EPA to Conduct Limited Floodwater Sampling at the Birds Point-New Madrid Floodway (MO)
Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Kansas City, Kan., May 24, 2011) - U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 crews will conduct limited
floodwater sampling today at the Birds Point-New Madrid
Floodway.
The surface water sampling will be conducted at
locations where floodwater is present, to determine if any threats
are presented to emergency response workers who may be in contact
with the potentially contaminated water.
“Public health and the health of emergency
responders is a critical issue in the flood response. It is very
important that the emergency responders know what hazards may be in
the floodwater,” said Karl Brooks, Region 7 Administrator.
“Once we have determined what contaminants, if any, are in
the floodwater, the emergency responders will be able to take
appropriate precautions to protect their
health.”
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources
(MDNR) and the U.S. Geological Survey are responsible for water
quality sampling.
EPA will conduct surface sampling to identify
the potential presence of contamination in the floodwater. These
sampling results will aid in identifying potential risk to people
and resources for contact with floodwater that may be contaminated
with hazardous materials released during the flood. The surface
water samples will be analyzed for organophosphorus pesticides,
triazine herbicides, total metals including aluminum, perchlorate,
total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH)-gasoline range organics (GRO),
TPH-diesel range organics (DRO) and coliform bacteria.
EPA established the limited floodway sampling
plan based on chemicals from explosives used to activate the
floodway, the rural agricultural characteristics of the area, the
presence of a confined animal feeding operation, and information
that not all petroleum products were removed from the
floodway.
Water sampling is planned at the entrance to the
floodway, the two exits from the floodway, and water inside the
floodway. EPA has closely coordinated environmental efforts with
Missouri and federal emergency response and environmental agencies
since mid-April.
EPA involvement in the floodway began in
mid-April when the Agency assisted MDNR and bulk fuel suppliers to
contact farm residents in the floodway and remove threatened
petroleum and small amounts of hazardous materials, prior to
opening the floodway.
For additional flood resources, go to:
www.dnr.mo.gov/disaster.htm
http://health.mo.gov/living/environment/floodrecovery