Highwood Lake Spill
(Information on this site is considered to be accurate at the time of posting, but is subject to change as new information becomes available.)


Highwood Lake, looking south - picture shows boom and pads. Ecology staff in boat are taking samples.
Taken by: Dave Mora, Washington Department of Ecology
Date:09/10/04

Summary Information 

Date of Incident:  
Product was discovered in the lake on 09/09/2004.

Location:
Highwood Lake in the Heather Meadows Fee area, near the Fir Chalet, Mt Baker. 

Product/Quantity:
Initial estimate - 100 gallons of diesel.

Cause:  
A detailed Investigation by the Department of Ecology is underway. Initial reports are that a spill occurred when product was being transferred between storage tanks.

 

Photographs

 

Maps

 

Sampling Results

 

 

  

Initial Information

When transferring diesel fuel between two tanks on 09/01/2004, a spill occurred.  The original spill amount was about 200 gallons and it was assumed that all the spilled diesel had been collected in a concrete containment area.

Unfortunately, this assumption was wrong.  Following a strong rain product appeared on the surface of Highwood Lake.  Boom was deployed to help contain the spill and sorbent pads were used to recover the spilled diesel.