For the life of me, I cannot understand Virginia DEQ's reluctance to adopt numerical turbidity standards.

I live on the Maury River, just downstream from the Little Calfpasture River, which is impaired by sediment. I have been spending time in and on the Maury River for 74 years. Sediment has changed the nature of the Maury River where I live. But it is difficult to address the problem because there are no standards.

How impaired these waters are is difficult to say because of Virginia's refusal to adopt standards. Other states have standards. Why, oh why, can't Virginia?

I am quite familiar with water quality issues. I am chair of the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council's watershed committee. I monitor streams using macroinvertebrate sampling and chemical tests (temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, bacteria count and turbidity). I use a turbidity tube to check water clarity on two streams every month. 

This shouldn't be hard.

Please, do what it takes to come up with numerical standards.

Thank you.

John Pancake

Goshen Pass, Va.