Willard Bay North Recreation Area Closed Because Of Diesel Spill

The North Marina and associated recreation area at Willard Bay State Park are closed indefinitely as crews clean up diesel fuel from a spill in Willard Creek and a retention pond above the reservoir. The South Marina area was not affected and will be opened as soon as crews can get facilities ready.

Apparently a metal pipe broke and allowed the fuel to spill. A beaver dam on the small stream is credited with blocking the fuel flow and apparently none entered the reservoir and surrounding wetlands.

The bay is a popular spot for boating, camping, fishing and other recreational activities. The bay and surrounding wetlands provide important habitat for birds and many animal species. The bay is located on the east edge of the Great Salt Lake, just north of Ogden.

The Deseret News has this article about the spill and resulting closure. Below are excerpts.

The park's North Marina and campground were closed indefinitely as a result of the leak, said Deena Loyola of Utah State Parks and Recreation. All campers were evacuated Monday evening, and park employees were working Tuesday to de-winterize the South Marina.

"At this point in time, there is no indication" that anything leaked into Willard Bay, (Greg) Hardy said. Chevron is now working to identify where the leak was, what may have caused it and how much diesel was released. (Hardy is state government affairs representative at Chevron.)

Two beavers were contaminated in the fuel spill and were "pretty saturated," said Phil Douglass, regional outreach manager for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. They were taken to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, where firefighters used hazardous materials equipment to try and soak up as much fuel as possible.