Geology ReportsSearch

USGS · fs08498

Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota

Abstract

Ground-water contamination by crude oil, and other petroleum-based liquids, is a widespread problem. An average of 83 crude-oil spills occurred per year during 1994-96 in the United States, each spilling about 50,000 barrels of crude oil (U.S. Office of Pipeline Safety, electronic commun., 1997). An understanding of the fate of organic contaminants (such as oil and gasoline) in the subsurface is needed to design innovative and cost-effective remedial solutions at contaminated sites.

Explore related subjects

90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 47.42808726171425° to 47.54988411078578° latitude; -94.98950958251953° to -94.80514526367188° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

G. N. Delin, H.I. Essaid, I.M. Cozzarelli, M.H. Lahvis, B.A. Bekins. 1998. Ground water contamination by crude oil near Bemidji, Minnesota. https://doi.org/10.3133/fs08498

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

Water in, no water out—How a rain garden reduced stormwater at City Hall in Gary, Indiana

Introduction Urban stormwater runoff can be an issue in many communities because it may cause flooding, overwhelm sewage treatment plants, and negatively affect water quality in local streams, lakes, and other waterbodies. Stormwater runoff can be controlled by using "green infrastructure," which consists of engineered structures that imitate nature to collect stormwater runoff, reduce the amount of runoff, and improve water quality. In 2014, the city of Gary, Indiana implemented green infrastructure to reduce the negative effects of urban stormwater on Lake Michigan and its tributaries. From November 2016 to June 2017, the mostly impermeable parking lot in front of Gary City Hall was removed and rebuilt with a rain garden. The U.S. Geological Survey studied how the rain garden reduced stormwater runoff and published results in Scientific Investigations Report 2022–5101.

Fact Sheet