Dunsmuir Historical Oil – Update #8

October 18, 2023

At approximately 12:00 pm today (October 18, 2023) a turbidity plume (a plume containing sediment temporarily suspended in the water column) was released outside of the in-river isolation barrier (IRIB) along the Dunsmuir Railyard into the Sacramento River due to ongoing operations to remove contaminated soil. Excavation operations were occurring along the shoreline which created turbidity in the water.  Whereas turbidity is expected with the excavation work, there was an unknown breach in the IRIB causing the plume to be released. Excavation work has ceased, and crews are currently on-scene repairing the breach.