On 14-Feb-2008, Willi wrote:

Yes, a lot of places are better. But that waaay down low
stretch on the Missouri (in a heavily farmed agricultural area)
really is noticably worse than it was 20 years ago (I remember it
from 20 years back).

And those old timers were talking about that Deepdale stretch
(now called York's Island) 50 years ago when (they said) there
were prolific hatches there. And now hardly a bug to be seen.



I wasn't disputing what your observations I was just reacting to "good
old days" nostalgia (which can be fun!).

I grew up in the Midwest. When I was a kid, the Great Lakes were "dead"
and we were told that it would take 100's of years for them to get
clean, one river was so polluted it caught on fire!, soapsuds would pile
up in my local creeks so high that the piles were over my head, people
routinely littered and pulloffs nears streams were often laden with old
refrigerators, cars etc., communities had to find alternative sources of
drinking water because of pollution, etc.

Willi

I have to admit that in some cases things are getting better
The State is trying to clean up the ness left by minimg companie on the
Clark Fork and other rivers
There is a big program near Missoula to remove years of toxic sediment

Fred