Castro Cove - Pollution

Pollution

The cove is also a recreational, fishing, boating, and shellfishing area. The Richmond Rod & Gun Club Yacht Harbor is located on the western coast of the cove. The Chevron Richmond Refinery located at the south end of the inlet dumps 5.6 millions (21,938 liters) of gallons of treated industrial use waters into the Cove, Castro Creek and San Pablo Bay daily. From 1902 until 1987 the refinery released various contaminants from its water usage and other run-offs which terribly contaminated the Bay muds of the cove. In 1998 the California Regional Water Quality Control Board began to catalyst cleanup of the site and pressured Chevron. The water board used the authority of the Bay Protection and Toxic Clean-up Program to have Chevron make a sediment characterization work plan in 1998. Years of discharge or polluted water left the cove with high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mercury contamination.