RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — Federal officials have confirmed a diesel fuel spill at Tuttle Creek Reservoir after a fuel cell broke loose from a dredging barge during high winds Sunday in Tuttle Creek Cove.
The incident occurred in the cove along the southwest edge of the reservoir, about two and a half miles north of the dam. The area includes a campground and boat ramps and is a popular access point for recreation.
Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say containment measures were quickly put in place. Booms have been deployed around the fuel tank, and hazardous-materials crews are using absorbent materials to collect diesel that reached the water’s surface. Crews are also surveying the rest of the cove for any additional contamination and continuing cleanup efforts.
The fuel cell held approximately 1,800 gallons of diesel used to power pumps for a water-injection dredging project. While the spill appears to be confined to the cove, the total amount of fuel released has not yet been determined. Officials expect to have a clearer estimate once the tank is removed.
An emergency response plan was activated shortly after the spill was discovered. Michels Construction, the contractor overseeing the dredging project, is responsible for cleanup costs.
The incident has delayed the project’s next phase, which had been scheduled to begin Tuesday. Work on the dredging operation is now paused as crews prioritize removing the tank and completing cleanup efforts.
The dredging project is part of an effort to address significant sediment buildup in Tuttle Creek Reservoir. The method, known as water-injection dredging, involves using a barge-mounted system to inject water into lakebed sediment, suspending it and creating a current that moves material downstream. The technique was first tested at the reservoir last year, with additional phases planned later this summer.
Officials say this is believed to be the first recorded oil-related spill directly into the reservoir. A previous major incident in the region occurred in 2022, when the Keystone Pipeline released a large volume of crude oil into Mill Creek upstream. That waterway eventually feeds into the Big Blue River, which supplies Tuttle Creek Reservoir.
A dive team is expected to assist in removing the submerged tank. In the meantime, boaters are being asked to avoid Tuttle Creek Cove until further notice as cleanup operations continue.
