In general, stands of submerged aquatic vegetation throughout the river are merely a fraction of those found here in the 1960s. This spells doom for many aquatic creatures, from crustacea to young fish, who depend on them for food and shelter. Catches of certain fish and shellfish species, such as shad, river herring, and oysters, have also declined precipitously. Even in relatively pristine upstream areas, the amount of pollution in the Rappahannock can be surprising. A kerosene spill in December 1989 resulted in an estimated 5,000-barrel discharge, which leaked into Mine Run near Locust Grove, Virginia.
Cleanup efforts are still ongoing.
And semiannual cleanup events, conducted by the Friends of the Rappahannock between Warrenton and Fredericksburg, have dredged up everything from kitchen appliances to car radiators. The things that can run off a farm after a storm include soil, manure, pesticides, and fertilizer. Soil clouds water, smothering plants and fish eggs and clogging the gills of adult fish with silt and sediment. This in turn depletes the oxygen in the water and aquatic life may suffer. If improperly treated, the discharge from a wastewater plant can introduce chlorine, bacteria, and nutrients into the receiving waters, with the potential to cause harmful environmental effects.