Pollution can be reversed

   Take the Detroit River as an example. In Sunday's column I write about the turnaround of not only the Detroit River but the Rogue River too.
   The Rogue, which dumps into the Detroit then on into Lake Erie has a definite impact notwithstanding its small size. That's because everything runs downhill or downstream in this case.
   For years the Rogue was no more than a cesspool of waste and filth. Today, it's much cleaner thanks to the efforts of  many like the Friends of the Rogue River, a volunteer group.
   Who would have thought near the mouth of the Rogue River there would be spawning areas for Sturgeon? And along those lines how about the wonderful fishery the Detroit River has turned into along with Lake Erie which was considered dead not too long ago.
   Marvelous things can happen once pollution is got a hold of and strangled. With some help and time, these waterways begin a healing process. Its now up to us to make sure that process continues uninterrupted.
   Thank people like Dr. John H. Hartig for all of the work he has done on behalf of these water systems and for his wonderful book, "Burning Rivers-Revival of Four Urban-Industrial Rivers that caught on Fire."
   An excellent historical book about not only the Rogue but the Chicago, Buffalo, and Cuyahoga; all of which caught fire at one time.
   Today, Hartig is still on the front lines working as Refuge Manager for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
   Read about it in this Sunday's Oakland Press.