Late on March 15, 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) at Bonneville Dam notified the National Response Center that approximately 500 gallons of hydraulic fluid were spilled into the fish headgate slot at Fish Unit 2, which is located in Powerhouse 2 on the Washington state side of the Columbia River. Upon discovery, the USACE immediately shut down the unit, began an investigation as to the cause, and started oil removal and cleanup activities.
EPA and the Washington Department of Ecology (ECY) mobilized federal and state OSCs to the site on March 16 to investigate the spill. Both agencies' OSCs toured the site of the spill with USACE Environmental Compliance Coordinators, and also toured equipment inside and outside the dam which may have been involved and may have caused the spill. Both OSCs observed that the spilled oil appeared to be completely contained within the head gate slot. No oil was observed either upstream or downstream of the dam. There were no observed impacts to wildlife. Fish Unit 2 remains shut down while the USACE continues their investigation and conducts spill cleanup activities.
OSC Franklin did not open the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for this response.
