Back in 69, the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire. Oil soaked debris burned for a couple of hours and became a spark for the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972 as well as creation of environmental agencies, such as the EPA.

There was even at least one song resulting from the incident, Randy Newman’s Burn On.

There’s a red moon rising
On the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake

red-moon

In 2009, the Cuyahoga is full of healthy fish and is a popular water recreational spot.