Date

State Activity¹

Indy Water Co. Activity²

Local Gov=t Activity³

Citizen Activity⁴

Other Activity⁵

Mon. 12/6

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Tues. 12/7

Anderson detects problems believed to be from ammonia

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Wed. 12/8

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Thur. 12/9

 Sees elevated ammonia levels in White River at 116^th St.

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Fri. 12/10

- Detects elevated levels of ammonia near Muncie. Contacts Muncie.

- Begins adding additional chlorine

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Sat. 12/11

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Sun. 12/12

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Mon. 12/13

Anderson experiences upset conditions. No notice to State.

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Tues. 12/14

Anderson=s combined sewer system overflows between Guide and Anderson treatment plant..

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Wed. 12/15

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Thur. 12/16

DNR found 20 dead carp minnow and other fish.

Anderson notified of fish kill by citizens.

Citizen notifies Anderson and DNR of 100 dead fish downstream from Anderson

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Fri. 12/17

DNR monitors river at four bridges.

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Sat. 12/18

DNR monitors river at four bridges

Citizen notifies IDEM of fish kill at Strawtown

Guide discharging to Anderson.

Sun. 12/19

DNR monitors river at four bridges. Sees 2000 dead fish.

Guide Corp stops discharging into Anderson treatment plant.

Mon. 12/20

- DNR takes air boat from Anderson to Noblesville. Finds extensive fish kill.

- DNR notifies DEM of significance of fish kill.

- DEM begins field survey.

- DEM inspects Anderson which notifies DEM of problems. DEM cites Anderson for permit violations

- DEM alerts IWC to high contaminant discharges.

- DEM doesn=t see new stressed fish

- DEM anticipates dilution and recovery downstream from Carmel plant.

- Alerted by IDEM of fish kill and high contaminant discharges at Anderson.

- Conducts more testing as a result of high ammonia levels.

- Finds ammonia and carbon disulfide in discharge from Anderson???

- Detects ammonia at intake at 116^th St.

- Deems chlorine treatment to be adequate.

- Anderson directs Guide to cease discharging.

- Anderson notifies IDEM of problems in response to contact by IDEM.

Guide reports stopping all discharges as of 12/19

Tues. 12/21

- DEM advises IWC to test for carbamates at intake

- DEM contacts Madison County Health Dept.

- DEM collects river water samples and fish samples.

- Purdue College of Vet. Medicine evaluates fish and finds nothing remarkable.

IWC told by DEM to test for carbamates at intake.

- Madison County Health Dept contacted by IDEM.

General public aware of spill for first time

Indy Star: Substance killing fish in White River - Officials say whatever killed 2,000 carp, minnows in Hamilton, Madison counties is floating city's way.

Wed. 12/22

- DEM collects additional water and fish samples.

- DEM inspects Anderson.

- DNR tracks fish kill to 146^th St. bridge.

IWC begins treatment for carbon disulfide.

- Anderson sends IDEM fax about a large release of chemical believed to be from Guide Corp.???

- Indpls Watershed Team meets with IWC and determines that fish kill now believed to be caused by toxic chemical, rather than ammonia toxicity due to monitoring results continuing to indicate less than toxic NH3 concentrations.

Indy Star: Fish kill in White River stumps officials

Thurs. 12/23

- DNR determines at least 80,000 fish killed between Anderson and 131^st St.

- DNR tracks fish kill to 96^th St. where river is diluted from Carmel discharge.

- DEM takes Abackground@ fish and water samples.

- DEM and EPA coordinate discussions.

- DEM determines that contaminant no longer entering White River.

- DEM sees no stressed fish.

- DEM determines that continued fish kills unlikely.

Fri. 12/24

Brant Cowser and Kevin Hardie duck hunting south of 106^th St and 96^th St. See many dead and dying fish.

Guide commits to IDEM to stop discharging until advised otherwise.

Sat. 12/25

- DEM responder discusses incident with Brant Cowser.

- Brant gets many calls from concerned citizens saying spill was much more serious than reported in media with sport fish dying.

- Brant reports news to DEM but was told that agency was aware of seriousness and no one available to respond.

