Rivers Alive cleanup this Saturday at Islands Expressway Boat Ramp in Savannah

Don't forget about the Rivers Alive Cleanup this Saturday in Savannah! Please come out and help us clean up the Savannah River! A free BBQ lunch will be provided for all volunteers!

Date & Time: Saturday, October 29th at 8am

Location: Islands Expressway Boat Ramp in Savannah

Hope to see you there!

Brier Creek Fish Kill Update #3

BRIER CREEK FISH KILL Third UPDATE 10/20/11

PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS FISH KILL Keysville, GA Town Hall 3pm October 30th  All public is encouraged to attend Click here for directions to Meeting         EPD says Fish Kill has Ended, thousands of fish now reported dead.    Dear River Lovers,   On Monday we reported a fish kill on Brier Creek outside of the town of Keysville Ga. We would like to share the latest information we currently have available. The City of Waynesboro ceased pulling drinking water from the creek on Monday, it is unknown if this is still the case. We have been told that a significant swing in the pH of the water is responsible for the death of the fish. It is expected that the pH shift was due to an acidic substance moving its way downstream.  EPD is reporting thousands of fish currently counted as dead, but counts are ongoing.  Water quality chemistries collected by Savannah Riverkeeper support the suspected cause of the fish kill.  The location of the discharge resulting in this fish kill has been narrowed significantly , and we are hopeful an exact location will soon be released by EPD. As this investigation unfolds please continue to stay clear of the waterway until more in depth results are available.  Please if you are fishing, drinking, or swimming in this creek, cease doing so until we have a firm grasp on the causes of this kill and the potential harm to human health.                       Your  Savannah Riverkeeper,                                       Tonya Bonitatibus                                                                                                                                                 Do you have information: If you have information about this case, please call us at 706 826-8991 or e-mail us    What we know right now: 1. Thousands of fish have been counted dead, count is still ongoing. Fish of all sizes and many species have died, snakes have been reported dead. 2. Land owners noticed the black water creek starting to turn clear on Friday. Thursday it was milk chocolate colored, also not normal. 3. Saturday land owners noticed the fish starting to die off 4. There are 4 kaolin mines with discharge permits within the suspected fish kill origination zone. A kaolin mine is the suspected cause of the fish kill. 5. Waynesboro has ceased its drinking water intake from Brier Creek 6. EPD currently has reason to suspect Aluminum Sulfate as the cause of the kill. Our independent investigation supports that theory. 7. GA Environmental Protection Division has an active investigation, no formally announced enforcement action.  8. We urge precautionary methods of interaction with the creek. Those with shallow wells along the creek might consider bottled water until results are available. 10. initial reports of a truck spill being responsible have been ruled out as the cause of the kill The Brier Creek Fish Kill Media Links: GA Public RadioDay 1Ga Public Radio Day 2 Savannah Morning NewsAtlanta Journal Constitution Augusta Chronicle Day 2 Augusta Chronicle Day 1 True Citizen Day 2ABC Augusta, WJBF NBC Augusta,  Fox 54 WFXG Additional stories were in the works when this was distributed. Links above should lead to additional  stories. Brier creek (below) is usually black making it very difficult to see through. The clarity of this waterway is indicative of a problem and hints to the possibility of an additive that causes settling being introduced to the creek. The color has begun to return. Join us on Facebook!   Next Steps:It seems that the fish kill has ended. EPD has been on-site collecting samples and hasn't witnessed fish continuing to die. Key question still remain: 1. Who is responsible- we are getting closer, but a direct discharge has not been released to the public yet? 2. What will the repercussions of causing such a devastating loss of life and recreations be for those responsible? 3. What steps will be taken to ensure that this does not happen again? We hope you will consider joining us at the public meeting at the Keysville, Ga town hall on Oct. 27th, 3 pm to discuss this kill and the steps forward towards recovery for the area.    How Can You Help?   Please if you are able, make a contribution today. Your funds are greatly needed, and will help us complete this case as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible.http://www.savannahriverkeeper.org/donate.shtml   Help us spread the word.  Please pass this e-mail along to your friends and family. It is through our members that we find our greatest relationships, and right now we need your help. Help us let everyone know what's happening on Brier Creek. Contact Us       Augusta: (706) 826-8991 Savannah:(912) 228-5158 Toll Free: (877) SRK-7711 info@savannahriverkeeper.org www.savannahriverkeeper.org Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Savannah Riverkeeper Inc., PO Box 14908, Augusta, GA 30919 7068268991

