Presentation
will shed light on threats to the Mississippi River
and explain what those implications mean for America’s
environment, economy, and well-being.
Clarksdale, MS On February 6th 2010, at 11:00
AM at Carnegie Public Library Below the Surface,
a group dedicated to water conservation, is giving a
presentation titled, Signs at the Crossroads, Reflections
on the Mississippi River.
If the Midwest is the Heartland, the Mississippi River
is America’s pulse—it is also one our country’s
most polluted rivers and the pollution it carries packs
a significant blow to the ocean. Signs at the Crossroads
will shed light on environmental threats, promote conservation
efforts, explain ecosystem services of the river, and
illustrate how a river’s journey to the sea can
have a positive impact if given the chance.
The expedition team from Below the Surface will be
in Clarksdale making final considerations for their
endeavor down the Atchafalaya River, Gaining Ground.
The main purpose of the Atchafalaya venture is to illustrate
the resiliency of nature and the regenerative abilities
of a river. They will be outfitted & guided with
Clarksdale’s own, John Ruskey from the Quapaw
Canoe Company. Below the Surface sought the services
of Quapaw Canoe Company to aid them in their efforts
of research & conservation based on Ruskey’s
reputation.
One would be hard pressed to find a river that actually
gets cleaner as it flows downstream. This unfortunate
reality is why Below the Surface chose to investigate
the Atchafalaya River. Not only does water quality appear
to improve as the river makes its way through 1.4 million
acres of swamp, the Atchafalaya Delta is one of the
few areas along the Gulf Coast to be gaining ground.
The name of this expedition is based on the ecosystem
services provided by the Atchafalaya and it is also
based on the progress Below the Surface is making as
an organization which was founded in 2008.
