Elizabeth River Fuel Barge Spill; Elizabeth River in downtown Norfolk, VA

Elizabeth River in downtown Norfolk, VA | 2001-Oct-31

Initial Notification: At 1500 yesterday afternoon (31 Oct.) a barge that had been used to remove diesel fuel from a Navy vessel in a dry dock was damaged and some volume of diesel was released into the Elizabeth River in downtown Norfolk. Most of the released diesel was reported to have been captured by a boom at Metro Machine's floating dry-dock. At 1700 hours NOAA received a call from MSO Hampton Roads about the spill and provided weather, tides, and a trajectory forecast for where the diesel might go if the oil escaped from the boom. This NOAA forecast suggested that the diesel would move with the Southerly wind and with the tide out of the harbor - maybe as far as Craney Island - and if the release was constant maybe as far as the mouth of the James River by 1 November. This morning the Port of Hampton Roads has very heavy fog and no over flights were conducted. However, the spill is reported by MSO Hampton Roads to be mostly contained in the boom and cleanup is progressing satisfactorily. The Coast Guard had suggested that skimmers might be more efficient than using lots of sorbant pads, but these cleanup method decisions are for areas within the boom in an industrial area of the Elizabeth River near the floating dry docks. It is believed that when the sun comes out during the afternoon of 1 November very little oil will be observed at shoreline locations away from the boomed spill site. USCG district 5.