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Wind River Northern Arapahoe Reservation Pipeline Spill

 
Site Contact:
Valeriy Bizyayev
Federal On Scene Coordinator

(Bizyayev.Valeriy@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Wind River Indian Reservation
Kinnear, WY 82516
 epaosc.org/WindRiverPipelinespill
NRC#: 1364525

On April 12, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received a report of a discharge of crude oil from a ruptured petroleum line off Diversion Dam Road and Highway 26, west of Kinnear, Wyoming. The spill location/incident is located on the Wind River Reservation. The spill was discovered on Monday, April 10, 2023, and can be attributed to a break in the pipeline. The exact volume of the release is not known. No injuries or fire were reported from the incident.

On-Site personnel began counter measures and containment after discovering the spill. Product from the ruptured line entered and unnamed draw which connects to an irrigation ditch that eventually flows into the Wind River.

On April 12, 2023, U.S. EPA Region 8 deployed a Federal On-Scene Coordinator and a support contractor to the incident. EPA staff arrived on Site on April 12, 2023, to provide technical direction, assessment, stakeholder coordination, and direction/oversight of the cleanup operations.


Eastern view of stained soil and sheen on water in unnamed draw resulting from crude oil release from pipeline on Wind River Reservation. Northern view of crude oil spill origin at pipeline break Facing south. Stained soil and pooling product in the unnamed draw downstream from release point and upstream of catchment pond. The culvert is closed but water is still flowing through. Southeastern view downstream of Diversion Dam Road culvert, approximately 0.8 mi downstream of pipeline release, showing unnamed draw and stained soil and vegetation impacted by crude oil Southern view of flow path leading to catch pond. Two vacuum trucks are pumping from collection point in catch pond. Crews are hydro vacuuming further downstream in background. Northern view of catch pond approximately 1.5 miles downstream of spill origin. T-siphons at berm and vacuum truck hose pumping from collection point in foreground. Northwestern (upstream) view of spill path approximately 0.30 mi downstream of spill origin showing thin surface contamination in unnamed draw and unimpacted water from recent snow melt Southern view of hydro-vac operations in irrigation ditch downstream of catch pond Southern view of hydro vacuuming operations in irrigation ditch downstream of catchment pond. Eastern view of irrigation ditch with hydro vacuuming operations downstream of catchment pond. Stained soil from catchment pond and vacuum truck location at catch pond visible in on left (north) side of photo. Facing east. Vacuum trucks at collection point in catch pond, pumping approximately 1.5 ft of oil at collection point Facing northeast. Flow path upstream of catchment pond. North facing. Vacuum truck pumping product from irrigation ditch. South facing. Product pooling in irrigation ditch south of highway 26. Southwest facing, location where unmanned draw discharges into the Wind River. Eastern view of countermeasures installed in unnamed draw downstream of release point and upstream of Diversion Dam Road culvert, including t-siphons and berm. Excavator shown for scale.