News

Here's what the Galveston Bay oil spill looks like

KETR | By Shawna Reding

Published March 27, 2014 at 4:14 PM CDT

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Crews of workers line the Galveston coast in an attempt to contain the 168,000 gallon oil spill from Saturday.

Richard Carson/Reuters/LANDOV

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Many fear that because the recent oil spill occurred in open water, the incident will have a greater impact than the 2010 BP spill.

Chase A. Fountain/TPWD

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A worker places oil absorbent snares on the beach on the east end of Galveston Island.

Richard Carson/Reuters/LANDOV

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Oil-coated trash litters the disaster-stricken coast. The highly pollutant oil -- bunker fuel -- poses severe risks for coastal wildlife.

Richard Carson/Reuters/LANDOV

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As of Tuesday morning, TPWD reports that eight birds have been captured for treatment and 10 birds have been found dead.

Chase A. Fountain/TPWD

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Organizations such as the Houston Audubon Society search for and treat birds affected by the spill.

Chase A. Fountain/TPWD

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Responders load hundreds of feet of boom onto vessels.

US Coast Guard/Reuters/LANDOV

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An oil-soaked containment boom lies on the beach. More than 35,000 feet of boom has been deployed in response to the spill.

Richard Carson/Reuters/LANDOV

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An aerial view of cleanup operations in the Houston Channel.

US Coast Guard/Reuters/LANDOV

Responders are scrambling to contain the slimy mess left by anoil spill in Galveston Bay.

After a barge carrying tar-like heavy fuel collided with a vessel in the Houston Ship Channel on Saturday, cargo exports and imports have been put on hold. That’s raised concerns about the impact on Texas’ oil-dependent economy.The Coast Guard says parts of the channel have been re-opened to limited traffic, but the spill is also expected to have an environmental toll.

Texas Parks and Wildlife personnel report that the spill occurred at a particularly bad time for Gulf wildlife – birds, specifically. As of Tuesday morning, the department says eight birds have been captured for treatment, and 10 birds have been found dead covered in the oil.

Video:

http://youtu.be/pG_SAU5xsHE

TPWD are searching the coast for affected birds and other wildlife. They say birds have been the only species harmed in the spill so far, but they expect the long-term impact on the Bay to be severe.