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Support Continues for Response to Slurry Oil Spill on Mississippi River

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015 -- At the request of the U.S. Coast Guard, OR&R continues to support response operations for the September 2, 2015 barge collision and oil spill in the Mississippi River near Columbus, Kentucky. Oil spilled from the damaged barge (a slurry oil) was heavier than water and sank to the river bottom. Our office currently has two scientific support coordinators (SSCs) on scene. The SSCs and support team in Seattle are providing a variety of information for the response, including chemistry and behavior of the spilled oil, a submerged oil assessment, and other information to help the response and protect the waterway. Earlier this week a specialized clamshell dredge and barge were brought to the spill site to remove oiled sediment from the river bottom. The cleanup operation is expected to continue into next week. For more information, contact Doug Helton. Go back to OR&R Weekly Report.

Two men wearing life jackets stand on riverbank in front of oil spill cleanup.
NOAA SSCs LT Greg Schweitzer (left) and Adam Davis (right) continue to support sunken oil recovery operations on the Mississippi River (background). (NOAA)
Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:51pm PST