D-CAAL: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

DEAD

ALIVE

BACK TO THE RIVER

SAVED

WHAT HAVE WE HERE?

Today it is the first of June. There are again many, many millions of animals that have died in the canal as of the past month or two. This time the reason was the minor flood two months ago in March 2011 when the locks were opened to fill the Delaware Canal to take pressure off of the lower portion of the Delaware River towns. As well, the river overflowed its banks in the various northern portions of the canal. But because the locks were opened, turtles and fish and snails and snakes were swept into the unkempt and never-repaired canal which cannot retain its water. Some water with its living cargo was swept southward past Center Bridge and then dried up and the rest was pushed to New Hope where the animals are still dying at this moment.
This is the 6th year that volunteers have gone into the canal, night and day, to attempt to save the turtles and fish that cannot escape. River Road is a dangerous roadway for any animal that tries to make a break for the river and the rest of the animals are unable to leave at all and just suffocate to death. The heat of summer has already kicked in and there is no way for them to survive under the burning sun, especially in two inches of water. More people are needed to help scoop the living ones out all the way to Odettes, and we need people to attend some very poignant meetings to prevent this from happening time and time again.

Delaware Canal State Park Reptile & Amphibian Species List

Amphibians

Common NameScientific Name Northern cricket frog Acris crepitans crepitans, American toad Bufo americanus, Fowlers toad Bufo fowleri, Northern two-lined salamander Eurycea bislineata bislineata, Redbacked salamander Plethodon cinereus, Slimy salamander Plethodon g. glutinosus, New Jersey chorus frog Pseudacris triseriata kalmi, Bullfrog Rana catesbeiana, Green frog Rana clamitans melanota, Northern pickerel Rana palustris, Wood frog Rana sylvatica.

Reptiles

Common NameScientific Name Northern copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen, Snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina, Eastern painted turtle Chrysemys picta picta, Northern black racer Coluber constrictor constrictor, Northern ringneck snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsi, Map turtle Graptemys geographica, Eastern milk snake Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum, Northern water snake Nerodia sipedon sipedon, Red-bellied turtle Pseudemys rubriventris, Eastern box turtle Terrapene carolina carolina, Eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis.

(DCNR, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal/delawarecanal_herps.aspx)

Who we are:

We are a group of concerned individuals whose voices are speaking out for the rights of the silent minority: all of the animals of the Delaware Canal and its surroundings. We are not yet a powerful group but we are adding to our numbers everyday. Our mission is to stop the forced filling and refilling of the Delaware Canal on the Pennsylvania side from Easton to New Hope unless it is completely and competently repaired. Our aim is to bring awareness and educate the people of the Delaware Valley, the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and surrounding areas, as well as all those who come to Southeastern Pennsylvania as tourists, and have them voluntarily join our ranks against the repetitive injustice that occurs each year.

Beware, all is not what it appears to be!

The water that comes flowing down each spring or summer from the northern reaches of the Delaware River by Easton into the canal is a forced mission by certain local monied groups who through their funding and personal connections in the government strong-arm the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) into complying with the reopening of the headgate at Easton and various locks that join the canal to the Delaware River without ever having completed any repair on the canal. This is done for the sake of tourism, making the little river towns look cute and more inviting for shoppers and other visitors.

By winter every year, the canal bed is dry and filled with dead turtles, fish, mussels, and giant snails.

Links

D-CAAL Our main site.
Greenpeace The leading independent campaigning organization that uses peaceful direct action and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and to promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.
Sea Shepherd Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Our mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world's oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.
PETA PETA's animal rights campaigns include ending fur and leather use meat and dairy consumption fishing hunting trapping factory farming circuses bull fighting rodeos and animal experimentation.