| Incident ID | 1642 |
|---|---|
| Date | 2014-09-26 16:48:42 |
| Latitude | 39.12370154713353 |
| Longitude | -79.47265148162842 |
Incident Description: A lime-dosing station on the Blackwater River, WV experienced a malfunction last week, releasing damaging levels of hydrated lime into the water and subsequently killing off approximately 23,000 fish. According to water quality gauges, the lime raised pH levels to around 11, turning the water alkaline. Small fish species were particularly vulnerable to the pH changes; the majority of species found being small darters. However, significant numbers of bass and trout were also found. The lime-dosing facility serves to neutralize acid pollution released from nearby coal mines, and the source of the malfunction is currently being investigated. Articles cover the spill are here, here and here
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