In the month of September, 2010, a heavy rain caused oil from an uncapped underground fuel tank at a private residence to spill into Dry Gulch Creek. Under normal conditions this creek is a perennial stream flowing into Bolin Creek. The tank is located in a Carrboro neighborhood and the Home Owners Association (HOA) is working with the Friends of Bolin Creek to see that any damage is mitigated.
At the time of the incident, the Town of Carrboro made a visual inspection, but could not discern evidence of oil further downstream in Bolin Creek. Since there was not water in the tributary at the time, no damage to fish or insect life in the tributary may have occured, but we wonder if soil contamination could be a problem. Randy Dodd with the Town of Carrboro reported that odor was evident on the Pacifica Conservation easement; neighbors still observe odor in the area.
The State Underground Storage program of NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is following up on the incident and is in contact with the HOA and Friends of Bolin Creek. We are eager to report to the neighbors what specific steps the State, consultant, and property owner plan to take to remediate any damage. We plan to meet with staff from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and will make regular reports until the matter is mitigated and resolved.
Friends of Bolin Creek is studying existing conditions for the entire Bolin Creek watershed. This incident has heightened our awareness of the threat of leaking underground oil tanks to water quality and aquatic life. We are interested in learning more about the potential for similar accidents to occur and after more study may decide to make recommendations to the Town about how to minimize risks.