April 17, 2015, diesel spill near confluence of Mississippi and Missouri Rivers

Blogmaster's note - This post is a month after this incident, which was reported regionally for about two days after the event. We recently read an account of the spill from Mike Clark of Big Muddy Adventures that was so compelling we wanted to make sure it was available on the web for those attempting to research this incident. It gives a very personal, powerful account of the downstream effects of the spill which were not reported in the media. Jump to his report here.

Some reporting -

• "Phillips 66 estimates 25,000 gallons of diesel leaked near Wood River Refinery" April 17, 2015, by Jacob Barker, St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 
• "Diesel Fuel found in Mississippi River after pipeline leak" (with video and photos) - April 17, 2015, by Roche Madden, Fox 2 TV
• "Part of Mississippi River closed after Phillips 66 pipeline spill" - April 17, 2015, CNBC.
• "US Coast Guard secures Phillips 66 pipeline rupture; river re-opened" - April 20, 2015, by Gene Lockard, Oil Online - an industry news site. 

Background - 
On April 17, 2015, the Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery reported a 25,000 gallon diesel spill (later estimates state 30,000) from a ruptured underwater pipeline in Cahokia Canal, near Wood River, IL, which flows into the Mississippi River just upstream of its confluence with the Missouri. The leak was stopped and US Coast Guard crews and contractors attempted to contain the spill in Cahokia Creek. It was not completely contained, as Mike Clark's account below shows.

ND lawmakers approve plan for pipeline project

Originally published by Forbes on April 27, 2010
Click here for original link. 
By Trevor Born - Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Lawmakers on Tuesday approved using a patchwork of loans to finance a $150 million water pipeline project that would supply western North Dakota's oil industry and a number of cities in the region.

House members approved the bill 81-12 on Tuesday, followed by passage in the Senate, 39-8. It now goes to Gov. Jack Dalrymple.

The Western Area Water Supply project will take water from the Missouri River near Williston and pipe it into rural western North Dakota.

Another North Dakota Missouri River Water Battle

As North Dakota ramps up development of their oil and gas fields, the need for water for hydrofracking and refining is increasing. The Corps of Engineers recently proposed charging oil companies a "storage fee" for use of "surplus" Missouri River reservoir water. The immediate response from North Dakota politicians and citizens was negative. While the fee is described as being for the oil industry, there is a belief that it would later be extended to farmers and other large water users. Plus, the idea of paying the federal government for water in reservoirs that flooded the richest bottom lands in the state doesn't sit well with many North Dakota citizens.

The Public Comment period ended January 17. Here's the original press release from the Corps:
http://mapservice.swc.nd.gov/4dlink9/4dcgi/GetContentPDF/PB-1902/NR121410.pdf

And here's the Draft "Surplus Water" report that listed originally listed the fee:
http://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/html/pd-p/Sakakawea_SWR_Public_Draft.pdf

Here's a couple stories about the controversy. We'll post more as more details emerge and other states (which share the river) respond.

Bismark Tribune: "Corps plans to open tap to oil industry" Dec. 17, 2010
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/local/article_f8114b70-0a17-11e0-814e-001cc4c03286.html

Bismark KX - CBS affiliate: "Corps plan brings protests"
http://www.kxnet.com/getArticle.asp?ArticleId=700440

Williston Herald "Officials voice opposition to Corps plan"
http://www.willistonherald.com/articles/2011/01/21/news/doc4d39b4f6e0148149584517.txt

posted by Steve Schnarr, Missouri River Relief