Sheen on Mississippi River traced to lubricant from Coon Rapids Dam
Chopper 5 over the Mississippi River
The source of a sheen on the Mississippi River earlier this week has been confirmed by state officials.
According to Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, state agencies confirmed that a sheen on the river was caused by a lubricant used in the hydraulic system at the Coon Rapids Dam at Mississippi Getaway Regional Park.
Officials say the lubricant is classified as “suitable for incidental food contact,” meaning it can come into contact with food and cause no harm. They also added that water supplies remain safe to drink.
The sheen was initially reported at the Highway 610 Bridge in Coon Rapids around 1 p.m. on Tuesday and traveled downstream. Local and state agencies gathered water samples and deployed booms to divert the sheen away from water intakes for Minneapolis and St. Paul drinking water systems.
Three Rivers Park District, which operates the dam, said that during the adjustment of a dam gate Tuesday morning, a valve malfunctioned and released the substance into the river. The park district estimated about 30 gallons of lubricant spilled.
No additional sheens have been seen since Wednesday, according to the MPCA.