Yes, this tributary to Walnut Creek runs through Living
History Farms and enters Walnut Creek just west of 100th Street near the
Greenbelt shelter. Walnut Creek enters the Raccoon River upstream from the
Des Moines WaterWorks intake.
Fortunately (or not), the Raccoon River has been too
polluted for the past year for DMWW to use that river for drinking
water.
This is a small spill in terms of gallons, but just
another indication of how our rivers and streams in this state are impacted by
planning and permitting. There are two large truck stops within a mile of
each other whose runoff enters what has been the source of drinking water for
Des Moines for many years--Pilot Travel Center in Urbandale and Flying J in
Clive, which has had two spills of a more serious nature.
Jane Clark
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 10:35
AM
Subject: Ruptured truck tank results in
diesel spill
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental
Services Division
For Immediate Release October 14,
2007
RUPTURED TRUCK TANK RESULTS IN DIESEL
SPILL
URBANDALE - An estimated 150 gallons of diesel
fuel reached a tributary of Walnut Creek on Sunday.
The spill
originated at the Pilot Travel Center located at the Interstate 35/80 and
Douglas Avenue interchange in Urbandale after a truck was backed over a scale
resulting in a ruptured fuel tank on the truck at approximately 8 a.m. Sunday.
The diesel entered the creek through a storm water intake.
Booms
and pads were used in the stream to stop and absorb the fuel in the stream,
but much of it moved down creek rapidly due to rain and was
unrecoverable.
"It's probably fortunate this happened when
we had all the rain because the impacts to the stream could have been much
greater if the creek was low. All of the extra water will help dilute the
diesel much quicker," said Ted Petersen, an environmental specialist for the
DNR.
Petersen said the fuel in the stream would not be
combustible, but there was an oil sheen on the water and a diesel odor near
the stream on Sunday. The creek runs through Living History
Farms.
The incident is still under investigation by the
DNR.
For more information, contact Kevin Baskins at
515-249-2814.
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