The Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) took samples from Tinker Creek again Monday, Aug. 7, according to a news release from the DEQ. The results of those samples won’t be available until later this week.

However, the agencies did report that samples taken from the creek show that levels of the chemical that spilled into Tinker Creek in Cloverdale on July 29 are very low and the amount of chemical “is not considered harmful.

Still, the agencies continued their recommendation that people stay away from Tinker Creek from just west of US 11 (Lee Highway) across from Southern States Cooperative warehouse in Cloverdale downstream to the mouth of Tinker Creek at the Roanoke River.
The agencies reported water test results last week show a very low amount of the chemical Termix 5301 in the creek.

After results of the August 7 water samples are examined, the agencies said the will make a decision on whether to continue the advisory on Tinker Creek

The DEQ announced it completed its count of fish that died as a result of the spill at Crop Production Services in Simmons Industrial Park.

The DEQ reported a total of 40,198 died fro the chemical spill. The species include sunfish, rock bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, darters, multiple species of minnow, margined madtoms, bullhead catfish and suckers.

“Though there have been a few larger fish kills in Virginia, this is considered a significant incident,” the DEQ reported.

The DEQ also reported that Crop Production Services has continued to cooperate fully with DEQ and has taken numerous actions to address the fish kill.