Beginning on or around August 24th of this year, a rare algae bloom pervaded the Wallkill River. Encompassing around 30 miles, the pea-soup colored bloom was observed from Montgomery to Rifton. While not unusual in a still water body like a lake or pond, an extended algae bloom such as this is definitely not the norm for a moving river. …

This river is a contrarian river, confusing everyone. I sit and watch it rippling along and I become lost. Am I upstream or downstream? The river laughs at me in a quiet, calm way. ‘Silly woman, who cares about such things? I am water, I am always flowing. it matters not where.” The river moves from New Jersey north, up …