Fishing for water quality

Water quality gets down to basics: Is it safe for citizens to swim or fish in Kansas waters? Despite some progress, the answer for some waters is still to beware.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued a fish consumption advisory this week, warning Kansans not to eat more than one 8-ounce serving a month of catfish and carp caught in the Arkansas River from the Lincoln Street dam downstream to Belle Plaine, because of ongoing PCB contaminant levels.
Officials also warned about the danger to children of eating mercury-tainted fish caught in the Little Arkansas River between Valley Center and downtown Wichita.
The warnings are a reminder that it can take decades to clean up rivers polluted with toxic chemicals — and that Kansans have every right to expect fishable and swimmable streams.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

2 Comments

  1. Ben Huie
    Posted January 11, 2006 at 8:01 am | Permalink

    Meanwhile, the EPA wants to water down requirements that companies reveal to Citizens what they dump into our environment.

    Tell them NO:

    http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/ombwatch/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1324

  2. Galahad
    Posted January 11, 2006 at 11:23 am | Permalink

    I’ve only been “catching and releasing” for years now.

    That’s why.