The creek, as it leaves

.

Strawberry Creek by Gilman Hall facing East: photo by Coro, 13 January 2009

At the weekend, walking by night as per custom across the lower western stretches of the campus, through that small familiar patch of vernal landscape which is all that remains of natural habitat amid the wasteland of big recently-constructed science buildings and labs, one noted the presence of uniformed personnel with large flashlights, and then the following night, there was a strong sharp unpleasant industrial odour in the air, and ribbands of yellow tape by the wayside, and ominous signs posted along the tree-lined bed of Strawberry Creek warning:

DIESEL SPILL

KEEP OUT

Strawberry Creek coming out of the culvert from UC Berkeley: photo by Coro, 2009

A diesel fuel tank used to store fuel to power an emergency generator in Stanley Hall had overflowed as fuel was being transferred from a larger nearby storage tank. A sump pump then discharged the overflow into the creek. Result: creek clogged with slick, acrid sheen of diesel oil. The signposting might as well have said:

IT'S THEIR TOWN

SO IT MUST BE THEIR WATER

1700 gallons of diesel fuel had been released.

Four days after the spill, the creek still stinks and remains off-limits to humans, and the university has continued to maintain a hush-hush stance on how and why the accident occurred, simply citing "equipment failure".

So this benighted observer enquired of a physicist friend, who is conversant with the doings at Stanley Hall.

And learned that bio-engineering, nanotechnology and, in particular, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging technologies (all of course largely financed by government funding) are the specialities of the house.

What do you suppose was the "equipment" that "failed", the question was asked.

"Well, the emergency generator is probably intended as a backup for cooling the helium in the big nuclear resonance spectrometer," the friend said. "The helium has to be kept around two degrees Kelvin. If it gets too hot...."

"The whole joint blows up?"

"Yes, that's what would happen."

So for any plants, birds, fish that may happen to be killed off by that goopy mass of diesel gunk, as it makes its way from the creek to the Berkeley marina and thence into the Bay, there is always the consolation of knowing that the ecological violation was suffered for a Noble Cause: ensuring that come what may, those whopping research grants will keep flowing, and the recipients of all that Dark Money will remain safe and happy.

Strawberry Creek as it leaves the park: photo by Coro, 2009

We’re alone my shadow and me
You’re alone with your shadow too
The first day and the last day the same
First song same as last song

The stream weeps passing under concrete
Habitual deer have retreated
The earth is covered with vehicles
Meant to secure the unknown against us

The caged bird said this place is very pretty
Excellent for lunch fine for sleeping
But if I might ask one thing more
How come nobody thought to put in a door

Booms in place in the creek at Strawberry Creek Park in west Berkeley on Monday morning at around 11:30 am: photo by Tracey Taylor/Berkeleyside, 12 December 2011

Sheen of diesel fuel on the surface of Strawberry Creek: photo by Tracey Taylor/Berkeleyside, 12 December 2011