US Nitrogen Overflow Nearly 400,000 Gallons

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

The un-permitted water overflow at a US Nitrogen retention pond recently, totaled totaled nearly 400,000 gallons, according to a report filed with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
In a two-page letter sent by US Nitrogen Plant Manager Dylan Charles, the Greene County company reported that the un-permitted overflow totaled 397,000 gallons and occurred during a period of intense rainfall between Feb. 20 and Feb. 25. The letter dated April 12 was filed in response to a violation notice issued by TDEC on March 15.
According to Charles' letter, the overflow water eventually flowed into the Seven Springs Branch of the Nolichucky.
The pond overflow water that exceeded the capacity of the retention pond eventually exited the water retention area at previously permitted area, Charles reported in the letter to Jessica Murphy of TDEC.
He noted that total rainfall between Feb. 16 and Feb. 25 at the company site totaled 6.48 inches
Charles told TDEC that the company was considering "multiple corrective actions" to minimize future occurrences." He said one possibility being considered was a redesign of the retention pond piping.
The US Nitrogen official said the retention ponds usually operate at 40 to 50 percent of capacity and levels are controlled by routine pumping. But, he wrote, the effluent ponds collected some 3.1 million gallons of water from the intense rainfall in March.
He said the company was limited by its permits in the amount of water that can be transferred from the retention ponds to a raw water pond.
"On Feb. 20," Charles continued, "the water level exceeded the capacity of the retention pond and began to pool in the low areas of the pond's bank." He added that at that time the pond's weir overflow valves were locked and remained in that position for three days during which an additional 1.5 inches of rain fell.
He wrote that an additional 2.4 inches of rain fell on Feb. 24 overwhelming the capacity of the pond.
US Nitrogen, a subsidiary of Austin Powder, an Ohio explosives manufacturer, produces ammonium nitrate and other chemical products at the Midway facility.
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