Subject: RE: 2 spills on Huron River
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:01:56 -0400
From: eriggs@HRWC.ORG
To: ahknaten74@hotmail.com

Kai,

Following is the summary of Ric’s conversation with Heather Rice with OSEH. If you have more questions, it’s probably best to follow up with Heather -- riceh@umich.edu; p: 734.615.6367.

UM responded and worked with Ann Arbor Fire to establish a coffer dam and booms near the site and downstream at Gallup on Monday.  Recovered material was analyzed and determined to be “petroleum-based,” but a specific compound was not identified.  On Tuesday UM attempted to backtrack the source through their system.  They located the initial source as a 32” or 36” outfall below the hospital helipad and a parking lot for the hospital and arboretum.  Searching the catch basins and other known connections to that outfall, they were not able to identify a specific source.  All evidence of the material has since been cleaned up and the emergency response materials have been removed as well.  No further petroleum products have been identified in the outfall or downstream.


So, it sounds like it was an unreported, one-time, small volume spill and is not a chronic issue.  The lack of an identified source is problematic, though. 

Elizabeth Riggs
Watershed Planner
Huron River Watershed Council
1100 N. Main Street, Suite 210
Ann Arbor, MI 48104