Balance Paddleboarding is here for you to #FindYourBalance and #SaveThePotomac:
The Potomac River is the fourth largest river along the Atlantic coast and the 21st largest in the United States.
The Potomac River is a landmark rich in history. According to this travel website, Washington, DC began using the Potomac River as its main source of drinking water with the opening of the Washington Aqueduct in 1864.
An average of approximately 486 million gallons of water is used daily in the Washington DC area. Almost 86 percent of the region’s population receives its drinking water from public water suppliers while 13 percent uses well water. However, due to increasing urban development, the aquatic habitat of the Potomac River and its tributaries are vulnerable to eutrophication, heavy metals, pesticides and other toxic chemicals.
But, there’s hope…
Groups like The Potomac Watershed Partnership, a collaborative group of conservation organizations, have been working together to protect the Potomac Watershed.
Additionally, other efforts such as Patrick Moran’s social enterprise, Balance Paddleboarding is helping to uncover the Potomac River’s beauty by bringing more people to the river to experience all that the Potomac River offers through Stand-Up Paddleboard rentals and tours while taking action to remove the litter that plagues the shores. Balance Paddleboarding will be giving a $2 off voucher to each customer who brings up a piece of trash that they pull out from the water. It might seem gross at the time, but over time, this will contribute to a lasting and sustainable positive impact.
The paddle-boarding social enterprise is also involved with other ongoing initiatives to promote responsible care of the Potomac and its shore, such as, building relationships with the two leading non-profits committed to the Potomac River’s Health: Potomac Conservancy and Potomac River Keeper Network to expand their efforts into Alexandria.
The first joint clean-up event will take place on April 16th with Potomac Conservancy. After Balance Paddleboarding officially launches, similar events will continue every six weeks or so.