Sun.

12/26

- DEM receives six calls from public on emergency response hotline

- Reports carbon disulfide levels are half of those found on 12/20 with levels declining in upstream samples.

- Kevin found more dead fish at Meridian St. and at 96^th St.

Mon. 12/27

- DEM acknowledges that fish continue to die but does not think there is an imminent danger to public with incidental contact with river.

- DEM receives first inquiries from private well owners.

- DEM tracks fish kill to 86^th St.

- DNR reports 100,000 dead fish.

- Reports carbon disulfide levels continue rising in Canal.

- Discusses results with Kevin Hardie.

- Anderson tries to restart biological treatment by addition of nitifying bacteria.

- Brant and Kevin receive unconfirmed reports from people who said that mammals were dying.

- They realize there is valid public safety concern and contact print and electronic media. They alert DEM and DNR.

- Kevin calls IWC which reports that they were treating for high levels of ammonia.

Tues. 12/28

- DEM observes dead fish at Meridian St.

- DEM/DNR holds news conference at White River Yacht Club announcing that dimethyldithiocarbamate from Guide Corp. is believed to be cause and that 34 miles of river were Adevastated.@

- DEM says chemical is essentially the same as one used at Guide Corp.

- Reports using activated carbon to Ray Irvin.

- Confirms carbon disulfide at intakes.

- Hamilton and Marion County Health Departments learn of seriousness of chemical spill from media reports.

- Hamilton County HD chief talks with Kevin Hardie and expresses frustration with lack of notice from State.

- Marion County HD official tells Brant Cowser than they had not been advised by IDEM until 27th

- Marion County issues health advisory suggesting that no one eat fish/ get in water.

- IDEM management responds quickly to calls.

- Brant and Kevin find large numbers of dead carp at 32/38 intersections and small number of sport species dead under the ice.

- Citizens see dying fish reporting in canal

- Kevin calls Barry NcNulty of Hamilton County Health Dept.

- Brant talked to Alan Moberly of Marion County Health Dept.

- Indy Star: Wildlife death toll continues to climb. Herbicide ingredient released into White River may be cause; lab results are due today.

- Guide Corp rebuts allegations from IDEM that it is cause. Says chemical is relatively begin chemical with no adverse environmental impacts and that there were no unusual discharges before fish kills.

- Guide Corp says it met with IDEM and exchanged information and claims that cause of fish kill has not yet been determined.

Wed. 12/29

- DEM meets with Guide

- DEM tracks fish kill to 16^th St.

- DNR says that fish kills are not showing up south of Indy but warns it is too early to tell and that full magnitude won=t be known until spring or summer.

- Reports that levels of carbon disulfide and ammonia declined as samples were taken upstream.

- Says that drinking water is safe.

Five local health departments and IDEM coordinate shallow well sampling.

- Activists obtain information about chemical.

State Rep. Atterhold delivers letter to Governor asking question about spill and State=s handling of it.

Thurs. 12/30

- DEM teleconferences with four local health departments.

- DEM/DNR holds news conference at Riverside Park.

- DEM/EPA inspects Guide and Anderson.

- DEM asks IPL to add water at Stout plant.

- DEM arranges for dead fish collection. ⁶

- DEM collects fish samples and gets well samples to ISDH.

- Health departments of Marion, Madison, Hamilton and Morgan County have conference call with DEM and develop plan for local response.

- Kevin surveyed fish kill at 106^th St and 96^th St. Found sport fish that apparently died after rough fish at Meridian and other locations.

- Activists meet and lay out a strategy

- Sandy Miles calls Governor=s office to find out how to handle fish gets referred to DNR who refers her to county dead animal services.

Indy Star: White River contamination waning -

Criticism mounts over slow response to fish kills as state probe tries to assess blame for disaster

Fri. 12/31

- DEM meets with representatives from Ohio River regulatory agency that says it had responded to previous spills of chemical but impacts were less severe.

- DEM conducts field assessments for mussels and invertebrates.

- DEM asks IPL to add water at Pritchard plant.

- DEM/EPA find healthy fish and other life between Anderson and Hamilton County and live fish to Indy.

