Drainage Water Has A Silver Color?

I have to agree with you and GA. Depending on where the OP is located in Oklahoma and their proximity to a fracking operation, (sorry tcmtech), this could be something nasty.

Due to the amount of oil production and earthquakes in Oklahoma the OP might consider sending water samples to an out of state agency for an unbiased analysis.

It's not like there are not oil seeps in OK to begin with. This fracking leakage BS is just that, a dog that will not hunt.

BTW, Kudos to Texas Governor Abbott for getting his law passed that prevents local governemnt entities in Texas from passing laws preventing fracking in their district of jurisdiction. It has a good, sound constitutional basis in protection of enterprise against draconian sapsucker lawyers. You know how to get a condenser vacuum started? The latest invention - just attach a lawyer to the draw down port. Vacuum in less than 6 seconds, guaranteed.

You Texans seem to have a problem truly expressing yourselves.

Just let those feeling pour out! Don't hold them in.

Well, I owe all this self-expression, venting, blowing off steam, whatever to the wife. She is truly an inspiration of desperation. She can produce more criticisms of me per square inch per femtosecond, than I dare count. It can be very disconcerting to be just rinsing the soap off in the shower, only to suddenly here her at the shower door with the latest accusation, fault finding probe, reminder that I am by nature a liar (which I am not, and I would caution any man from accusing me of being one).

Not only that, it could set me on a faulty course for the day were it not for my actually jovial nature.

You have my profound sympathy.

Thank you! At least most of you realise why my trigger is a hair light these days. Sometimes I feel as though I really was born at least two generations (or four) too late. I am not a Luddite (not fighting to save a dying trade), but I am fighting to save a dying trade by morphing it into what must surely evolve.

I am about ready to start a new discussion on why current electronics goes "obsolete" "so quickly", why it cannot apparently be protected from vigorous lightning strikes that can wipe out very extensive expensive power generation automation controls (PLC-HMI links, etc.) It really blows to have a generating unit supposedly on ready standby (not long after a major lightning storm), only have the unit market struck for the day, and learn that all the automation in the plant is dead. Not only can't we start the gas turbine, we can't start the water purification (HRSG water makeup), or the cooling tower automated controls.

Back on thread (hopefully staying on-topic this time), what makes pond scum, or oil slicks reflective (other than the usual explanation of 1/2 wavelength traverse of light, and critical angle reflection at a bi-liquid interface? Are there actual SPP's (surface plasmon polaritrons), basically described as grouped electron clusters on the surfaces of water-organic interfaces? SPP's are known as the source of high metal reflectivity, and certain aspects of the clusters are responsible for the colors of metal (as in bronze, copper, brass, gold).

Having sat through at least a hundred fracks, being the person who pulled the trigger on the explosive shots to perforate the well casing, and wanting verification that my perforations did work, I can tell you that if it is a frack chemical, your nose is going to tell you. Ever use muriatic acid to clean concrete? Triple that smell and you got frack water.

Now you're making me miss my old job.

(1) It is most definitely not mercury, as that absolutely, positively NEVER floats up.

(2) If it is an organo-metallic mercury - all the dead fish would be there to reveal it.

(3) It is not from fracking. Oil is found very deep in OK, and if it turned out to be a raw oil seep, there are those in several places within the state that have existed for millenia, so get over yourself with the fracking.

(4) It is most likely some dumas that was out boating on the river/lake nearby, and spilled gasoline, or even dropped a jerry can and it sank. This oil sheen is most likely toxic, and even though it appears to be on top of the water, small parts per million are indeed dissolved as NAPL, BTEX, VAC, SVAC, hydrocarbons, alcohol, MTBE, etc.

(5) Also do go ahead and check upstream if there is a leaky drum somewhere, an agricultural supplier with containment issues, storm water runoff from a business that does ag-spraying, etc.

(6) For all I know, there could be a nasty, rotting dead hog upstream that drowned in recent torrential rains, deluging, floods, did I mention torrents.

Sounds like common mineral leaching effects.

I agree. Likely candidates are zinc and graphite. Natural in many ground water regimes and often at shallow depths. Since it causes no residual evidence in a pond, I suspect it is precipitated. Not considered harmful at all. I often see such metals in water well drilling operations and has too often been claimed to be oil. But an accredited lab test could resolve the matter. Any local mining operation in the area for zinc?

Possible but not probable.

Most metals and minerals are of higher density and sink to the bottom of water.

In order for minerals to float on top of the water there has to be chemical reagents or frothing agents present which would be my concern.

There is a myriad of farm fields, oil wells, chemical refineries, industries, fabrication shops, manufacturing facilities, local equipment repair shops, car washes, and many other facilities that regularly use chemicals in their processes.

All are required to have catch basins and tanks to hold all contaminations on site.

Some areas have received over ten inches of rainfall in less than 24 hours on top of already saturated ground which means the in-ground chemical sumps, sewage facilities, swimming pools, and pretty much any other below ground catch basin is over full and overflowing out into the drainage ways.

