Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Blacktop Leaching Oil

My neighbor uphill from my pond has just blacktopped their driveway. Previously it was rock and dirt. New blacktop is about 6000 sq ft and all runoff will go into my pond. I know that fresh blacktop will leach oil for a while. In Northern Central California, our daytime temps are regularly well above 100 degrees and it can really cook the pavement. Fortunately, we do not get rain here for another month or so and I have some time to prepare a defense against this runoff. While I have told them in the strongest terms that I will hold them responsible for any damages I may suffer, I must do something to prevent any oil infiltration into the pond. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Jim

I do not think it will hurt you too bad. First, oil and water don't mix. It will stay on top. Second, not enough should leach out to coat the surface of an entire pond. You can throw up a small leavy to route the rain around your pond. After the first rain or two of the fall, tear down the leavy to let your pond fill. THis should keep away the worst.

Nick, thanks for the suggestion. I will erect some barriers as far from the pond as I can, also am told that hay and fabric barriers will help. One of my main concerns is that my pond is a direct tributary to Trout and Salmon water and I am responsible to ensure that NOTHING gets into that water. I hope you are right about the minimal amount of leaching - that is reassureing at this point.
Jim

Two things come to mind. First is that the oil SHOULDN'T cause a problem with just a few simple steps that you already mentioned. The oil will stick to anything it touches so a few well built hay bale barriers should soak up almost all of the oil while the water seeps through - as long as a big storm doesn't cause alot of water to wash right around your barriers and carry the oil with it.

Second is to alert the appropriate gov't agencies that say you are responsible to ensure that nothing gets into their trout/salmon waters. Telling them about this potential problem now might mitigate your legal responsibilities later to some extent and instead put the responsibility on the person doing the blacktopping. They might also be able to tell you if there should be a problem from this big slab to begin with and if they say "no problem" then you would be able to throw some of the blame back on them if a problem does actually arrise.

Good Luck

Paul, I really appreciate your thoughts and will chew on them a bit. In California we have more tree hugger crazies per square ft than any place in the universe. Opening up to potential problems would probably make sense in most of the world but when you live in an area where people will hide in trees for months on end to save a tree, you get a little gunshy. This includes the bloated bureacracy we have, so while alerting them seems like sense, I took the old fashioned approach and told the offending party that they WILL be held accountable and documented it with both her and my attorneys. Nevertheless, I will ask my attorneys advice about your suggestion and will add even more hay bales in my defense
Jim