Mysterious milky water at Sugar Hollow
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photo by pete myers
Pete Myers has been visiting Sugar Hollow for 20 years, and he calls the milky milieu he saw last weekend "astounding." Says Myers, "I've never seen anything like this here, ever."
He's not the only one who has noticed changes in the complexion of the reservoir.
Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority analyzed the water June 11, and it's safe to drink, says executive director Tom Frederick– but they have no idea why it's so cloudy.
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11 comments
Speaking of Sugar Hollow, anybody have any info on why/when the rope swing tree was cut down at Blue Hole? And why it was just left in its entirety in the swimming hole? Pretty sad to see it go, and pretty sad to have a perfectly good swimming hole now ruined.
Hum...sounds like it might be time to clean up Blue Hole! I'm sure this was done to discourage use of both the rope swing and the hole itself. It was really getting crowded up there these days...I'm guessing the Park Service really wanted to push back.
Because it's trespassing. You're not allowed to swim in Sugar Hollow Reservoir, and all reservoirs for that fact, it's illegal. There are signs up advising that it's illegal. My guess is that parks & rec or the Charlottesville City Police cut down the rope swing, like they do every year, to prevent people from trespassing.
do you know how many serious injuries have occurred at Blue Hole every year because of people beign intoxicated, swinging on the rope and falling on the rocks? There's your answer.
DirtKicker I believe kegleyc is referring to Blue Hole which isn't the actual reservoir, it a fairly large pool created by a mountain stream in SNP. Perfectly legal to swim in it.
THIS IS POTENTIALLY A RESULT OF SUSPENDED ROCK/SEDIMENT DEBRIS BOUYANTLY FLOATING ALONG, SLOWLY BREAKING DOWN AND SETTLING ON THE BOTTOM AFTER A PERIOD OF NO RIVER/STREAM/BROOK/CREEK RUN-OFF (PRESUMING OF COURSE THAT IT IS MERELY A BY-PRODUCT RESULT OF THIS YEAR'S LATE SPRING/EARLY SUMMER RAINY EVENTS). THE OTHER OPTION IS SEDIMENT DISTURBING GROUND MOVEMENTS (EARTHQUAKES, TREMORS). LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS THE POSSIBLITY OF SULFUR RISING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND CREATING THIS EFFECT. or so some my conclude.
The swimming hole was fantastic before the rope swing and still is now ... rope swing or not.
Maybe somebody dumped a load of construction debris (asbestos?) in the stream above the reservoir to avoid paying for disposal of toxic waste. I'm drinking bottled water for a while.
'...safe to drink, says executive director Tom Frederick– but they have no idea why it's so cloudy.'
How can you know it is safe to drink but not understand why it is cloudy? Is this cloudy logic, or what? Only by understanding why it is cloudy could you ever possibly state that it is 'safe to drink'. Anyone have any faith in 'safe to drink'? I am glad my house is tied to well water.
@ Restore the Republic
It's a classic case of "Nothing to see here folks, move it along! Nothing to see!"
Go back to sleep people. Your overpaid bumbling leaders have it all under control. Really.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........
Erosion of the steep banks upstream, is my guess. A vein of clay got washed into the Moormans in a small landslide or something, should clear in a few months.
There's a few good swimming spots on the N fork as well.