On Oct 3, 10:57 am, Weatherlawyer wrote:

What acid would be involved?

That's a valid point to bear in mind on reading the following article:

" Media Alerts Stories Archive

Sept. 29, 2007

ACID RAIN RECOVERY 'SLOWER THAN EXPECTED'

Acid rain was one of the world's worst pollution problems of the 1970s
and 1980s, affecting large areas of upland Britain, as well as Europe
and North America.

In Wales, more than 12,000 km of streams and rivers have been
acidified, harming fish, stream insects and river birds such as the
dipper.

Over the last 20 years, action has been taken across Europe to clean
up acid pollutants from power generation and industry, which was
widely expected to bring recovery. However, new research led by the
School of Biosciences shows that the expected improvements in rivers
are far short of expectations.

Recent studies in Galloway, the Scottish Highlands and Wales reveal
that many streams are still highly acidified. Biological recovery has
been particularly poor.

Key findings from the projects, carried out by combined teams from the
School of Biosciences, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and National
Museum Wales, include:

* Acidity in Welsh headwaters is declining, but only slowly
* More than two thirds of all streams sampled were acid enough
during high flow to cause biological damage, with metals at toxic
concentrations
* Sulphur pollution from man-made sources is still an important
cause of acid episodes, particularly in Wales
* Sensitive insects survive conditions in the most acid streams
for only a few days
* Headwater acidification is still a significant problem for
important salmon fisheries, and Special Areas of Conservation such as
the Welsh River Wye.

Professor Steve Ormerod of the School of Biosciences, a leading
researcher into the biological effects of acid rain for more than 20
years, said: "Pollution reductions are slowly improving in upland
waters, but there is a long way to go. The large biological effects of
acid episodes shown by this work mean that it is vital to continue
monitoring these ecosystems if we are to protect them in future."

Dr Chris Evans, an acid-rain specialist from the Centre for Ecology &
Hydrology in Bangor, added "Pollution reductions are slowly improving
upland waters, but there is a long way to go before we return to the
healthy conditions of 200 years ago. It is vital that we continue to
monitor these ecosystems if we are to protect them in future."

The research contrasts with other recent studies which showed some
encouraging early signs and will come as disappointing news to those
who thought the acid rain problem was solved."

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/New...092925673.html

There is a forestry department at the UCNW, Bangor. Maybe I'll toddle
along there and see if I can collar someone and get a few facts. In
the meantime, here are a few mo

The countryside of Wales is mostly hill farm and forest plantation.
The soil is poor and wet. And the weather, which is wet with winds
coming in from the Atlantic that must be picking up huge amounts of
sulphur from the beer factories in Ireland, can be bracing.

There is very little industry there except on the coast near England
where there is a lot of overspill from Liverpool. In South Wales the
same is true with the main industry collected around what used to be
major shipping ports in the days when coal mining was profitable
there.

What on earth is this Acid Rain? It must be some unexplained process
in the imbalance of the environment. I find it hard to believe that
the states of New York and New Jersey are pushing out so much dirt
that it can go through Canada, move along past Greenland, harbour for
as much as a week, more sometimes, off Iceland then come here and do
such damage.

And not get washed away.

Did someone say something about ludicrous? I'll give him freaking
ludicrous. Stupid boy!