An investigation is underway after sheen was found Monday on Powwow Pond and the Powwow River in South Hampton. The East Kingston Fire Department responded around 10 a.m. and found a large sheen on the pond, which feeds into the river. Firefighters from the Merrimac, Massachusetts, Police Drone Unit also assisted.
Officials set up booms to contain the material, which the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said appears to be broken-down organic material and minerals. Officials said the substance does not pose a threat to public health. Additional testing is being conducted to rule out petroleum products. To prevent the sheen from moving downstream, the DES Dam Bureau closed the dam at Powwow Pond. The cause of the sheen remains unknown.
