Incident Description

Updated April 22, 2009

• Mount Redoubt initially erupted on March 22, 2009 at 10:38 PM, followed by several other eruptions, with the most significant occurring on April 4, 2009. The resultant lahars (or volcanic mudflows) caused extensive flooding at the Drift River Oil Terminal (DROT). However, no oil or hazardous substance releases occurred from either of the two operational tanks. No damage to the protective tertiary dike system or the individual tank secondary containment systems occurred during these significant lahar flooding events.
• On March 31, 2009 an Incident Command Post was activated at the Sheraton Hotel in Anchorage. A Unified Command (UC) consisting of the USCG FOSC, ADEC SOSC, and the CIPL Incident Commander was established and provided unified response objectives. The primary objectives are to ensure the protection of citizens and response personnel and the protection of the environment. To better facilitate meeting these objectives, three workgroups (Facility Restart/Oil Movement, Spill Response, and Lahar/Flood Forecasting) were established and daily Incident Action Plans were generated.
• On April 6, 2009 the T/V Seabulk Arctic completed the transfer of approximately 60% of the crude oil from the two tanks in service at the DROT facility. Both operational tanks were ballasted with seawater as a precaution to keep the tanks from floating, if a significant flood should occur at the facility.
• Spill No. 09239908201

Incident Action Plans

Unified Command IAPs (abbreviated)

• Period 1 (4/1/2009 0900 - 4/2/2009 0900) (PDF 846K)
• Period 2 (4/2/2009 0900 - 4/3/2009 0900) (PDF 1.36MB)
• Period 3 (4/3/2009 0900 - 4/4/2009 0900) (PDF 1.54MB)
• Period 4 (4/4/2009 0900 - 4/5/2009 0900) (PDF 863K)
• Period 5 (4/5/2009 0900 - 4/6/2009 0900) (PDF 1.33MB)
• Period 6 (4/6/2009 0900 - 4/7/2009 0900) (PDF 1.35MB)
• Period 7 (4/7/2009 0900 - 4/8/2009 0900) (PDF 1.08MB)
• Period 7 (4/8/2009 0900 - ) (PDF 1.16MB) 

State/Federal Joint Command IAPs

• Period 1 (3/26/2009 1600 - 3/27/2009 1600) (PDF 630K)
• Period 2 (3/27/2009 1600 - 3/28/2009 1600) (PDF 1.16MB)
• Period 3 (3/28/2009 1600 - 3/29/2009 1600) (PDF 1.16MB)
• Period 4 (3/29/2009 1600 - 3/30/2009 1600) (PDF 1.62MB)
• Period 5 (3/30/2009 1600 - 3/31/2009 1600) (PDF 1.92MB)

Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Other Public Information Releases

Press Releases

• April 1, 2009
• April 2, 2009
• April 4, 2009 (PDF 70K)
• April 5, 2009 (PDF 65K)
• April 28, 2009 (PDF 71K)
• April 30, 2009 (PDF 68K)
• May 6, 2009 (PDF 145K) 

Media Advisories 

• April 2, 2009
• April 4, 2009 -- Unified Command to hold press briefing at USGS Alaska Science Center Saturday, April 4, 1pm (PDF 137K)
• April 6, 2009 -- Unified Command to hold press briefing at the USGS Science Center Monday, April 6, 1pm (PDF 146K)

Fact Sheets

• 4/1/2009: Water Usage Options
• 4/3/2009: Drift River Terminal Containment, Tank Volumes (PDF 130K)
• 4/4/2009: Spill Response Resources (PDF 79K)
• 4/7/2009: Water Usage Options, updated (PDF 74K) 

Response Plans

• Geographic Response Strategies (GRS) for sites of immediate concern (within 10 miles of the Drift River Terminal)
  • Little Jack Slough GRS (PDF 1.05MB)
  • Drift River GRS (PDF 976K)
  • Big River GRS (PDF 841K)
  • Kustatan River GRS (PDF 983K)
  • Swamp Creek GRS (PDF 1.14MB)

Weather and Tides

• Marine Weather Forecast
• Public Weather Forecast (Kenai and vicinity)
• National Weather Service Redoubt Coordination -- ashfall advisories and other information
• Sunrise/Sunset (Kenai area)
• NOAA Tide Predictions for Drift River Terminal

Resources at Risk

• Land Management Map
• Critical Habitat Area Map (PDF 116K)
• Resources at Risk for Drift River (prepared by ADFG, PDF 33K) 
• Resources at Risk (prepared by DOI, PDF 21K) 
• Resources at Risk for the Drift River Tank Farm, Cook Inlet, AK (prepared by NOAA, updated 3/29/2009, PDF 36K) 
• Strong Seasonal Dynamics of Harbor Seals in Cook Inlet, Alaska (prepared by NMFS, PDF 2.24 MB) 
• Stellar Sea Lion Habitat (prepared by NMFS, PDF 160K) 
• Most Environmentally Sensitive Areas (MESA) Map for Redoubt Bay
  • MESA 44A (PDF 390K) - waterfowl; seabird colonies; anadromous streams and lakes
  • MESA 44B (PDF 313K) - harbor seals; brown bear; black bear; beluga whales
• Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Map for Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula (Spring) (PDF 5.41MB)

Useful Websites

• Alaska Volcano Observatory -- complete information on Redoubt activity
• US Coast Guard -- links to USCG news releases
• DEC Division of Air Quality Volcanic Ashfall Website
• DNR Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys
• DNR Division of Oil and Gas
• US Geological Survey Alaska
• Chevron Pipe Line Company (corporate website)
• USGS Photo Glossary of Volcanic Terms

Photos

Images may be downloaded for free and used in publications provided credit is given to the source.

March 23, 2009 Photos of Drift River Oil Terminal taken during overflight 3/23/2009

March 26, 2009 Photos of Drift River OIl Terminal taken during overflight 3/26/2009 (courtesy of AVO/USGS)

March 28, 2009 Photos of Drift River Oil Terminal taken during overflight 3/28/2009

April 4, 2009 Photos of Drift River Oil Terminal

April 27, 2009 Photos of the tanker Mississippi Voyager