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NOAA Office of Response and Restoration Report for 10/1/05 - Hurricane

Hurricane Katrina

The U.S. Coast Guard and the NOAA Scientific Support Team continue to 
collect environmental samples at the priority pollution sites.  

The U.S. Coast Guard is working to bring in a large MARAD vessel for 
spill response logistics in the Mississippi River delta region.  This 
vessel will provide accommodations for field crews as well as a 
helicopter fueling station.  At this point, the NOAA Scientific Support 
Team does not anticipate housing team members on the vessel, but 
instead will use the vessel as a staging area.

The NOAA Scientific Support Team is working with the U.S. Coast Guard  
to begin working on some of the lower priority incidents.  Some of 
these incidents may become federal projects.

The NOAA Scientific Support Team continues to work coordinating trustee 
issues involving the removal of vessels, fuel tanks and other debris 
from sensitive coastal areas in Mississippi and Alabama.  

Hurricane Rita

The NOAA Scientific Support Team is working with U.S. Coast Guard and 
State of Texas to reconcile various spill reports in order to develop a 
comprehensive list of all spills. The next step will be to prioritize 
incidents.

The largest incident thus far appears to be a large diesel tank 
that was relocated by the storm approximately 1 mile and stranded in a 
marsh.  The tank, with a capacity of approximately 500,000 gallons, was 
reported to contain 100,000 gallons before Rita.  The tank now contains 
68,000 gallons and continues to leak.

U.S. Coast Guard strike teams are still conducting preliminary surveys 
of the area. The NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator will participate 
with the strike team on the 10/1/05 field effort

The NOAA Scientific Support Team evaluated a large fish kill in the 
Sabine area.  Fish kills have been reported in other regions as well. 
After consultation with state fisheries experts, these fish kills do 
not appears to be contaminated related but are more likely the result 
of low oxygen levels in the waterways or salinity stress brought about 
by the hurricane and flood waters.

The NOAA Scientific Support Team continues to prepared situational maps 
and products for the U.S. Coast Guard.