Experts advise avoiding Tinker Creek following significant fish kill

BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Experts continue to warn people to stay away from a stretch of Tinker Creek, following a spill on July 29 that killed over 40,000 fish. 

The water has been tested and shows a low amount of Termix 5301 in the creek. This amount of the chemical is not considered harmful but the advisory remains, according to the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. About 165 gallons of the chemical had gone into the water. 

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The affected area is just west of Route 11, across from the Southern States Cooperative in Cloverdale, downstream to the mouth of Tinker Creek at the Roanoke River. 

The chemical spill killed 40,198 fish, making this a significant incident, according to the VDEQ. 

The company responsible for the spill, Crop Production Services, has continued to cooperate fully with VDEQ and has taken actions to address the fish kill. Investigators say vandals may have caused the spill. 

Additional samples will be collected Monday and the results are expected later in the week.