An oil spill in the River Wye has impacted residents and wildlife for days, according to local canoeist Mike Mitchell.
Hereford: Last weekend, an oil spill in the River Wye caused quite a stir. The effects were felt miles downstream, and it wasn’t pretty.
Mike Mitchell, a seasoned slalom canoeist, had to bail out of the river after his paddle and face got covered in oil. Yikes!
This mess came from the Rotherwas industrial area, but no one knows exactly what caused it yet. Mike keeps an eye on social media for updates about the river, especially when water levels rise.
But with the river being low lately, the oil took longer to wash away. He described it as stinging his lips and getting in his eyes. Not fun at all!
Having paddled the river since he was 13, Mike has seen a lot of changes, and sadly, not for the better. He mentioned that wildlife is disappearing, and you won’t spot an otter or even a mink anymore.
He pointed out that after storms, chicken manure from fields washes into the river, turning the water brown and greasy. Plus, with sewage overflows, it’s a gamble what’s flowing downstream each day.
While things aren’t getting worse, they’re not improving either. Mike believes that the attention on these issues has made some farmers more responsible, but there’s still a long way to go.
The spill, which looked like fuel oil or kerosene, was first spotted on Saturday. The Environment Agency has set up an oil boom and pads to contain the spill and is still investigating.
Herefordshire Council, which manages much of the land in the Rotherwas area, hasn’t commented, saying the Environment Agency is in charge of the situation.
