Marsh vegetation turns black on Huspah

The Huspah Creek in Sheldon, in northern Beaufort County, is being killed. So far, three significantly large areas of marsh vegetation have been found dead. The largest covers the approximate area of two football fields. The next largest covers several acres at least. A third has been noted but not inspected.

The dead zones are not plant-specific. Several species of vegetation have been destroyed. The areas show up as dense black splotches within the normally green-brown marshes. The affected areas have been within tidal plains. Those areas are wet during part of the day and dry during part of the day.

After sounding alarms through our governmental bodies, the only officials who have shown productive, active interest have been at our county level. County administrator Gary Kubic and County Council members Weston Newton, Gerald Dawson, Laura Von Harten and Paul Sommerville responded quickly. It is my understanding that an independent environmental engineering company is being hired for a cause-and-origin investigation.

Be on the lookout for unnatural-looking black patches in your tidal marshes.Report them immediately to Kubic, 843-470-2501, or to me, John Smith, 843-846-9561.

Do not disturb the black patches; they might yield important evidence that might lead investigators to a perpetrator.

John Smith

Sheldon