All photos this page by G. Morgan
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Update: Widows Creek Photos: Sunday, Jan 11, 2008 Link to photo's posted by "Creekkeeper," many thanks to you for this link. http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll297/creekkeeper_2008/Widow%20Creek%20Ash%20Spill/ The extent of the spill is evident in the aerial photos. It is also evident that the extent of the hazardous waste sludge and ash release is greater than what the TVA has stated. Aerial photos reveal a large subsurface sludge mass progressing downstream. Is ash still spilling into the river? It appears there are other suspicious dark areas in the ash pits, the spill is not contained and is spilling into the river at the time of the photos.
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Content of Coal Ash, EPA Link, http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/tenorm/coalandcoalash.html note that coal ash is radioactive. The real question, how much sludge and ash were spilled into Widows Creek and the Tennessee River? Gypsum was not the only waste product released in this spill. Gypsum in the scrubbers catch the real nasty pollutants from the combustion process.
Article from the Tenneessean: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090110/GREEN02/901100348
In areas where the river slows in small coves or inlets the ashen sludge varies from light to heavy. The floating gray-ash color substances are cenospheres, they are a byproduct of coal combustion at power plants. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenosphere
The water out from the shoreline for about 4ft is affected. The water sub-surface has an ashen hue for approximately 10ft beyond the shore.
In this area the water sub-surface has tints of gray for 12-15 ft out from the shore. Mr. Moulton of the TVA says it isn't ash or gypsum, see the Tennessean article below, I say he is wrong and that he is being intentionally deceitful. What does he think it is, TVA lies spilling out of Knoxville?
Sample of Water taken at Bellefonte Landing, approximately 1/2 mile downstream from the cooling water intake of the proposed Bellefonte Nuclear Power Plant. The particles appear to be spherical, silvery ash like. They are cenospheres.
A heavy silvery sludge coats the north shoreline of the Tennessee River at Bellefonte Landing. Bellefonte Landing is approximately 17 miles down river from Widows Creek Steam Plant. (Widows Creek mile marker is 407, Bellefonte is 390)
The TVA has reported the spill is contained, not true as evidenced by these photos. The north shore of the river is coated with the silvery, ashen sludge for several miles down stream.
Update: TVA official denies substance in photos is part of a spill from Widows Creek. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090109/GREEN02/90109016 Apparently John Moulton of the TVA has made statements which are part of the ever growing deceit of the TVA. Here are the pictures, I have the sample, Mr. Moulton may certainly drive to the site as can anyone else. How can Mr. Moulton say it isn't part of the spill when he hasn't examined the sludge on the north shoreline? Does he know something else is leaking from the TVA or some other polluting source, it appears he is speaking without knowing the facts or without examining the downstream substance?
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Mr. Moulton is TVA's PR rep in Knoxville, from TVA 's site: Media Contact John Moulton, Knoxville, (865) 632-8048 TVA News Bureau, Knoxville, (865) 632-6000