6/30/23

FLINT, MI Yesterday evening, a fisherman reported an oily sheen on the Flint River, near the Utah Dam.  The contaminants in question are reaching the river via a storm water drain just upriver of the dam, but exact source of the spill has not yet been determined. The substance has not yet been fully identified, but visual observations and scent seem to indicate a petroleum product. 

FRWC staff made contact with responders, who indicated that they believed the overall volume of the spill to be significantly smaller than last year’s Lockhart Chemical spill. Staff observed contaminants floating on the water’s surface as far down as the Utah Dam, where additional booms had been placed. 

Visual observation seems to indicate that booms are successfully preventing additional contaminants from running farther downstream. That being said, caution is in order, especially while further assessment is needed regarding the exact nature of the contamination. Some petroleum products can be absorbed transdermally, or through the skin, so this portion of the river, as well as down river areas including Flushing, Montrose, and beyond, should be avoided for now.

Some petroleum products can accumulate also in wildlife, including fish. We encourage anglers to wait for additional information before consuming fish from this stretch or nearby stretches of river. As with many other environmental health and contamination issues, vulnerable communities are disproportionately impacted. We’re aware that some people fish this stretch of river for sustenance, and that these individuals may be especially burdened by this spill. No one should go hungry due to a spill. If you or someone you know is a sustenance fisher and will not have enough food at home, please call 211 for referrals to food distributions, pantries, and other resources. 

We expect additional official information releases to come through state and county agencies, including EGLE. Please stay tuned as for more information, and make plans to move any river-related activities upstream.

At this time, we are advising avoiding any contact with this stretch of the river, including activities such as recreating, wading/swimming, or fishing, including consuming fish downstream of the Utah Dam.

Per the latest update from the City of Flint alert system: