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Vance Street Pond

Notices  Posted Category
OSC Dispatched to the Site 1/24/2017 OSC Dispatch

Region 8's Response Unit received a NRC Report (#1169011) on January 19th, 2017 of geese/ducks covered in oil, accompanied by a sheen on an unnamed pond behind the address of 3232 S. Vance Street, Lakewood, Colorado.

An On-Scene Coordinator visited the site on the evening of January 19th, 2017. No odor of hydrocarbons was present and an oil sheen was not observed, but a film of an unknown substance at the waters surface was observed. 

An On-Scene Coordinator was deployed to the site on January 20th, 2017.
Description of the Site 1/24/2017 Site Description
A release of an unknown substance has negatively impacted wildlife at a storm water retention pond in Lakewood, Colorado. The pond, Vance Street Pond, is located in a mixed commercial and residential neighborhood on private property. The property has two buildings on-site that are rented out as office space for various types of businesses.   
Incident Objectives 1/24/2017 Site Objectives

1. Ensure safety of responders

2. Recover the unknown substance

3. Minimize impact to wildlife

4. Appropriately capture any impacted wildlife for rehabilitation

5. Collect any deceased wildlife for evidence and necropsies

6. Inform key stakeholders of response activities

7. Identify the unknown substance
Site Evaluation 1/24/2017 Site Evaluation

It is unknown how the substance entered the pond. Potential entry method into the pond include drainage from storm sewers or a direct dump into the pond. Based on visual assessment, the waters surface had a white film and some areas had a coagulated, unknown substance floating in the pond. There also appeared to be at least two live, impacted Canada geese with no apparent flight capability. Visual surveys of the pond included observations of deceased avian species near the pond outlet drainage channel.

 
Site Operations 1/24/2017 Site Operations

Response teams were focused on: containment, recovery operations, substance identification, and wildlife capture & collection.

Containment and Recovery: The unknown substance has largely been contained and collected within the pond's boundaries by used of sorbent boom, pads, and two row boats. It's estimated that approximately 85% of the substance has been recovered.

Substance Identification: Surface water samples have been collected and submitted to a lab for analysis to help determine the properties of the unknown substance.

Wildlife Capture and Collection: Live, impacted wildlife have been captured and brought to a licensed facility for rehabilitation. Deceased, impacted wildlife were collected and submitted to a certified lab to have a necropsy performed.