Friday June 5, 2026
Redheaded Blackbelt —
A bluish-white, opaque substance has been turning Redwood Creek milky near Briceland Road, and photos confirm it has now reached the South Fork of the Eel River — a waterway where people swim, fish, and pull water for household use. No one has yet officially identified what caused the milkiness.
A Cal OES Hazardous Materials Spill Report filed Tuesday evening lists the substance and its source as unknown. The report covers a stretch of Redwood Creek between Seely Creek and the Eel River along Briceland Thorn Road just west of Redway and was filed around 7:30 p.m. June 2. Community members say the discoloration first appeared the previous Saturday before clearing, then returned.
According to the report, the substance covers the water from shore to shore and is completely opaque. A community member collected photos and a water sample. No dead fish or wildlife impacts had been observed as of the report’s filing, and no odor was detected. Whether the spill continues or whether it has been stopped, and whether drinking water supplies are adversely affected, remains unknown.