- DEM finds no carbon disulfide in initial well tests

- DEM/EPA inspect Guide and Anderson.

Reports no carbon disulfide at Hamilton County line intake.

- Tom Neltner discusses chemical issues with Matt Rueff and agency technical staff.

- Concerned residents in Strawtown and Clare and Riverwood organize.

Indy Star: Chemical tied to fishkill did damage here in '91 - Compound suspected in current case caused extensive harm to a water treatment facility.

Sat. 1/1

- ISDH finds no carbon disulfide in any well sample.

- DEM conducts field assessments and water quality screens.

Indy Star: Bait shop may be out of luck after spill - Family business in Noblesville could be ruined by toxic pollution of White River.

Sun. 1/2

- DEM/DNR holds a news conference in Noblesville showing live crawfish and insect larvae as evidence that river is not sterile as previously reported.

- DNR conducts quantitative macroinvertebrate survey.

- DEM finds live viable fish and macroinvertebrates found between Marion County and Anderson.

- Water samples taken and sent to ISDH.

Indy Star: Recent chemical spill may be river's worst.

Mon. 1/3

- DEM/DNR meets with environmental groups.

- DNR reports that it will begin assessment of impact on fish as soon as weather clears.

- Purdue fish analysis inconclusive.

- DEM teleconferences with four local health depts.

- ISDH confirms no carbon disulfide in river between Morgan County and Anderson.

- DNR conducts quantitative macroniverebrate survey.

Four health depts teleconference with DEM.

- Environmental groups meet with commissioner of DEM and representatives of DNR. Agree to schedule a technical meeting on Janaury 6 at 4:00.

Indy Star: River will recover from spill, state says - Officials find evidence that many aquatic creatures regularly eaten by larger fish in White River survived

Tues. 1/4

- DEM holds press conference at Government Center.

- DEM announces four public meetings.

- DEM publishes timeline of events.

- DEM hold conference call with four county health depts

- Finds carbon disulfide concentrations are at nondetectable levels at 116th intake. Ammonia levels are elevated but within limits.

- Four county health depts. hold conference call with IDEM. DEM notes that racoon deaths may be due to canine distemper outbreak.

- Coalition holds press conference calling for State to hold public meetings in affected neighborhoods to explain what happened when and what will happen

Wed. 1/5

- DEM reports 36 tons of dead fish collected.

- DEM told by Indpls of dying fish at Harding St.

- DEM holds conference call with four county health depts and give update.

- DEM sends fish to EPA lab for analysis.

- Indpls reports to IDEM that no struggling/ dying fish observed at Waverly but fish were observed struggling/ dying at Harding St. at 9AM.

Indy Star: Ammonia levels in White River remain too high - Anderson wastewater treatment plant is still receiving fish-killing pollutant through sewer system._

Thurs. 1/6

- DNR conducts Aelectrofishing@ at key points in river and reduced numbers and diversity of fish especially in deep pools.

- DEM holds public meeting to discuss technical issues with env. groups.

- DEM holds press conference to announce foam problems in Anderson=s discharge.

Anderson has significant amounts of foam in outfall.

- Env. groups and other citizens participate in public meeting on technical issues and ask questions.

- Finding some dying fish near Broad Ripple.

- Indy Star: Fish kill appears to have ended - Pollutant level falls below the allowable limits at the wastewater treatment plant in Anderson.

- Guide acknowledges using the chemical but doesn=t say proof exists that Guide caused spill.

Fri. 1/7

- DEM issues letter requesting that Anderson take every possible steps to resolve upset and to immediately contact each permitted industrial users to reduce or stop discharge until plant can hanlde load.

Indy Star: A new threat -

2nd toxic scare at Anderson wastewater treatment plant worries officials

Sat. 1/8

Sun. 1/9

Mon. 1/10

- DEM holds public meeting in Marion County

Tues 1/11

- DEM holds public meeting in Hamilton County

Wed. 1/12

- DEM holds public meeting in Madison County

Thurs. 1/13

- DEM holds public meeting in Morgan County

Fri. 1/14

- Environmental Quality Service Council holds hearing to discuss incident.