Certified Coatings Barge Listing
Summary Information


Photograph of the Ross Island Spud Barge under the Portland Interstate 5 bridge, on the Columbia River.  The listing barge is  being held up by the "spuds" ( the post with yellow tips, which are used to stabilize the barge under normal working conditions).  At the barge listed equipment and spent sandblast grit were dumped into the river.
 Taken by: Eric Heinitz, Ecology  10/08/00

Date of Incident:  
Friday, October 6, 2000, 2:45 p.m.

Location:  
Under the Portland I-5 bridge, on the "Oregon side" of the Columbia River (refer to map)

Product/Quantity:  
Initial report: forty-six, 55 gallon drums of spent sandblast material (steel grit which contains lead based paint chips). A 5,000 gallon capacity fuel tank with about 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and several pieces of equipment with associated fuel tanks. 

Cause:  
Under investigation.
 

Photographs

 

News Articles

  • Oct. 18 
    Barge-Spill Cleanup Nearing Completion The Columbian
    (Link no longer available)

  • Oct. 10
    Intact Barrels Removed From River The Columbian
    (Link no longer available)

  • Oct 7 
    Barge spills heavy load. Seattle PI 

Maps/Drawings

  

Ecology is no longer active at this incident.

Up Date, Wednesday, 10/10/00 

Clean-up efforts continue to focus on the recovery of the 55- gallon drums of spent sand blast grit. On Monday six drums were recovered, fortunately all of them were intact. It is hoped that the remaining 42 drums are also intact. But there is the possible that some of the drums which slid over-board were not sealed.  It is also possible that some of the remaining drums, even if sealed, were damaged by the heavy equipment which also slid over-board. 

The drum recovery effort is expected to be completed by the end of the week.  While the recovery of  the equipment which also slid over-board will take longer.  Fortunately, the 5,000 gallon fuel tank, which was recovered appears to have suffered only minor damage.  The barge was removed from the area on Sunday.

The cause for the listing of the barge is still under investigation by the Coast Guard and the Oregon State Police.

Background Information 

At about 2:45 pm on Friday, Oct. 6, 2000; a barge used as a platform to assist workers painting the I-5 bridge near Portland started taking on water and eventually tipped to one side.  

The tipping of the barge resulted in the following being dumped into the Columbia River: forty-eight 55 gallon barrels with spent sandblast grit (steel grit with lead based paint chips), a 5,000 gallon capacity fuel tank with about 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel, and a variety of heavy equipment with associated fuel tanks.

Boom lines were placed downstream to contain any fuel releases.  The booms are being monitored 24 hours a day.   Adsorbent materials have been placed within the boomed area to contain as much spilled material as possible.

The barge was stabilized, and an initial diving assessment was made. The 5,000 gallon capacity fuel tank was recovered, and salvage options for the other material is being developed.