and Pearl.
I don't know the answer, but this visual at least suggests it would make sense to ask the question. Does still water somehow run cleaner? Am I judging this murky mess too harshly?
ON one had, the Pearl often looks pretty when you glance at it over the Lakeland bridge, and I've canoed it in the past and felt the water was clear and clean.
But the video doesn't make it this creek water look too appealing. Any river geeks have thoughts?
https://jacksonfreepress.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2013/09/24/Screen_Shot_2013-09-24_at_2.48.06_PM_t500x316.png?53be3a2d57c6c13537b75c169c8cf4907ad31fc5">Still shot of WAPT's 'raging river' video by Todd Stauffer
Comments
kdavis 10 years, 6 months ago
I have wondered the same thing. I have kayaked a few times in the Pearl. I have never had a problem north of the Waterworks Plant but the one time I kayaked south of the plant, the water looked like this video. Maybe it was a coincidence, but that one time south of the Waterworks plant I got the worst ear infection that I have ever had. It was so bad that I had to cancel a business trip the next week because the Doctor said there was no way I could fly.
js1976 10 years, 6 months ago
Sewage spills into the Pearl are not that uncommon during heavy rains like yesterday. Run off would have to be address long before damning up the river.