During the winter of 2007-2008, Two powerful floods occurred on the Nehalem River in Northwestern Oregon. The December 2007 and January 2008 floods scattered debris throughout the Nehalem River Valley with the majority of known damage occurring in the vicinity of Vernonia and Mist, OR. Debris identified consists of common household materials such as plastic containers, wood and tarps to hazardous materials including fuel and chemical drums, fertilizers, and paint.
The headwaters of the Nehalem River are located approximately 10 miles west of the Town of Timber, OR. The river then flows through or near several towns, including the towns of Timber (river mile [RM] 111), Vernonia (RM 91), Mist (RM 72), and Elsie (RM 39) before emptying into Nehalem Bay at the town of Nehalem (river miles are derived from www.topozone.com).
April 5, 2008
Land Recon Team 1 searched the Fish Hawk Creek and Fish Hawk Lake areas downstream of Mist, OR for HHW and HW/HM. Team 1 located several drums and located HHW. Team 1 also located a debris field near the confluence of Battle Creek with the Nehalem River.
Water Recon Team 2 continued searching downstream from Nehalem RM 81 to RM 72 at Mist, Oregon. Team 2 did not find much HHW or HW/HM along this section of the river.
Recovery Team 1 (large containers) conducted drum and HHW recovery at the Dairy between Vernonia and Pittsburg, Oregon.
Recovery Team 2 (small containers) removed propane cylinders, small gas containers and pails, empty drums, HHW, and searched through several debris piles for hidden HHW.
ERRs continued to operate the HHW Collection Event across from Vernonia City Hall.
EPA OSC Fowlow demobilized from the site.
April 6, 2008
EPA OSC Boykin mobilized to the site.
Land Recon Team 1 converted to a Land Access Planning Team today and worked on determining access routes to difficult to reach container locations. This team also collected small containers at locations along the way.
Water Recon Team 2 continued searching from Nehalem RM 72 to RM 69. The team located HHW, an approximately 1,000 gallon tank, an approximately 2,000 gallon tank, an old transformer, HHW, and a car.
Recovery Team 1 (large containers) recovered drums, a large poly tank, and HHW.
Recovery Team 2 recovered drums from several locations back to the staging area.
ERRs continued to operate the HHW Collection Event accross from Vernonia City Hall.
START assisted ERRS with collection of samples from unknown drums in the staging area in Level B, and characterized them with the 10-step Haz-Cat kit.
Two STARTs demobilized from the site back to Seattle with the Level A Truck.
April 7, 2008
Reconnaissance activities were completed yesterday, so personnel and equipment were reconfigured into three recovery teams. Two recovery teams were deployed to recovery HHW, small containers, and large containers. One team focused on resolving property physical and legal access issues, as well as recovery of some containers.
START analyzed the 15 samples collected yesterday with the 10-step Haz-Cat kit. The results were provided to ERRS for container bulking, segregation, and disposal.
START gathered information on the natural resources in the Upper Nehalem River watershed. Oregon Department of State Lands and Oregon Fish and Wildlife were contacted, and a study report was obtained from Portland State University. Coho Salmon was identified as an endangered species.
April 8, 2008
Two land recovery and one water recovery team continued to operate today. Tanks, drums, and smaller HHW containers were recovered, including HHW accumulated at the Fish Hawk Lake debris site. Recovery of tanks at several locations was postponed while property access issues were resolved.
April 9, 2008
Two Land Recovery Teams operated today with the support of a vac-truck Pump Team. The Pump Team removed the contents of drums and tanks before transporting containers to the staging area. The vac-truck collected approximately 1,007 gallons of oily water.
START, in Level B, conducted hazard categorization with the 10-step kit in support of waste segregation, bulking, and disposal activities.
Two STARTs, the Portland ER Trailer, and the Portland ER Van demobilized from the site at the end of the work day.
April 10, 2008
One Land Recovery Team was deployed today to recover the remaining tanks at 3 locations, plus drums at 3 new locations. The new locations were the result of call-in reports and additional recon by Oregon DEQ.
ERRS cut up the larger tanks at the staging area in preparation for recycling. The tanks were cleared for Hot-Work using a Multi-Rae meter.
April 11, 2008
ERRs continued bulking, segregation, and disposal activities. ERRS is scheduled to demobilize from the site at the end of the day.
No further activities are anticipated or planned.
Some containers may remain undiscovered in the Nehalem River flood areas. These containers may be found and reported on occassion.
|
