Gravel Pit Turned Marina, Nevada
For decades the Helms Gravel Pit in Nevada provided tons of rocks for local road building projects. In 1987 millions of gallons of oil leaked into the pit from a nearby tank farm. The pit acted as a natural holding pen for the contaminated water, preventing the water from escaping into the Truckee River. After a major clean-up, the site was converted to Sparks Marina Park, a seventy-seven-acre lake, popular for sport fishing and sailing.
For decades the Helms Gravel Pit in Nevada provided tons of rocks for local road building projects. In 1987 millions of gallons of oil leaked into the pit from a nearby tank farm. The pit acted as a natural holding pen for the contaminated water, preventing the water from escaping into the Truckee River. After a major clean-up, the site was converted to Sparks Marina Park, a seventy-seven-acre lake, popular for sport fishing and sailing.