Green River Lake PCB's

I noticed the cove below the TGT plant did not have the sign closed for boating. Even some guys fishing in there. Prior to the 1960's the TGT plant used to shove crushed walnut hulls with PCB oil through the pipe to clean them. Afterward they just dumped the hulls over the hillside. Then GRL was built.

Anybody know if the cove is now open or did the sign just not get replaced? It is near Ramp #1, the handicap fishing area. Maybe we finally flushed enough of the PCB's down the river and are now below the accepted amount of pollution.

[url]http://fw.ky.gov/Fish/Pages/Fish-Consumption-Advisories.aspx[/url] .... it doesn't specify any particular area of GRL, but it still has "bottom feeders" listed (PCB & Mercury).

It's been a couple of years since I have fished the cove in question. Several years ago I would fish it on a regular basis. Back then it had a marker buoy with writing that said PCB warning. Then a few years latter it got replaced with a buoy that said no boats. Currently I can not tell you if its marked with a buoy or not because I have not been in that cove for a while. All my info is old. All the locals call it contaminated holler.

Most people don't know that the entire state of KY has an advisory for high mercury in fish. The link that was posted has great information that I bet fish eaters are not aware of. It gives a statewide consumption advisory and it includes specific water that has a more strict advisory. I wonder how many people know that if your eating crappie from Green River Lake that you should eat them no more than one time per month. Plus if eating bass you should eat them no more than once every two months. I bet the % of people who know this is very small. I always knew there was a fish eating advisory for the state but I did not realize how strict it was until reading the above reply that included the link from the Ky Fish and Wildlife department.

[QUOTE=R19;562388]It's been a couple of years since I have fished the cove in question. Several years ago I would fish it on a regular basis. Back then it had a marker buoy with writing that said PCB warning. Then a few years latter it got replaced with a buoy that said no boats. Currently I can not tell you if its marked with a buoy or not because I have not been in that cove for a while. All my info is old. All the locals call it contaminated holler.

Most people don't know that the entire state of KY has an advisory for high mercury in fish. The link that was posted has great information that I bet fish eaters are not aware of. It gives a statewide consumption advisory and it includes specific water that has a more strict advisory. I wonder how many people know that if your eating crappie from Green River Lake that you should eat them no more than one time per month. Plus if eating bass you should eat them no more than once every two months. I bet the % of people who know this is very small. I always knew there was a fish eating advisory for the state but I did not realize how strict it was until reading the above reply that included the link from the Ky Fish and Wildlife department.[/QUOTE]

Unless I'm seeing something different, it shows that GRL only has an advisory for bottom feeders. Crappie fall under the statewide once per week, while bass are once per month, that is if you are not pregnant or a child under the age of 6. It is crazy to see how many pollutants really are in the water.

The wording is somewhat confusing. I read it again and the way I understand it is for bass and crappie on any body of water in KY women of childbearing age and children under 6 should eat no more than six meals per year of predatory or panfish. The rest of the population should eat no more than 1 meal per month of predatory or 1 meal per week of panfish. Bass is defined as a predatory fish and crappie is defined as a panfish. Since GRL is in the state of KY this is the recommendation for GRL. There is more strict guideline for some individual lakes down below the statewide advisory.

All of the above stuff I posted falls under statewide guidelines. If you scroll down and look at the more strict regulations for GRL it says no more than one meal per month of bottom feeders. In the definition section it defines what is a bottom feeder...so long story short I think you are correct.

There is little control of mercury emissions coming out of the coal burning power plants in the area. The mercury accumulates in the environment.

Think about how much coal enters a power plant and it burned on a daily basis. 50 train cars full of coal every day enter AB Brown in Posey County, IN. And this is a small power plant compared to others like Big Rivers in KY.

It all adds up and it won't go away. And the mercury bio accumulates in the fish. The bigger and older fish will have more mercury in them than the smaller fish.

Enjoy the fishing but don't eat too many fish out of waters that are contaminated.

Welcome to the 21st century guys. We did this to our selves.


[QUOTE=King31;562396]Unless I'm seeing something different, it shows that GRL only has an advisory for bottom feeders. Crappie fall under the statewide once per week, while bass are once per month, that is if you are not pregnant or a child under the age of 6. It is crazy to see how many pollutants really are in the water.[/QUOTE]

I haven't noticed any signs recently in PCB cove warning off boats. I never do much good fishing in that cove anyway...

I eat a fairly high amount of fish from GRL and BRL every year. Mostly, catfish, hybrid, white bass, crappie, walleye, etc. I also eat several species of fish from the gulf when I can get them.

I have my blood tested for mercury every year because of my occupation. Over the past 18 years, my Hg blood level usually tests between 1.7 to 2 micrograms per liter. I think the normal average is around 10 micrograms per liter.

I worked with one guy who tested high for mercury and he stood about 2 inches taller on hot days. j/k