Longview dead fish count nears 2,000 after pulp mill disaster

Response crews in Longview saw a major jump in the number of dead fish days after an implosion at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill released many gallons of harmful chemicals into the environment.

Authorities stressed that the city of Longview continues to have safe drinking water and clean air, and that efforts to dilute Columbia River contamination have succeeded. The industrial disaster killed 11 workers Tuesday.

The Washington Department of Ecology reported Friday evening it had collected 23 dead fish in the affected area near the mill. By Saturday evening, crews counted 200 dead fish. By Sunday evening, nearly 2,000 fish had been found in ditches and sloughs in west Longview.

Many of the fish had died earlier in the ditches and were being expelled as crews pumped and flushed clean water through Longview's drainage system, the department reported. Authorities expected the number of reported dead fish would continue to grow.

The vast majority of fish collected Saturday were carp, said Courtney Serad, state Ecology's lead spill responder, at a news conference Saturday. Crews also found dead channel catfish, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed sunfish, blue gill and redside shiners. All are common freshwater fish.

The numbers have steadily increased day to day," Brooks Stanfield, the on-scene coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency said Saturday.

On Sunday, crews also found bass, peamouth chub and bridgelip sucker. Crews found a single hatchery-raised coho salmon.

Crews have also identified a few dead tadpoles and similarly small animals, "but that is the extent of what we've observed in terms of wildlife impacts, Stanfield said.

Most of the fish collected Sunday were recovered from Coal Creek Slough outside the main pump station at the western end of the ditch system, the department reported.

The tank that ruptured Tuesday at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging mill had the capacity for 900,000 gallons of caustic chemicals known as "white liquor," which is used to break down wood chips in the process of making pulp.

The implosion released a "high PH caustic liquid" through a storm drain and into a ditch, according to officials from the EPA. That ditch is connected to a drainage network that moves through the community of Longview, including backyards. Officials earlier said some of the white liquor contaminated the Columbia River. On Sunday, authorities noted most of the white liquor did not leave the mill site.

Ecology reported cleanup efforts had been successful: All water discharged to the Columbia had been diluted to safe pH levels. Air monitors were also clear. No fish or wildlife impacts have been observed in the Columbia River, according to the updates this weekend.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has a hotline for the public to report dead fish and wildlife - 800-22-BIRDS - and those reports have aided cleanup efforts, officials said at the news conference Saturday.

Though testing suggests the danger is likely over, Department of Ecology continues to recommend people avoid sloughs, dikes and drainage ditches near the pulp mill and keep pets away from areas marked by over 200 signs.

If a person does come in contact with water in affected areas, they should rinse thoroughly with clean water, the department advised.

This story has been updated with new information from state and federal authorities.

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