Four Mile Run Movie

Fixing our watershed

Four Mile Run Stream is an issue

Many things are needed to do

Pick up all of the dirty tissues

And clean up all of the pet poo

Together we can make this stream look like new

Rubbish, Fecal Coli form, Nitrates, all hurting our environment.

Cleanliness is a solution although no one is trying it.

 You will be the one who’s filled with dread

When you aren’t helping, leaving fish dead.

Could ingesting these harms cause diseases?

Don’t ask me when you are in bed with the sneezes

Diarrhea, dysentery, even the flu

Can you take a hint or clue…. Achoo!

Waters contaminated, aquatic worms rampant

In no way should anyone have acceptance

Fish swimming in a slant

I desire a rant!

There are many things you can do to help

In the name of Four Mile Run, just yelp!

You don’t need to pay any cash

Just pitch in and pick up some trash!

No need to litter

Just help a critter!

Simple things you can do to make Four Mile Run stream healthy for everyone:

• DON'T LITTER!!!  Too many people just drop their trash where ever they want.  Many people don't understand littering is against the law...You could be placed in prison for more than a year, or possibly be fined over $2,500!  Put trash where it belongs, in a trash can.  
• PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET!!!  When ever I walk in a local park, I almost always find animal waste  lying around.  Not picking up after your pet is against the law too.  
• AVOID FERTILIZER!!!  Fertilizer is used by most everyone and many people don't know about it's affect on streams.  Fertilizer is carried by rainfall into the stream, then contaminates and makes our streams unhealthy.   If you ABSOLUTELY need to use fertilizer remember this saying-- "Only in the fall, if at all."
• HELP OUT!!!  If you have the time and you notice some trash, please be a helpful Arlington citizen and pick it up.  If you don't want to because you're worried about germs, use gloves or wash your hands afterwards.  Do a service to your community and please pick up trash you see.

Report of Four Mile Run Stream Health

June 4^th, 2012 stream health data was collected at Alcova Heights Park using a number of different tools and methods.  Chemical parameters recorded included dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, pH, temperature, nitrates, phosphates and turbidity.  The final result for dissolved oxygen was 6 ppm.  The final result for fecal coliform was more than 50 colonies.  The stream temperature was 15.5 °C.  The nitrates level was 5 ppm.  The phosphates level was 3 ppm.  The turbidity of the water was 7.5 JTU.  The macro invertebrate pollution tolerance was concluded to be a 5.  And the overall physical survey of the land received a ranking of 3 (good).  The majority of the chemical parameters point to a healthy stream, and accumulate multiple good and excellent results.  Plus, the overall physical survey of the land was good, meaning Alcova Heights Park has a solid environment.   However, the fecal coliform was very poor pointing towards sewage, and pet waste in our water.   Nitrate levels were fair, meaning sewage, and fertilizer could be present in our stream too.  Also, the macro invertebrate pollution tolerance was exceptionally low.  Based on the collected evidence, Four Mile Run and Alcova Heights Park are both partially healthy and partially unhealthy.