How just 50 years ago oil polluted rivers burned in the USA

Have you ever seen burning rivers? More recently, this could be observed in the United States, where fires regularly occurred on large and small rivers. The reason for this is the high content of petroleum products and all kinds of garbage that floated in abundance in these reservoirs. One of such infamous rivers was the Kayahoga River, which repeatedly burned back in the middle of the last century and became a symbol of environmental ill-being.

Although there were nature reserves and national parks in the USA where rare animals and various natural attractions were protected, few people cared about the ecological condition of rivers in this country in the middle of the last century. It should be noted that this state of affairs was characteristic of many, including developed countries, and the United States was no exception to this rule. Rapid industrialization led to the pollution of many rivers, on the banks of which there were large cities and factories.

Fire on the Cayahoga River, 1969

The Kayahoga River, about 160 kilometers long, flows in northern Ohio and flows into Erie, one of the great American lakes. At its mouth is the large city of Cleveland. More than 10 major fires were noted on the river, the last of which occurred in 1969. The waters of the river were so dirty that they easily ignited from an accidental spark. In terms of its chemical composition, it was rather not water, but an eerie mixture of hydrocarbons and household garbage, so it is not surprising that the river often caught fire.

But it was the last fire on this river that attracted the attention of scientists and the public, who were finally able to turn the tide. The authorities were forced to take measures to clean this and many other rivers of the country, as well as to begin to develop environmental legislation aimed at protecting the environment not only in the field of water bodies, but also in atmospheric air.

Modern Kayahoga is still actively used for transport, and industrial enterprises are located on its banks. But the state of the river over the past 50 years has improved markedly. Now fish are found here, and water birds nest on its shores. But the waters still contain traces of pollutants, and the local fish is unsafe. Nevertheless, the history of Kayahogi inspired many to struggle to improve the quality of the environment.