NOAA models help first responders train for oil spill cleanup in the Straits of Mackinac

Winds, currents, temperature all key in predicting possible oil spill path

The Straits of Mackinac connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan and critics of the Enbridge pipeline worry any break would endanger the water that is economically and ecologically vital to the region. Photo: Todd Marsee | Michigan Sea Grant
The Straits of Mackinac connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan and critics of the Enbridge pipeline worry any break would endanger the water that is economically and ecologically vital to the region. Photo: Todd Marsee | Michigan Sea Grant

This fall hundreds of state and national emergency responders gathered in Michigan to clean up an imaginary oil spill. They were training for the possibility of a future break in the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline. No actual spill occurred but an effective cleanup effort involves the rapid coordination of massive amounts of equipment and multiple state and federal agencies. It’s a carefully coordinated dance that requires practice to pull off effectively and a key part of the process is being able to accurately predict and monitor the spread of a spill.

The Enbridge Line 5 pipeline runs 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin to Sarnia, Ontario passing directly through the Straits of Mackinac. Constructed in 1953, Enbridge Line 5 is one of the most hotly debated pipelines in the Great Lakes region transporting an average of 540,000 barrels of crude oil and liquid natural gas daily. The Straits of Mackinac connect Lake Huron and Lake Michigan and critics of the pipeline worry that any break would endanger two bodies of water economically and ecologically vital to the region. The September drill was part of the safety precautions designed to avoid such an outcome.

According to news reports on MLive, more than 750 people were involved in the drill that simulated a three minute break in the pipeline that would result in approximately 4,500 barrels of oil spilling into the Straits. After three minutes automatic response valves are designed to close off the damaged section of the pipeline. The Coast Guard oversaw the practice exercise with participation from several other agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State Police, and local emergency managers.

Hydrodynamic models developed by researchers at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory were used to predict the possible trajectory of an oil spill given the specific environmental conditions during the three-day exercise. There is a lot of complex variability involved in this type of prediction, no two days would have precisely the same spill trajectory. Water temperature, oscillating currents and wind conditions change daily or even hourly impacting how oil would move through the water. Even predicting whether Lake Huron or Lake Michigan would be most seriously impacted by a spill depends completely on variable conditions. Computer models and careful monitoring of environmental conditions allow experts to better understand the complicated dynamics of a potential spill and tailor response efforts accordingly.

Michigan Sea Grant helps to foster economic growth and protect Michigan’s coastal, Great Lakes resources through education, research and outreach. A collaborative effort of the University of Michigan and Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Sea Grant is part of the NOAA-National Sea Grant network of 33 university-based programs.

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