Mercury in Beech Creek highest near Leatherwood

Sept. 2– The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation reported today that continuing surveys of Beech Creek in Wayne County have not documented mercury outside of the area near Leatherwood where it was originally discovered.

This finding is based on sampling of mercury levels in sediment, fish, water from the creek and residential water supplies. The sampling results provide the basis for modifying the advisory issued on Aug. 13.

"Because mercury tends to concentrate in fish and sediment rather than in the water, these samples were important in identifying the true extent of mercury in Beech Creek," said Environment and Conservation Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan.

"While it doesn’t minimize the concern that mercury was discovered in one area, it is good news to find out that mercury levels were low elsewhere in the stream," he said.

Because mercury has only been found in high concentrations near the community of Leatherwood, people should continue to avoid contact with Beech Creek sediment in that area between the mouth of Leatherwood Branch and Smith Branch.

Other areas both upstream and downstream of this impact area are considered safe for contact, according to TDEC.

The fish consumption advisory, however, remains in effect for all of Beech Creek and the embayment until further analysis is complete.

On Aug. 13, the department issued water contact and fish consumption advisories for Beech Creek, a small eastside tributary of the Tennessee River in Wayne County, due to the discovery of visible amounts of elemental mercury in sediment at one location on the creek near Leatherwood.

The Aug. 13 advisory states people should avoid contact with the sediment and should not eat fish, turtles or other aquatic life from the creek or the embayment on the Tennessee River.

The Tennessee Departments of Environment and Conservation and Health collected and analyzed sediment, fish tissue, creek water and nearby wells to determine the extent of the contamination.

Sediment samples were generally at concentrations considered to reflect background levels in soils at all stations except the two samples collected closest to the site where mercury was originally discovered.

Mercury levels were highest in fish samples collected at two spots in the Beech Creek embayment, but lower in fish collected in the stream.

As reported on Aug. 20, mercury was not found in water samples from Beech Creek itself, nor was it found in water samples collected at 27 private wells in the area.

An additional six private wells also showed no signs of mercury, bringing the total to 33 wells sampled.

The results of the additional sampling provide the basis for modifying the advisory issued on Aug. 13.

Now that the mercury impacted area has been narrowed to the Leatherwood community, TDEC said it will:

•Perform additional intensive sediment sampling at the Leatherwood site to further specify mercury contaminated areas;

•Determine if the distribution of mercury provides any clues to its origin; and

•Identify the best method to remove the contaminated sediment.