DARLINGTON, Md. - Dirty water from Pennsylvania is once again threatening the ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay. For the second time in a month, millions of gallons of dirty flood water from up north has flowed down the Susquehanna River, cresting behind the gates of the Conowingo Dam.
The water spewing out of the dam has taken on a red color, mixing with red clay from places like in Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, the sound of a siren blared early Thursday morning from the Fisherman's Park nearby, acting as a warning before the plume of yellow-white mist rising well above the water grew.
Rob Newberry, of the Delmarva Fisheries Association, was there, watching as one gate after another opened up, pouring more than 230,000 cubic feet of water into the Susquehanna River per second.
"Here it goes. Round two," Newberry said. "Another shot right in the backside for the Chesapeake Bay."
Newberry says marine life will suffer as trash and debris layered atop dirty water behind the Conowingo Dam makes its way into the Bay.
"It's bad. I'm not just speaking on behalf of the industry here. It also has to do with the Bay itself," Newberry said.
Farther south in Port Deposit, some fishers packed up early. Some said they weren't able to catch any fish.
"I was a little bit surprised," one fisher said. "I thought we would just get some clear water and hopefully some fishing done here today, but I guess that's not going to happen, so I'm kind of disappointed."
Some watermen, like Newberry, worry with hurricane season on its way, the Bay is reaching its brink. Newberry says he too can't bear to watch much longer the water flow from the dam much longer.
"It's disgusting," Newberry said. "Absolutely disgusting."
Environmentalists say more should be done to stop farm pollution from getting into the bay, but Newberry disagrees and says something has to be done to stop the debris and dirty water that run through the Conowingo Dam.
WBOC reached out to the dam's parent company, Exelon. In a statement, the Exelon said it would continue to keep local and state officials updated on the dam.
WBOC also reached out to the state of Pennsylvania but did not hear back.
