State Agency Evaluating Water Quality Concern at Carter Lake

The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality is evaluating a water quality concern associated with water being pumped into Carter Lake. The pumping activity is being done by the Public Works Department of the City of Omaha. This evaluation may include further investigation, according to an email received from the agency.

A request to agency asked that they look into the water turbidity present the morning of May 17th associated with the inflow of water from the pump operated by the city agency. The discoloration of the water was obvious.

There was no response received from an email sent to City of Omaha officials.

Pictures of the tainted water taken on May 17th.

With the millions spent to improve water quality at Carter Lake, why is the water being pumped in by Public Works obviously degrading the water where it enters the lake at the pump station outlet on the north side within Levi Carter park?

From what was heard from a Public Works official on the phone, the state agency, along with a representative of this city agency, visited the lake in regards to this issued on May 28th.

Happy Hollow Creek Pollution

Someone in the Dundee neighborhood of Omaha poured paint into a sewer drain on the Sunday, October 16, 2011. The paint drained away and ended up in Happy Hollow Creek, along the east side of Brownell Talbot school and Memorial Park. This is the second known instance of creek pollution, the other event along Wood Creek, in March 2010.

The following images indicate how the creek water was turned white. Note also the other trash which gets washed into the creekway, because of careless littering.

View looking south from where the water flows from the culvert beneath Underwood Avenue.

Looking towards the north.

The spot where the water leaves the culvert, showing how water inflow had cleared.

There were numerous American Robins along the creek at this locale during this time, and they were trying to take a bath in the flowing water. They had to do so in dirty water, because of some moron in the neighborhood.

Where the robins were trying to cleanse themselves, showing the milky character of the creek flow.

Detail showing the scum on the water associated with the pollution event.

The polluting paint eventually dissipated, and the creek returned to its normal appearance. The person responsible should be fined and required to do six hours of community service, which would entail cleaning trash from along the creekways of Memorial Park and Elmwood Park.

The Dundee area has the dubious distinction of being a "top neighborhood" in the U.S., yet this pollution event blatantly shows the little concern some people have for the local natural environment. The worst part of this is that the person(s) responsible are oblivious of what they caused.