See Polrep #1.
The sparging continued until the rain started on January 22, 2008. On January 22, 2008, heavy rains destroyed the containment dams in the creek and heavily damaged the hay dam at the border of the Chamberlain Ranch. Oil water migrated another 1/4 miles downstream to the first dam on the Chamberlain Ranch. By January 23, water began to buildup on the dam. With the permission of the land owner, Greka's contractor sand bagged off the two conduits going through the dam to the other side. By the morning of January 24, 2008, water and oil had migrated through the two conduits to the south side of the first dam. The water and oil migrated approximately 1/2 mile to the other dam. By the morning of January 25, 2008, water was flowing though a 20" conduit through the second dam, into the creek on the other side. This completed the pathway from the initial entry point into the unnamed blue line creek to the Zaca Creek which is a tributary to the Santa Ynez River, which flows to the Pacific Ocean. Greka's contractor starting on January 23, 2008 began booming the unnamed blue line creek past the two dams, into the Zaca Creek. Booming stopped where the Zaca Creek went under HWY-101.
On January 23, 2008 at EPA, DFG and Santa Barbara Co. Petroleum's direction, Greka pumped free oil or oily water out of a number of places including the secondary containment for the undamaged injection pump, around the portable storage tanks, the Davis Tank Battery and several well cellars.
Removal operations in the creek are on-hold with the exception of preventive measurs until after the rain ceases. This is due to health and safety issues associated with flash-flooding in the unnamed blue line creek.
1. Complete sparging of the creek.
2. After the rain stops the areas downstream of the initial spill will be evaluated for oil contamination. Any oil contamination detected will be removed.
3. Assessment of the soil in the creek.
4. Disposal of all contaminated soil.
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