After conducting water quality monitoring along Lake Gaston and the waters that feed into the lake, and in coordination with Virginia partners of observations of the plume, officials have determined that no contaminants have reached North Carolina waters at a measurable level. Based on sampling and observations from both Virginia and North Carolina environmental officials, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services recommended local health departments in the areas surrounding Lake Gaston lift recreational and fish consumption advisories for the Roanoke River near the North Carolina state line sent on July 13.
The North Carolina counties of Halifax, Northampton and Warren have all lifted their advisories. Albemarle Regional Health Services also lifted its advisory, which covers Pasquotank, Perquimans, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties. Initial advisories for waters along the Roanoke and Meherrin rivers in North Carolina were shared out of an abundance of caution.
The North Carolina State Emergency Response Team has been in close coordination with agencies in Virginia regarding the ongoing environmental issue resulting from the South Hill, Va., warehouse fire that occurred on July 6, 2024. The warehouse facility contained a large quantity of agricultural chemicals and runoff from the firefighting efforts has entered several water systems in southern Virginia, including the Meherrin River from its confluence with Mountain Creek and the Miles and Dockery Creeks upstream of the Roanoke River (Lake Gaston).
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality established a webpage with information on their response located on their website here.