Blue Line Transportation Oil Spill

Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
State TrusteeState of Oregon
AO Bureau

Also Known As

Yaquina River

Incident Type

Oil

State

Oregon

Case Status

Restoration

Location

Highway 20, milepost 18

Authority

OPA

Contaminants of Concern Include

Oil

Affected DOI Resources Include

Migratory Birds, Threatened and Endangered Species

Case Description

On January 27, 2001, a fuel tanker carrying 8,300 gallons of No. 6 fuel oil (bunker C) overturned on U.S. Highway 20, near Toledo, Oregon. The fuel tanker, owned by Blue Line Transportation of Portland, Oregon, released approximately 5,800 gallons of oil to the roadway. The heated oil flowed across the highway, down a steep bank and into the Yaquina River. The area of visible oil (oil sheen and tarballs) extended from the spill site at river mile 30.2 to just beyond Butler Bridge (Toledo) at river mile 13.2, a distance of approximately 17 miles. The primary collection point for spilled oil was located 0.85 miles downstream of the crash site at Thornton Creek, where approximately 3,300 gallons of oil were recovered. However, a significant amount of product made it past this collection point, with the heaviest accumulations of surface oil observed the first 8 miles downriver from the spill site. During response efforts, NRDA teams observed a number of oiled birds and mammals. One oiled belted kingfisher was captured, cleaned and later released. One heavily-oiled hooded merganser was observed swimming downstream at the oil containment and removal site. A number of additional waterfowl and beaver were observed oiled but not captured. Small, sheening particles of oil were observed emanating from one salmon redd. Additional surveys in February 2001 noted live and dead oiled waterfowl and live oiled beavers, as well as oiling of a beaver trail and numerous otter slides.

Hooded merganser swimming through oil, Credit: Mike Szumski

Tar paddy, Credit: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality


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Map View

Case Contact

Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office

Portland, OR | (503) 231-6179 | http://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/

Case Trustees

AO Bureau
State TrusteeState of Oregon
Tribe TrusteeConfederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

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