Normally the EPA mandated business and farm catch basins are designed with an overflow safety factor if located in a runoff path however I doubt there are any in Oklahoma or Texas that are designed to handle the amount of water being introduced by the current rainy conditions and flooding that is occurring.

The concentration and mix of chemicals in drainage water during these large runoff events is staggering and sometimes lethal if the combination of chemicals is just right.

There is no way I or any other person can look at the water or chemicals and tell if they are harmful or not nor where they originate.

Natural oil seeps, and dead hogs - one of which is a "mineral" under the legal definition, and the other is not, guess which?

it is a dead hog, or a slow moving OKIE, at this point hard to tell.

Recently, there was a report of several Texans seen north of Wichita Falls throwing dynamite over the Red River. Well, after a while the OKIES on the other side got tired of all this dynamite, and started lighting it and throwing it back! I say both sides are pretty smart fellers.

This way the Texans can't get into trouble for "stump busting" using dynamite, as they didn't light it, and the Rangers can't cross the river for a silly dispute of this Lilliputian magnitude. Anyways, here's to Ranger Eurastus "Deaf" Smith, who might not be held as the Father of Texas, but he sure played veterinarian (not wanting to call him a wid-wife), and protector to Her. TG for Texas, TG Juan Antonis Lopez de Santa Ana was a blustering buffoon drunk on his own power as El Presidente, El Generale De Armes Del Mejico, etc. Long live Texas! Remember the Alamo! Remember, it is Taco Tuesday today. Tejanos, Texicans, and Mexicans can now rejoice, make merry, and be glad together under the same oak, pecan, or pine tree (or mesquite bush) of their choice.

Ah, but he drank from the cup of the silverish stuff and by Lordly, he was resurrected 3 days later!

You might want to check OWRB (Oklahoma Water Resources Board) data for your area to see if there are any existing documented contaminates that are known to be present.... You might be sitting on a silver deposit...

http://www.owrb.ok.gov/maps/pmg/owrbdata_SW.html

https://www.owrb.ok.gov/studies/surface/streamwater.php

Contact your county health department and ask them to test it. That is what we did when I was in Nebraska.

Really, and were they interested? 'Cause that would be a long drive for them.

cnc jim

"Here in Oklahoma we have had a lot of rain" Is this runoff?

Is this a new discovery? The result of recent rains?

Where in OK. are you.

Farm land? Garage nearby, with oil changes left to soak into the ground.

More information please.

You left out Underground Storage Tanks and pipelines.

Test it any way.

There is a particular form of silicon that has this characteristic. I noticed it around the Nevada Desert and around Clinton Oklahoma as a kid in the 50's, but only outside during the first rains. I now notice it in my drinking water in New Mexico. That is a tested city water that is verified safe. It forms "rocks" in the pipes and when it drys on the surface of a sink or counter it looks like a lime deposit but cannot be removed with any known treatment.

Don't take this as the cause in this case. I agree with the others who say it should be tested. Water tests are relatively cheap and that will give you the correct answer. Any ideas you get on the internet should be taken with a grain of salt.

Some algaes will cause something similar. I've seen it on several ponds I've done wetland delineations on.

Pollen will also cause a silvery film to form on the surface of the water.

Usually there are only three things that will form that type of film on the water oil or petroleum products, pollen, or algea.

Best and easiest was to tell it's not a oil product is by its smell. To tell the difference between pollen and algea is usually a simple water test.

AFTER reading some of the replys ....2.5 acres running north to south , pond in the south west corner it was farm land back 15 years ago ,no oil pump or oil rig within miles of me and no garage even close to the area. the dirt is a clay and sand mix but more sand then anything else . all the land slopes to the pond so all run off goes that way

In spite of not seeing any source, how do you know that someone else upslope of you on other property has not changed their oil on the ground recently, or for all we on here know, you might have been down there with a leaky chain saw, or weed whacker.

One last suggestion: It might not be chemical contamination, as oil, etc. It can be that certain bacteria will grow under eutrophic conditions that make pond scum, and this could perhaps be seen as a "silvery" sheen on the water. Do not drink, come into contact, or allow stock to drink this water until you get it checked out. (Legal disclaimer #17.5.123)

Oil or any petroleum product would be pretty easy to detect by the smell. Any trees or shrubs locally flowering if so could be pollen, or many type of algae leave oily looking film on water. Auburn University has a pretty neat Web site for ponds both natural and man made, they have a section on identifing different types of films, slims and foams on water.

Could be Arn or Iron bacteria:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_bacteria

The only kind of Iron bacteria known to exist in Oklahoma are Arn bacteria, thank you very much. Step back from the snake handlers.

If it is arn, you could use a magnet to fish with. You might catch a steelhead.

If the war from your car goes through some tar, it may start a far, and then catch the car on far , leading to a tar blow out. God bless Texas, Oklahoma Sur...

I had a buddy from Memphis, who was under his car removing the transmission. The trans fell out on his chest pinning him. He yelled "Git the tar arn" several times before I realized what the F he was screaming about. Luckily it was an old Plymouth three speed.

I hear tell they's a whole passel uv boys in the awl binnis in Texas and Oklahoma.

I here tell that t' takes arn, mud, an' wawta to pruduc awl.