Way Downstream …

      Unless you’re a driftwood enthusiast, the news from Conowingo Dam is troubling. Again.

      At the end of the rainiest November ever — in what could be the rainiest year in recorded history — dam operators announced last week that all the flood crest gates would be opened “until further notice.”

      We know what gushes downstream into Chesapeake Bay from Conowingo, but for those who might have forgotten, the Coast Guard offers this warning:

      “Large amounts of debris and logs are possible, and buoys may be low-riding due to increased current. All mariners are requested to use extreme caution.”

      The dam’s owner, Chicago-based Exelon Corp., takes no responsibility for the perils it unleashes. When pressed by the state last summer to do a better job of preventing the pollution, Exelon insulted Marylanders by offering $25,000 to help with cleanup.