mixing zones otherwise extremely difficult, if not 
impossible, to define. Isothermal plots of the river 
surface indicate the magnitude and aerial distri- 
bution of the heat discharge to the river. Hot 
spring development along the river bank, due to 
discharge of reactor coolant into a trench near the 
river, also has been defined. 
b. Oil Pollution and Other Hazardous Substances’ 
Pollution of the environment by oil and other 
hazardous materials can occur almost anywhere at 
any time. Some recent examples in the United 
States and its possessions are: 
—San Juan, Puerto Rico (1968). The tanker, S.S. 
Ocean Eagle, carrying 5.7 million gallons of crude 
oil from Venezuela, ran aground, broke in half, 
and spilled more than 2 million gallons of oil in 
the water (Figures 38 and 39). 
Figure 38. Oil streaks from derelict bow sec- 
tion of oil tanker S.S. Ocean Eagle. (Coast 
Guard photo) 
—York River, Virginia (1967). The Liberian regis- 
tered tanker, S.S. Desert Chief, lost between 500 
and 1,200 barrels of crude oil during unloading 
operations. An estimated 10 miles of the York 
River and several recreational beaches were fouled, 
and waterfowl were killed. 
-Cape Cod National Seashore (1967). Several 
large slicks of oily material contaminated about 30 
7Most material from here to the end of the discussion 
on the current situation was taken from: Secretary of the 
Interior and Secretary of Transportation, Oil Pollution, A 
Report to the President, Washington: Government Print- 
ing Office, February 1968. 
VI-102 
Figure 39. Pelican caught by great oil slick 
from tanker S.S. Ocean Eagle. (Coast Guard 
photo) 
miles of coastline, including recreational beaches, 
and many ducks and other waterfowl were killed. 
The source of the material was not determined. 
—Long Beach, California (1966). A levee around 
an oil company’s holding pond broke in a storm, 
and 200 barrels of crude oil were dumped into the 
harbor. 
—Missouri River (1966). A chemical company’s 
storage tanks ruptured, discharging 50,000 gallons 
of ammonium hydroxide, 100 tons of molasses, 
and 1,000,000 gallons of liquid fertilizer into the 
river. 
—Mississippi River (1965). A hurricane sank a 
barge loaded with 600 tons of chlorine, necessi- 
tating evacuation of area residents in Louisiana 
during salvage operations. 
—Spring Creek, Missouri (1965). Railroad tank 
cars containing 20,000 gallons of cresylic acid and 
40,000 gallons of high octane gasoline were 
derailed, spilling their contents into the creek. Fish 
were killed, and groundwater supplies were con- 
taminated. Downstream water users were notified, 
and further damages were averted. 
—Minnesota-Mississippi_ Rivers (1963). Storage 
tanks ruptured, spilling 2,500,000 gallons of crude 
soybean oil and 500,000 gallons of salad oil. Two 
thousand ducks were killed, and recreation and 
wildlife areas were fouled for 130 miles down- 
stream. 
