Rail America Diesel Fuel Spill; Cow Creek

Project Description

On October 26, 2004, an eastbound diesel locomotive derailed approximately 16 miles west of Riddle, Oregon. The accident occurred along a section of the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad located on a steep embankment approximately 50 feet above Cow Creek. During the accident, a section of twisted rail punctured the fuel compartments on two (2) of the locomotives spilling an estimated 4,300 gallons of diesel fuel. The released product rapidly infiltrated the porous crushed rock ballast beneath the railroad tracks and quickly reached the north bank of Cow Creek located at the base of the embankment. The City of Riddle (population 1,020) draws water from a series of infiltration galleries on Cow Creek to produce municipal water for area residents. Cow Creek is also a migratory route for fall-run Chinook salmon. Impact to human and ecological receptors was, therefore, a primary concern in addressing the effects of the spill.

Spill response activities were coordinated under a Unified Command System (UCS) which included representatives from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), the National Response Corporation (NRC), and the responsible party. BB&A Environmental was retained by the responsible party and, as part of the Environmental Unit along with representatives from the EPA and the DEQ, assisted with planning and execution of actual cleanup activities (e.g., sampling strategies, evaluation of options for management and disposal of impacted soils, collection and analysis of soil and groundwater samples, and closure of the project).

As an initial abatement measure, remaining fuel was transferred from the damaged tanks to secure forward compartments. First responders placed absorbent and hard (containment) booms in Cow Creek beneath the release site to intercept and recover additional product entering the stream. A series of absorbent and containment booms were also placed across Cow Creek at a number of locations downstream including the infiltration gallery at the municipal water intake in Riddle.

Subsequent spill response efforts included the excavation of approximately 100 cubic yards of diesel-contaminated crushed rock beneath the spill site. The diesel-contaminated gravel was transported to a nearby location for on-site treatment using bioremediation techniques in accordance with a Solid Waste Letter of Authorization (SWLA) and Soil Treatment Plan prepared by BB&A Environmental. Further excavation was deemed infeasible due to the shallow bedrock surface and steep hillside embankment. As an alternative, diesel remaining in the hillside below the release site was purged using a series of aggressive flush events using water released from rail tank cars. A total of 36,000 gallons of water were released in a series of three (3) controlled deluge events.

On October 28, 2004, the City of Riddle temporarily halted water production at the water treatment facility following reports of visual and olfactory impact to raw and finished water at the facility. As a precautionary measure, classes at Riddle public schools were canceled on Friday October 29, 2004. Bulk water from alternate water supplies was provided to area residents at the local firehouse for several days following the release.

Water quality was monitored at numerous locations during the emergency response phase of the investigation. Initial laboratory analyses confirmed the presence of fluorene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene in the raw water intake to the Riddle water supply, but at levels significantly below EPA Region 9 Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs). BB&A Environmental prepared a Monitoring and Maintenance Plan to provide a framework for collecting and evaluating water quality data during the cleanup phase of the project. The plan, subsequently approved by the DEQ, recommended the collection of water samples from several locations on Cow Creek and at the City of Riddle water treatment plant at quarterly intervals to capture the effects of seasonal events within the watershed. Sampling data collected since November 2004 indicates no remaining impact to water at levels exceeding laboratory method reporting limits (MRLs). Upon completion of monitoring activities, BB&A Environmental submitted a cleanup report to the DEQ Cleanup Program documenting sample collection and cleanup activities during the cleanup phase of the project. The DEQ issued a “no further action” (NFA) determination for the site.