Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-11-18
Disposal Plants and Control Of Water Flow
Needed to Clear Upper Potomac Of Pollution
mo. 2 OF a Series
By james BirchfieId

The Upper Potomac River, from
its headwaters high in the Allie
ghany Mountains to its junction
with the south branch below Cum
berland, will remain a drainage
ditch loaded with industrial and
sewage wastes, holding industrial
expansion almost at q standstill,
unless ways can be devised to pro-
vide an adequate flow Of water
through this highly industrialized
area.
At Luke. Md, a few yards below
the confluence of the Potomac and
the Savage Rivers, the stream, al
ready loaded with acid mine wastes
that have destroyed all fish life In
its upper branches, begins to re-
ceive the industrial and sanitary
discharges that make of it an open
sewer.
During the winter and spring
months heavy rainfall and melting
snow prevents the river from be-
coming a public nuisance, but dur.
ing the summer the stream often
becomes but a series OF sinking
puddles. threatening the operations
OF industries that depend on the
river for industrial water supplies.
s Severe Problems.
The proximity of the Upper Po-
tomac Valley to the coal supplies Of
West Virginia and Maryland, and
its adequate labor supply, early at
tracted industry to this area The
seasonal shortage Of water, however,
has presented severe problems for
such industries as the West Vir-
ginia T lp 81 Paper Co., at Luke,
the Ce-afiese Corp of America and
the Kelly Springfield Tire & Rubber
Co.. near Cumberland, which must
have quantities of water for in
dustrial operations.
In addition to hampering indus
try already established in the valley,
area leaders point out that new in
dustries refuse to build plants in the
valley because of the uncertainty OF
the water supply.
Citing an illustration, community
spokesman said an industrial To-
cation on the Potomac near Keyser,
w. Va, recently was turned down
by representatives of one Of the
country's largest industrial organi-
cations after a survey sof the po-
tential water supply indicated that
1t could not be depended on for
plant operation.
Threefold Solution.
According to sanitary engineers.
the problems in this area are three
fold, and must be solved largely by
Joint action by Maryland and West
the Federal Government
and the local communities.
First, engineers say, a year. round
flow of at least 900 second feet, or
about 100000 gallons per minute,
must be assured for adequate dilu-
ton Of the present pollution load.
Second, sewage disposal plants
must be constructed in the area
for the treatment of the raw sewage
that now is dumped into the stream
from a dozen or more communities
in the area.
And third, program by which
will gradually decrease
their waste dischsrges must be
carried onss Such y program now
is operative in the area, and indus
trial pollution has Decreased during
the past years.
Dams Needed for Control.
The water flow control must de-
pend on State and Federal action
and can be accomplished by a series
Of small storage dams on the head
waters of the streams forming the
Upper Potomac. according to en-
gineers. Experts say the river would
be completely dry during some
months! each year If 1t were not
for one such dam-the Stony River