Taylor Creek spill almost completely cleaned up
By Kathryn Reed
Used oil is what was dumped into Taylor Creek, according to water samples taken from the South Shore tributary that leads to Lake Tahoe.
The contamination has been isolated and almost fully contained.
The booms that were put in place by Lake Valley firefighters will remain until Friday. This is in case when the U.S. Forest removes the contaminated vegetation today any oil that may be dislodged will be caught.
Booms in Taylor Creek are scheduled to be removed Sept. 23. Photo/LTN
Dave Johnston, hazmat supervisor with El Dorado County Environmental Services, told Lake Tahoe News once the booms are removed, that would be the extent of the cleanup required. His agency is the lead on the cleanup.
The Forest Service is trying to find the person or people who dumped the nearly 2 gallons of oil into the pristine water.
Cheva Heck, spokeswoman for the USFS, said no can or other container has been found that might provide clues as to who is responsible for dumping the contaminant.
The spill was first noticed Sept. 17 by a Forest Service employee who works at the Taylor Creek Visitors Center on the South Shore off Highway 89.
Officials have said the minor spill should have no impact on the kokanee salmon that this week began their migration up the creek to spawn.
My goodness, two full gallons of oil were spilled in Taylor Creek. Thank goodness the agencies were able to confine the immense volume of used oil.
We saved Lake Tahoe and we should be proud of our life saving work.
Long live Lake Tahoe!
It may not have been an “immense volume” but all the “little” amounts tossed into the environment by uncaring, selfish individuals are what add up amounts that negatively impact the natural world we should be treasuring and preserving. I walked that area many, many times when I lived in Tahoe. It saddens me to hear of
its being contaminated even a little.
The point is you don’t have to make mountains out of molehills, but then again the politics of “pollution” means there is no limit to exaggeration or scaremongering. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. Ops, sorry, that causes pollution.
Every opportunity to raise awareness of the impact we can all have, for better or worse, is valuable. Nobody’s “making a mountain out of a molehill” in this instance. It’s appalling that anyone would choose to dump used motor oil into a stream when there are so many easy and free alternatives. The scale of the event is not the point. The point is the attitude behind the behavior.
No it ain’t. Our impact is miniscle compared to mom nature. Do you feel guilty every time you start your car or turn on the stove or turn on a light as you destroy our earth with pollution?
Have you given up your car or moved into a 200 sq.ft. apartment? I think not.
I think we are talking about senseless pollution here.