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The Patapsco River

Armed with a digital camera and assisted by a dedicated partner, we set off to find the source of the Patapsco River. Along the way you will discover the subtle beauty of the Patapsco. From humble origins, she elegantly twists and turns her way through 510 square miles of Maryland. She's not the largest river in Maryland, she's not the longest, but she's pretty and this site is dedicated to her...

This is the beginning. On a private farm, nestled in a little clearing, starts the Patapsco River. Humble origins indeed. This is Parr's Spring and it is a natural spring that over time created a small lake. Parr's Spring is located off of Route 144, just outside of Mount Airy. We parked on Lakeview Rd. and hiked down. The pic was taken in January and ice was forming on the lake's surface. If you look closely on the right side of the photograph you can see how clear the water is. The creek starts to the right of this picture.

This is your first look at the Patapsco. This photo was taken a about a mile away on Griffith's Rd. There are no signs proclaiming the river's name, the only clue to the rivers significance is an "End County Maintenance" sign. The Patapsco is the county line between Carroll County and Howard County. The Patapsco's about three feet wide here, so it's probably the last place you can jump across from one bank to the other.

This is the Patapsco River as it glides under Route 144. We parked on the overpass and hiked down, taking this pic on the descent. As you can see, the river thins and widens every few yards. At this point, approx. three miles from Parr's Spring, the water is still remarkably clear. The river was very shallow in January, only a few inches deep. On the left side, in the foreground, a creek empties into the river. From this perspective, the river is flowing from top to bottom.

A close-up photo. Not much algae and only a small amount of foam. The water is clean and clear, the watershed above the Patapsco wasn't quite so clean. Tires, liquor bottles and beer cans lay strewn on the embankment. The first step of my Patapsco Conservation Project (PCP) will be to go back and pick up the tires and bottles and take them to the Marriotsville landfill for recycling.

A close-up of a small waterfall, glazed in ice. The water was very cold 39 degree Fahrenheit. It was nice to see a waterfall without the presence of Coke cans bobbing around.

From this vantage point, the Patapsco is flowing from bottom to top. The concrete tunnel wasn't designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel or Thomas Telford, but it's functional and affords the river passage under MD Route 144.

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The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has information on the Patapsco River. This information includes data on Water Temperature, Dissolved Oxygen, Salinity, Secchi and pH.

The Agriculture Network Information Center (AgNIC) has some interesting facts on the pesticides that have been found Patapsco. Most of these pesticides enter the Patapsco as rain runoff from farmlands. Chlorodane, Chromium, DDT and Toxaphene have all been found in the Patapsco's fish populations.

What is Chromium? Chromium is a hard metallic element that is used in alloys (e.g., ferrochromium, steel, stainless steel) to increase strength and corrosion resistance. It has a melting point of 3,452 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is Chromium harmful to humans and/or the environment? Well it depends. Chromium-3 is vital to human health, it occurs naturally in the air, water, rocks and soil. Chromium (Chromium-6) is extrememley hazardous to human health. Chromium-6 is known to cause cancer and birth defects. Chromium-6 also known as "Industrial Chromium" is used for a variety of industrial purposes such as chrome plating, dying and leather tanning.

What are the physical effects of Chromium-6 (Hexavalent Chromium) contamination? Chromium-6 can be inhaled via contaminated air and/or absorbed via drinking/swimming in contaminated water. Chromium-6 can cause nasal cancer, ulcerations, lung cancer and severe liver damage. Chromium-6 is a carcinogen. The latency period after exposure is approx. 15-20 years, meaning you have an increased chance of developing cancer or dying from the exposure within a 20 year timeframe. Chromium factory workers are twenty times more likely to develop respiratory cancer than the general population.

Chromium-6 and its waste by-products, under EPA regulations, are to be contained from getting into sewer systems and/or soil. Through a system of concrete layers, the toxic waste is contained and recycled for use again. A small amount of the waste that cannot be reused is shipped to waste management sites. For more information see (40 CFR 268, Appendix VII).

What happens if the containment systems fail and Chromium-6 leaks into the soil, water table and/or nearby rivers and streams?

Most of the time it is hushed up, and the corporation tries to figure out how much it will cost to fix the problem and how likely they can save money and not disclose the leak. It's sad to say but time after time these toxins have leaked and the chemical companies have failed to act responsibly. The EPA regulates and evaluates the industrial process, but unfortunately, the leaks are not discovered in time.

How did 63 pounds a day of Chromium-6 (Hexavalent) leak into the Patapsco River?

I read the EPA findings on this case and was alarmed to find that up to 63 pounds of untreated Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium-6) were leaking every day, from the Allied Signal facility in Baltimore, directly into the ground, the water table and the Patapsco River. 63 pounds a day. Think about that. It happened for several years and no one really knew about it. As it seeped into the Patapsco the amount of 'fish kills' skyrocketed. The Patapsco carried the Chromium-6 into the Baltimore Inner Harbor, adding the harbor's ecological problems. The water in the Baltimore Inner Harbor has had a high level of toxicity since Victorian times. In the 1800's the Marylanders called it "Hellbroth".

Who made this mess?
Allied Signal, now Honeywell

Who is cleaning it up?
Honeywell. Fined by the EPA, they have been ordered to contain all Chromium related products. The damage has been done and within twenty years there will be a dramatic rise in birth defects and cancer cases.

What impact does this have?
A devastating effect. Fish kills are up, plant life is down, the Patapsco River carried the pollutants out into the Baltimore Inner Harbor, then into the Chesapeake Bay. I wouldn't go swimming in any of these waterways if I were you. Chromium-6 had its name in lights in a Hollywood production a few years ago. The movie Erin Brockovich centered around the effects of human exposure to, you guessed it, Chromium-6.

Where can I learn more about this environmental disaster?
Click Here