Oil drums, tires dumped into Skagit County creek

The state Department of Ecology has been working to clean up Jackman Creek, a Skagit River tributary.

ContributedOil drums and tires in Jackman Creek. Image courtesy of state Dept. of Ecology

SKAGIT COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Cleanup is underway after several oil barrels and tires were dumped into a Skagit County stream.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, Aug. 23, Hampton Lumber revealed that it had discovered the items in a fish-bearing creek on its property, which flows into the Skagit River. A photo attached to the post shows a segment of Jackman Creek covered in translucent oil with barrels and tires littered around it.

A gasoline can in Jackman Creek. Photo courtesy of Washington state Dept. of Ecology

A spokesperson from the Washington state Department of Ecology told My Bellingham Now that crews began cleanup of the creek on Sunday night. They were able to remove the smaller items from the creek and consolidate about 14 gallons of oil into a secure container.

Crews were also able to patch holes in four 55-gallon oil drums, which had been used for target practice.

The drums will be removed Wednesday, Aug. 26 by the U.S. Forest Service.