Discovery Park boat launch in Sacramento closed due to oil spill from broken boat
.jpeg "A boat fell apart while being towed out of the Sacramento River on Thursday. The resulting oil spill caused the Discovery Park boat launch to be closed.")
A boat fell apart while being towed out of the Sacramento River on Thursday afternoon, spilling oil into the water and causing a boat launch near the convergence of the Sacramento and American rivers to be closed.
The 24-foot boat had sunk in the Sacramento River three weeks ago, near the Virgin Sturgeon Restaurant & Marina, according to Eric Laughlin, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. About 20 to 40 gallons of what appeared to be motor oil were released into the water when the vessel broke on Thursday, Laughlin said.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response used containment equipment around the oil spill. The warm, sunny weather was helping the thin layer of oil evaporate, and the spill did not seem to harm wildlife, Laughlin said.
The Sacramento County Regional Parks Department announced the closure of the Discovery Park launch, which is typically used by recreational boats, just after 3 p.m. Thursday.
County spokesperson Ken Casparis said the oil was contained near the boat launch and would not affect the beach at nearby Tiscornia Park. He said the launch might reopen as early as 6:30 p.m.
