Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:09 am
Hey! I saw that red streak this past summer while passing through the Royce Lakes area. I remember telling my girlfriend, "that's funny, I don't remember that area of rock up there being quite that red! Must be some kind of lichen bloom after the daily rain lately." I never would have suspected something like a firefighting chemical drop!
Well... those lakes are so beautifully clear largely due to lack of nutrients, so it's a shame to see tons of nutrients introduced just upstream.
But in any case -- if they had to ditch that load, maybe it's good that they did so where it most likely only coated areas regularly visited or sat upon by birds, perhaps a pika, a number of lizards and spiders, maybe a marmot or two (not counting climbers). Seems a lot better than dumping it over (for example) the very nearby meadows of French Creek or in fact any lower altitude and/or more level and/or more vegetated area.
Well... those lakes are so beautifully clear largely due to lack of nutrients, so it's a shame to see tons of nutrients introduced just upstream.
But in any case -- if they had to ditch that load, maybe it's good that they did so where it most likely only coated areas regularly visited or sat upon by birds, perhaps a pika, a number of lizards and spiders, maybe a marmot or two (not counting climbers). Seems a lot better than dumping it over (for example) the very nearby meadows of French Creek or in fact any lower altitude and/or more level and/or more vegetated area.