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Brier Creek Fish Kill Day 2

BRIER CREEK FISH KILL SECOND UPDATE 10/18/11

Fish kill continues to grow, thousands of fish now reported dead.    Dear River Lovers,   Yesterday we reported a fish kill on Brier Creek outside of the town of Keysville Ga. We now have a little more information and would like to share it. The City of Waynesboro has ceased pulling drinking water from the creek, EPD is reporting thousands of fish currently counted as dead, and aluminum sulfate is the expected cause at this time. Water quality chemistries collected by Savannah Riverkeeper today support the suspected cause of the fish kill. As this investigation unfolds please continue to stay clear of the waterway until more in depth results are available.  Please if you are fishing, drinking, or swimming in this creek, cease doing so until we have a firm grasp on the causes of this kill and the potential harm to human health.                       Your  Savannah Riverkeeper,                                       Tonya Bonitatibus                                                                                                                                                 Do you have information: If you have information about this case, please call us at 706 826-8991 or e-mail us  What we know right now: 1. Thousands of fish have been counted dead, count is still ongoing. Fish of all sizes and many species have died, snakes have been reported dead. 2. Land owners noticed the black water creek starting to turn clear on Friday. Thursday it was milk chocolate colored, also not normal. 3. Saturday land owners noticed the fish starting to die off 4. There are 4 kaolin mines with discharge permits within the suspected fish kill origination zone. A kaolin mine is the suspected cause of the fish kill. 5. Waynesboro has ceased its drinking water intake from Brier Creek 6. EPD currently has reason to suspect Aluminum Sulfate as the cause of the kill. Our independent investigation supports that theory. 7. GA Environmental Protection Division has an active investigation, no formally announced enforcement action.  8. We urge precautionary methods of interaction with the creek. Those with shallow wells along the creek might consider bottled water until results are available. 10. initial reports of a truck spill being responsible have been ruled out as the cause of the kill The Brier Creek Fish Kill Media Links: GA Public Radio Augusta Chronicle Day 2 Augusta Chronicle Day 1 True Citizen Day 2ABC Augusta, WJBF NBC Augusta,  Fox 54 WFXG Additional stories were in the works when this was distributed. Links above should lead to additional  stories. Brier creek (below) is usually black making it very difficult to see through. The clarity of this waterway is indicative of a problem and hints to the possibility of an additive that causes settling being introduced to the creek. Join us on Facebook!   Next Steps: We were pleased by the media response today, significantly helping alert the general public about this fish kill. Over the next couple of days our investigations into the bredth of the kill and the exact location of the industrial discharge responsible will continue to unfold. Our most immediate concern continues to be that the public be aware of this fish kill and be able to make informed decisions about their interactions with the creek. We will be holding a public meeting on October 27th in the Keysville area. We will announce location tomorrow.    How Can You Help?   Please if you are able, make a contribution today. Your funds are greatly needed, and will help us complete this case as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible.http://www.savannahriverkeeper.org/donate.shtml   Help us spread the word.  Please pass this e-mail along to your friends and family. It is through our members that we find our greatest relationships, and right now we need your help. Help us let everyone know what's happening on Brier Creek. Contact Us       Augusta: (706) 826-8991 Savannah:(912) 228-5158 Toll Free: (877) SRK-7711 info@savannahriverkeeper.org www.savannahriverkeeper.org Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Savannah Riverkeeper Inc., PO Box 14908, Augusta, GA 30919 7068268991

Brier Creek Fish Kill Day 1

Fish Kill on Brier Creek10/17/2011

Large Fish Kill Reported on Brier Creek  Dear River Lovers,   Earlier this evening I received a call at our office alerting me to a large fish kill occurring on Brier Creek in Burke County. At aprox. 5pm this afternoon I was on-site, and in fact did discover an ongoing fish kill.  At this point, I do not have a lot of answers of why, or even what is killing the fish, but felt it imperative to alert our members to this ongoing issue, and caution them to take care when using this waterway until further tests are completed. Please if you are fishing, drinking, or swimming in this creek, cease doing so until we have a firm grasp on the causes of this kill and the potential harm to human health.                       Your  Savannah Riverkeeper,                                       Tonya Bonitatibus                                                                                                                                                 Do you have information: If you have information about this case, please call us at 706 826-8991  What we know right now: 1. land owners noticed the black water creek starting to turn clear on Friday 2. Saturday they noticed the fish starting to die off 3. this is a larger fish kill, encompassing all sizes and many different types of fish 4. there are 4 kaolin mines with discharge permits within the suspected fish kill origination zone 5. no one along the creek was alerted and one town, Waynesboro, pulls its drinking water from the creek 6. this beautiful black water creek is crystal clear, a color it should never be, and indicates a large problem 7. GA Environmental Protection Division has an "ongoing case" right now with an enforcement action in the works 8. I do not have water quality chemistries at this time, we will have shortly 9. EPD has been on site since Sun am. 10. initial reports of a truck spill being responsible have been ruled out as the cause of the kill Fish Kills can happen for a variety of reasons. Common causes seen in GA and SC are: 1. Dissolved Oxygen Drop- when the O2 becomes dangerously low the fish can not survive, usually in such an instance the larger fish will die first. This is one of the most common causes of pond fish die offs. 2. Illicit Discharge from Industrial or Municipal wastewater- when a wastewater outfall or pond does not meet necessary water quality requirements, it can cause a large stress on the environment. and kill the organisms living in the water. Often in such instances a wide variety of fish, of varying size and species are seen. This creek is usually black making it very difficult to see through. The clarity of this waterway is indicative of a problem and hints to the possibility of an additive that causes settling being introduced to the creek.   Next Steps: Over the next couple of days we will be launching a full investigation into the causes of this fish kill, and exactly how those responsible will be held accountable for their actions. Our most immediate course of action is to ensure that those using the waterway are alerted and kept up to date as this case progresses. We will be holding a public meeting in the Keysville area in the next week. More information about this meeting will be shared at a later date.   How Can You Help?  Please if you are able, make a contribution today. Your funds are greatly needed, and will help us complete this case as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible.http://www.savannahriverkeeper.org/donate.shtml   Help us spread the word. Please pass this e-mail along to your friends and family. It is through our members that we find our greatest relationships, and right now we need your help. Help us let everyone know what's happening on Brier Creek. Contact Us       Augusta: (706) 826-8991 Savannah:(912) 228-5158 Toll Free: (877) SRK-7711 info@savannahriverkeeper.org Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Savannah Riverkeeper Inc., PO Box 14908, Augusta, GA 30919 7068268991