CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection continued to respond to discoloration of a stream in Mingo County. The bright orange color of the water occurred Tuesday in Pigeon Creek in and started flowing downstream through numerous towns on its way to the Tug Fork River.
“The material is primarily iron-related deposits likely mobilized by routine maintenance on railroad tracks, ditches, and culverts, causing it to enter the stream,” said West Virginia DEP Spokesman Terry Fletcher in an email to MetroNews.
The DEP’s Office of Abandoned Mine Lands is coordinating with Norfolk Southern to increase sediment control measures and remove the accumulated material. According to Fletcher they are also addressing long-term solutions to prevent future incidents.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is doing a biological stream assessment in the affected areas. So far no fish kill had been observed. The State Department of Health has also notified all applicable water treatment plants downstream about the incident.