In a column that we printed Friday, columnist Barbara Morgan wrote about taking a boat tour of the Yellow River just below Porterdale. If you missed her column you can catch up with it at covnews.com.

In her column she talked about the serenity of the river and its scenery.

The senior member of our editorial staff remembers years ago when people polluted without care. Rivers such as the Mighty Potomac, which flows through Washington , D.C. had terrible smells because of the dead fish that constantly float by - images and smells still fresh in his mind as a youth.

A remarkable thing happened to that river and many rivers like our own Yellow River.

People woke up and realized that our rivers are not only a source of beauty and a sanctuary for wildlife, but are the life blood of our very existence.

Ms. Morgan paints a beautiful picture of a river that has been brought back to life; she calls the Yellow River a blue trail, a trail that continues to need volunteer help to keep it pristine.

The city of Portrdale already has existing green space planning in place to protect their portion of the river, and we commend them for their foresight on this.

Encourage your legislators and county officials to continue to pass laws that will protect our rivers and streams. They are truly one of God's great blessings to his people. The Yellow River is an example of what can happen when people wise up and begin to protect our precious environment.