Fork of the Chicago River known as Bubbly Creek has been closed after an oil discharge was found in the water on Thursday, authorities said.
The U.S. Coast Guard established a "safety zone" at the creek, off the South Branch of the Chicago River, around 5 p.m. Thursday, a spokesman said. It is closed to people and boats.
Crews used booms at the entrance to Bubbly Creek to work to contain the oil. The South Branch and other area waterways were not affected by the closing.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was working to find the source of the oil, officials said.
Bubbly Creek is a 1.25-mile-long backwater of the South Branch that runs primarily through Bridgeport. It became notorious for its pollution from the Union Stock Yards, which opened in 1865 and closed in 1971.
The bubbles of its name refer to gas escaping from animal carcasses and other material dumped in the creek over decades.
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‘Bubbly Creek’ South Fork Of Chicago River Closed While Crews Clean Up Oil Spill October 27, 2017 7:42 AM
CHICAGO (CBS) — The Bubbly Creek section of the Chicago River has been closed, after an oil spill was reported in the water.
The spill was spotted in the south fork of the Chicago River on Wednesday in the Bridgeport neighborhood near Ashland Avenue. The sheen of dark oil later spread from Bubbly Creek to the river’s South Branch, as far west as Pulaski Road. Some birds, geese, and ducks were seen covered in a black oily substance.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency responded, and closed off access to Bubbly Creek on Thursday. A containment boom was set up at the entrance of the creek.
The St. Ignatius crew team, which trains on Bubbly Creek, has been told they must move their training to dry land until the oil slick has been cleaned up.
St. Ignatius girls crew coach Len Richards said the team noticed the oil slick while practicing on Monday and Tuesday, because their boats were greasy after pulling them out of the water.
“It was pretty messy. It got messier. So, on Wednesday, we have hoses, we were brushing them off, and wiping them down,” he said. “I mean, we’ve been rowing in it for four days now.”
Richards said the team won’t be able to practice for its last regatta on Sunday.
“It’s nicer to get the live training out on the water,” he said.
The no-boating zone set up by the Coast Guard doesn’t affect the South Branch or other area waterways.
Officials have not yet found the source of the spill.