Pollution Response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Damaged platforms in the water.
Pooled oil in a marsh.
Damaged tank partially on a dock, partially in water.
Workers cleaning oil from pipes on the ground.
Worker vacuuming oil next to large tank.
Large oil tank with oil pooled around it.
Aerial view of damaged energy facility.
Tank overturned on a levee.
Oil pooled in a marsh
Boom containing oil on water surface.
Alligator submerged in water.
Boats leaning on one another on land.
Large oil tank on a yard by a tree.
Aerial view of oil in a marsh.
Displaced oil tanks with oil pooled around them.
Mobile drilling unit and container van against bridge
Large oil tank surrounded by boom in water.
Worker with hose at wall of tank.
Dead fish at water's edge.
Overturned fishing vessel in water.
Diesel container on an embankment next to water.
Plastic debris along a beach.
Boat floating on its side with large sheen.
Damaged platforms in the water.
Oil facilities after Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico Damaged and leaking oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Sheen from leaking oil facility in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina Sheen from leaking oil facilities in the Gulf of Mexico after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Pooled oil in a marsh.
Diesel spill after Hurricane Katrina storm surge Diesel fuel spilled from a fishing vessel that was deposited on marshland by Hurricane Katrina's storm surges in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Credit: NOAA
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Damaged tank partially on a dock, partially in water.
Tank displaced by hurricanes Tank displaced on a dock in Plaquemines parish, Louisiana, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Workers cleaning oil from pipes on the ground.
Cleaning up pipeline facility after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Workers clean up oil from Dynegy Pipeline Co. in Venice, Louisiana, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Worker vacuuming oil next to large tank.
Worker vacuums spilled oil after Hurricane Katrina

Vacuuming spilled oil at Shell Pipeline in Pilottown Wharf Port Facility in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Large oil tank with oil pooled around it.
Spilled oil at Shell facility after Hurricane Katrina in 2005

Spilled oil at Shell Pipeline in Pilottown Wharf Port Facility in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Aerial view of damaged energy facility.
Ruptured tanks and piping after Hurricane Katrina

Damage from Hurricane Katrina at the Sundown Energy facility included ruptured tanks and piping. The site, located in Potash, Louisiana, is remote.

 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Tank overturned on a levee.
Ruptured tank on Mississippi River levee after Hurricane Katrina

Ruptured tank on levee at Mississippi River near the Sundown Energy facility in Potash, Louisiana.

 Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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Oil pooled in a marsh
Oil leaked into a marsh after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Leaked oil in a marsh from a pipeline break in Port Sulpher, Louisiana, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Boom containing oil on water surface.
Boom surrounds leaking oil tank after Hurricane Rita in 2005 Three layers of boom surround a leaking tank stranded in the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: NOAA
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Alligator submerged in water.
Alligator in a marsh after Hurricane Rita Among the hazards sometimes encountered by survey teams assessing hurricane damage are snakes and alligators, such as the alligator in this photo. Credit: NOAA
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Boats leaning on one another on land.
Boats aground in Texas after Hurricane Rita Shrimp boats damaged by Hurricane Rita's storm surges in 2005, aground near Sabine Pass at Port Arthur, Texas. Credit: NOAA
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Large oil tank on a yard by a tree.
Tank in yard after Hurricane Rita Tank in yard on the Louisiana side of Sabine Pass deposited by storm surges from Hurricane Rita in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Aerial view of oil in a marsh.
Oiled mangroves after Hurricane Katrina and Rita Oiled marsh and mangrove area after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 near the Chevron Pipe Line facility near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Credit: NOAA
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Displaced oil tanks with oil pooled around them.
Displaced, damaged, and leaking oil tanks Damaged oil tanks along with spilled oil pooled on the ground in Cameron, Louisiana after Hurricane Rita in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Mobile drilling unit and container van against bridge
Mobile drilling unit and container van collide with bridge during Hurricane Rita A container van hangs off the edge of a damaged bridge. In the background, a mobile drilling unit has been moved into the shore by Hurricane Rita in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Large oil tank surrounded by boom in water.
Stranded diesel tank in the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge This diesel tank stranded in the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge landed right side up and has a small leak near the waterline. Credit: NOAA
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Worker with hose at wall of tank.
Draining oil from displaced tank after Hurricane Rita A hose is inserted into a tank stranded by Hurricane Rita in the Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge so that the oil in it can be pumped out. Credit: NOAA
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Dead fish at water's edge.
Inland water fish kills in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Fish kills were reported in a number of the east Texas and Louisiana inland waters following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. Credit: NOAA
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Overturned fishing vessel in water.
Vessel stranded and leaking oil after Hurricane Rita A number of vessels were stranded or damaged as a result of Hurricane Rita in 2005. The Fatima Lady II was declared a pollution hazard because it was losing fuel from its tanks into the waterway. Credit: NOAA
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Diesel container on an embankment next to water.
Barrels and containers pose pollution threat after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Tanks, barrels and containers that were moved as a result of the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 were being located and assessed. Those that posed an immediate pollution hazard had high priority for removal. Credit: NOAA
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Plastic debris along a beach.
Marine debris along the coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Marine debris along a Texas coastline, after Hurricane Rita in 2005, in an area where storm surges may have reached 20 feet. Credit: NOAA
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Boat floating on its side with large sheen.
Leaking oyster boat months after Hurricane Katrina Leaking oyster boat still in Bayou Bienvenue in southeastern Louisiana in May of 2006 after being damaged by Hurricane Katrina the previous year. Credit: NOAA
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