Oil Pipeline Leaks into Red Deer Tributary

Oil spill | BCBusiness
A pipeline leak near Red Deer, Alta., has spilled around 3,000 barrels into one of the province’s most important waterways.

Up to 3,000 barrels of oil have leaked so far into Alberta’s Red Deer River, one of the province’s most integral waterways.

A new oil leak could considerably help opponents of several proposed pipelines meant to transport crude oil from Alberta’s oilsands.
 
A pipeline operated by Plains Mainstream Canada has leaked up to 3,000 barrels of light sour crude into a tributary of the Red Deer River just upstream from Alberta’s third-largest city. Local experts expect much of the leak to eventually be washed into the river by the recent snow melt and heavy rains.
 
While the spill obviously poses a serious threat to the river’s ecosystem and surrounding wetlands, the river also feeds into the water supply of the city of Red Deer. While residents currently aren’t in danger, residents’ drinking water could be tainted if the spill can’t be contained.

The pipeline is not currently functioning and responders are at the scene attempting to clean up and prevent the spill from spreading.
 
Leaks into water sources are particularly dreaded as water spreads and exacerbates the effects of the oil.
 
With talk of several pipelines running oil from Alberta’s oilsands (A.K.A. its economic powerhouse), including the Northern Gateway and Keystone XL pipelines, the leak is another tally mark in the column for groups opposed to the new routes due to environmental concerns.