I live north of town by the Snake River and some beautiful spring creeks. I grew up in Rhode Island and spent most of my childhood either on or in the water – sailing, fishing, swimming, waterskiing. I also have a graduate degree in Soil Chemistry and Environmental Microbiology and have always been interested in ecosystem health and resilience. Water is, of course, at the center of both.
Like so many people, I assumed the water in Teton County was pristine because we sit at the foot of two National Parks. Sadly, our water is far from pristine. Multiple studies have shown that both surface and groundwater are being polluted by the thousands of septic system that don’t function properly in our soil and during our cold winters. Both Fish and Flat Creek have been declared “Impaired” by the state. And, we have algal blooms in some of our most beautiful waters. This polluted water is threatening human health and the health of the incredible ecosystem we live in. I joined the board of POWJH to help bring this critical issue to the attention of our community.
I hope that POWJH can get water quality to the top of the priority list for this community. To really protect water long term, we need broad community awareness, support, and cooperation amongst individuals, businesses, elected officials, and our visitors. The good news is that this is a solvable problem. We can reduce the pressure on our water resources, but it will take a concerted effort by our whole community. POWJH is working hard to teach people that our water really does need our urgent attention.