next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects
Hi John, Apr 30, 2011
It helps to have been there. Thanks.
I gather P has been identified as the culprit. Has a possible
contribution
from residential/cottage septic systems been checked ?
Is the uppermost position of the cynaobacterial blooms, in a given
watershed, usually (always ?) in lake water as opposed to running water ?
Logically this would also be associated with lakes in which the water has a
long residence time.
Yt, Dave Webster
----- Original Message -----
From: "John and Nhung" <nhungjohn@eastlink.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 9:43 PM
Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Mink stink; long
> To: All
>
> From: John Sollows
>
> Date: April 28/11
>
> Yup, it's a messy story, one with which I have had some involvement.
>
> It's unfair to accuse government departments of sweeping things under the
> rug. We brought the problem up with Environment N.S. in 2008. They
> actually moved quickly to start monitoring the situation, and do have
> competent staff. That said, they certainly are under-resourced, and do
> the
> best they can under challenging circumstances, which are not likely to
> become less challenging under current financial circumstances. Do we want
> to pay more taxes to solve the problem?
>
> The geographic distribution of the cyanobacterial blooms and high
> phosphate
> levels cannot give 100% incontrovertible proof that mink farming is the
> main
> culprit, but the circumstantial evidence is extremely strong; strong
> enough
> when combined with common sense to convince me that it's time for all
> involved to stop fighting, acknowledge that mink farms are strongly
> implicated, and tackle the problem. Many mink farmers comply already and
> are good environmental citizens. A smaller number are not and that,
> combined with the sins of the past are likely to leave us with a problem
> for
> years to come.
>
> An employee of the mink breeders' association raised the possibility of
> climate change, acid rain, and deforestation as possible causes. Yes,
> they
> may aggravate the situation, but he was laying red herrings and wasting
> everyone's time. These blooms NOT occur in nearby streams and lakes which
> do not lie downstream from mink farms.
>
> This situation is a beautiful example of why rural economic development
> needs to be managed on the basis of catchment area.
>
> In my book, mink farmers and their employees have a right to make a
> living,
> but also an obligation to be good neighbours and look after the next
> generation.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]
> On Behalf Of David & Alison Webster
> Sent: April-28-11 9:13 PM
> To: NatureNS@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: [NatureNS] Mink stink; long
>
> Dear All, Apr 28, 2011
> An article in the Chron Hrld today (Minks make stink) illustrates how
> difficult it is to correct a problem when the powers that be want to sweep
> everything under the rug.
>
> A severe problem in Lake Fanning in 2006 led to field studies by NS DO
> Environment in 2008, 2009 and 2010 but the source of contamination wasn't
> located because that was not in the mandate. The mandate apparently being
> "study this slowly and with blinders pulled tight." Why otherwise, could
> it
> take more than 5 weeks (let along 5 years) to nail down the cause and
> develop a solution ?
>
> Reading between the lines of this sketchy article, the source
> contamination can not be Nitrate or Ammonia N because the organisms
> involved
> all fix N from air. Presumably P, found to be high, is the culprit..
>
> P can reach water systems (rivers/lakes) only by runoff high in P or by
> way of soils that are hugely overloaded with P to the extent it is mobile
> in
> soil water.
>
> One should not rush to judgment, and conclude that mink waste is the
> source, but the reminder by Agriculture's communication director that the
> industry brings in millions of $$$ is proof, at least from that quarter.
>
> Composting of mink waste is mentioned, but if the waste is in fact high
> in P then usual composting practices would be ineffective unless high
> rates
> of suitable P-capturing materials were admixed with or layered below the
> compost; e.g. Anhydrite, a by-product of Gypsum extraction, spent
> fluidized
> bed material from power plants or Cement kiln dust.
>
> I was astounded some 15 years ago to learn that NS DOE has no labs and
> is staffed largely be people with no science background. DOE employees and
> the NS public continue to have my sympathy.
>
> Yt, Dave Webster, Kentville
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1209 / Virus Database: 1500/3603 - Release Date: 04/28/11
>
next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects