Report: Morgan Lake pollution a health concern

Hundreds of pounds of carcinogenic toxins are released into Morgan Lake annually, according to data released Wednesday by a national environmental advocacy group.

[C Lee Nickel]

Here is the perfect example of a sensational headline with no story to back it up.

If this is the kind of stuff environmental activists use to back up their claims, no wonder the movement is getting an increasingly bad rap.

[Modern day Luddites]

Could just be the rain run off from the parking lot. Motor oil contains carcinogens, so the rain water could be considered to contain carcinogens. Since they gave no specifics in their report, they could be overinflating the numbers of just be making it up. Most of the "environmental advocasy groups" have no scientific background or training.

[DISPLACED TEXAN]

This smells fishy to me

[BLAH BLAH BLAH]

Just another way to try and shut down the plant.

[Tajima7]

What particular contaminants are they taking about?

The lake was built by APS to provide cooling water to the plant. It was not built to provide fishing or drinking water. The fact that it does provide recreational benefits is a plus.

The water is taken in from the lake filtered and treated to a high purity level to minimize problems in the boiler and condenser. However, the water is not treated for human consumption using chemicals that would cause problems in the boilers. Additionally, the plant does raise the temperature of the lake to levels that will in itself cause chemical changes to the water.

The bottom line is that if the 4C plant is shut down the lake will dry up unless the pumps on the river are maintained. No plant - no lake.

[Thinkn]

What pollution? Farmington and Nenahnezad love pollution.

[uncivil]

Twice in this story, Morgan Lake is referred to as a waterway. Waterways are rivers or canals that carry boat or barge traffic. Morgan Lake is a cooling pond.

[bottom ash]

Why are all the fish still alive and the plants are growing in the lake and around the shores still alive. I have seen some giant Channel Catfish and big Bass in that lake. So it takes years for them to get that big. So, if it was bad water these fishes would have a short life span.

[dislocated New Mexican]

The lake was built for the power plants, so they ought to close it off and no public allowed, and the epa ought to jump in the lake.

[prairiedogeater]

Today eye cott an channul katfish at duh margun layke. He had sixx eyes on hiz stomach and a tale finn on hiz nose. He akshully asked me if eye liked to eet toast and marmulaide jelly and then jumped back in the nasty water.

[huhhh]

I worked at the APS Four Corners Power Plant in my late teens, and have witness huge amount of oil leaking into the canal which dumps the hot water into Lake Morgan. The funny thing was someone reported this to the EPA and they announce that they will be coming up in the afternoon to see what's happening. This gave time for the overhaul companies to bring in their super suckers (a large vacuum trucks), to remove the top layer of the water where the most concentrated oil was. The oil was a lubricate for the different units. You could see truck rolling in and out, the upper management people kept this from most of the workers (who didn't know what was going on). My position allow me to have access to most of the power plant. This is one example of many...

In my opinion the EPA announce when they would be coming up so the plant would try to avoid being fined and clean it up as much as possible. You see the problem is, if they were caught the powerplant would try to fight it and most likely not even try to clean it up as soon as possible. Going trail would be too expensive for the EPA, so it all boils down to $$$.

Navajo Nation environmental regulators disputed the data... because this would raise questions regarding the environmental safety and would put the Desert Rock Energy Project being proposed in jeopardy, which means money to the top Navajo officials.

I am surprised that California has not complained on this, since the water from Morgan Lake is dumping into the San Juan River which dumps into Lake Powell and so forth... It was the EPA office from California which approve of the new plant being built, or maybe the electric power is more important...

[joe dirt]

prairiedogeater wrote:

Today eye cott an channul katfish at duh margun layke. He had sixx eyes on hiz stomach and a tale finn on hiz nose. He akshully asked me if eye liked to eet toast and marmulaide jelly and then jumped back in the nasty water.

hey you how old are you dont you know how to spell even my younger can spell and write

[joe dirt]

who in the world will stop this damn pollution every morning its full of smog on this rez, so call beatiful land. navajos cant stand up for him self to said anything they are to scare. only time they will talk is when they are drunk!( with very poor english speaking) other than that they will look at you with that mean looks.

[Saint_]

Tajima7 wrote:

What particular contaminants are they taking about?
The lake was built by APS to provide cooling water to the plant. It was not built to provide fishing or drinking water. The fact that it does provide recreational benefits is a plus.

It's not much of a plus if you die of cancer after you swim in the the lake,is it now?

And as for living things being in the lake, well of course there are. But don't eat them. A fish can have a huge concentration of mercury in it and still live just fine, but when your pregnant wife eats it, she gives birth to a deformed monster.(See: Minimata, Japan.)

The bottom line and the obvious lesson is this: Our petroleum-based technology has made a very nice, comfy civilization for us. And it's killing us left and right.

I don't know about you, but I like being alive. Let's all work to make things better in the future. If you are an old man who works at the power plant, get ready to retire. If you are a young man, get educated and get ready to cross-train into another field. The Age of Oil is ending.

[What the French Toast]

The bottom line and the obvious lesson is this: Our petroleum-based technology has made a very nice, comfy civilization for us. And it's killing us left and right.

I thought that human life times were actually getting longer... oh well. And just becouse a few jackasses at APS pour oil int the water system don't mean all oil related industries are evil.

[C Lee Nickel]

In the article, it is reported they don't know if chemicals are being dumped in the lake. If they are, it's lower amounts than other waterways in the state. Or, they might be getting the data from ash pits near the lake, but not connected to it. There is no evidence of anything but traces of selenium in the fish, and anyone who uses dandruff shampoo dumps that on their head several times a week. Even further, there is no data about what the supposed carcinogenic chemicals are, which probably aren't being dumped in the first place.

There is no correlation between swimming in the lake or eating the fish and getting sick. The water is cleaner than many other water sources in the state, etc. etc.

Much ado about nothing. It's a non-story story. But the headline sure is eye catching, even if it is misleading.

[Saint_]

What the French Toast wrote:

The bottom line and the obvious lesson is this: Our petroleum-based technology has made a very nice, comfy civilization for us. And it's killing us left and right.
I thought that human life times were actually getting longer... oh well.

San Juan County's cancer rate is FIVE TIMES the national average. Sure SOME people are getting longer lives, but it sure isn't us out here in the fields.

And just becouse a few jackasses at APS pour oil int the water system don't mean all oil related industries are evil.

Yes. Yes it does.(See: Global Warming)

[2cool4school]

What, Lake Morgan polluted? No....come on. ya think. A 'holding/cooling' pond from a power plant? What is the point here? It's a power plant pond, not a 'lake'....Thank God they pump out there gooke into the San Juan River "below" Farmington...so Shiprock can have all the really good stuff while it makes it's way to Lake Powell.
It's been like that from Day 1...and it will be like this till they run out of Coal and shut the plant down.

[bob fo apples]

joe dirt wrote:

<quoted text>
hey you how old are you dont you know how to spell even my younger can spell and write

Joe dirt? I would have to say you are probably the biggest idiot posting on this issue.
Why is it that most Farmington folks are in denial about environmental pollution. Are you really that stupid Farmington???

[SemperFi]

bob fo apples wrote:

<quoted text>
Joe dirt? I would have to say you are probably the biggest idiot posting on this issue.
Why is it that most Farmington folks are in denial about environmental pollution. Are you really that stupid Farmington???

To answer 'your' question. Yes the are.