The Nation - News from Sept. 13, 1989

The Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver was put on alert for several hours because Colorado officials feared that an earthen dam at the facility might fail, sending herbicide-contaminated water from a holding pond into suburban water supplies. State health officials said they were more concerned about the presence of the herbicide atrazine, a possible carcinogen, and manganese and sulfide, than about “low but measurable” radiation in the water. Rocky Flats, which manufactures plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons, is operated for the Department of Energy by Rockwell International Corp. DOE officials had expressed concern about the earthen dam when heavy rainfall filled the pond to 75% of capacity. The alert was canceled after an inspector for the state engineer’s office declared the dam was sound.