City of Carlsbad emergency preparedness staff have been in close communication with public agencies involved in the clean-up of the oil spill that started last weekend off the shore of Orange County. Here is the latest information affecting Carlsbad:
Local beaches
At this time, the oil slick does not appear to have reached Carlsbad’s coastline or pose an immediate threat to public health or the environment in Carlsbad.
Monitoring teams from the interagency team managing the clean-up (called the “Unified Command”) are closely monitoring our coastal waters and will notify the city of any change.
Tar balls
The team is evaluating tar balls that were found on the beaches in Oceanside, Carlsbad and Encinitas Thursday to determine their source.
Tar balls can be naturally occurring, so it’s important to know if the ones found can be linked to the spill.
Lagoon/desalination plant
As a precautionary measure, the team is ready to place a floating boom at the mouth of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon that would prevent oil from entering.
The San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Water put out this statement reassuring the public that plans are in place to ensure the desalination plant can remain online should oil reach local waters.
Volunteer information
Those interested in volunteering to help in the cleanup effort can get information on the incident website.
Reporting
If you happen to see any signs of oil along our coast, please report that to this number: 1-877-823-6926. You can also check for updates and get more information the website that has been set up for this incident: Southern California Spill Response.
