Chester Creek Runs Orange

Storm drains discolor popular creek

Tools

By Heather Hintze
Bio | Email

Story Created: Jul 19, 2012 at 8:25 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Jul 19, 2012 at 8:28 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - The Anchorage Waterways Council says they've been flooded with calls from people wondering what's up with Chester Creek.

The Waterways Council says it happened a couple of years ago right after the city changed the way storm drains have to be cleaned.

The Waterways Council says it's likely debris from a storm water drain that caused the orange color.

Water from the drains usually just runs into the creeks, but sometimes debris builds up.

Years ago crews would break up the blockage and send the debris into the water, which creates that murky reddish brown pool.

But the waterways council executive director says now workers are supposed to remove the debris instead, because there's no telling what could be trapped in those storm drains.

"Pollutants that are sort of concentrated. Fecal coliform from dog poop that's dried there, anything that's been on the streets, dried detergent, silt and that's then going to mix with the water for the salmon that are starting to come upstream,” said Cherie Northon, Executive Director of the Waterways Council.

The waterways council executive director says the mayor's office called her today to talk about what caused the discoloration of the water.

She says his office is investigating the incident.

CBS 11 News also put in calls to the mayor's office – they were not returned.

 

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.