Lingering Oil Overview

OIL FROM THE EXXON VALDEZ PERSISTS 26 YEARS AFTER THE 1989 OIL SPILL. THE PHOTOS ABOVE WERE TAKEN FROM THE SAME BEACH ON ELEANOR ISLAND IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND: THE LEFT PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN IN 2001 AND THE BELOW IN 2015.

Pristine rocky beach
Shallow scratch below surface
for old wounds unhealed

 

More than 25 years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, oil persisted  on the beaches in the spill-affected area. The Lingering Oil Component of the Gulf Watch Alaska project monitored lingering oil and effects of oil on sea otter and Harlequin duck populations during the period  2012- 2015. These projects have long-term data sets that contain information dating back to 1990.

Why were we monitoring?

Many species that were affected by the  toxicity of Exxon Valdez oil took years to recover, and some species are still recovering. Monitoring  and understanding the persistence of oil in the environment is an important component of evaluating the affected ecosystems.

What did we find?

The conclusions of our monitoring project are that:

  • Sea otters and harlequin ducks, the species most directly affected by oil lingering in the nearshore environment, appear to no longer be exposed to oil. The affected populations have recovered from the spill.
  • Weathering rates of the lingering oil, and thus its biological availability, appeared negligible during the monitoring period, which explains the apparent lack of exposure.

Projects

Harlequin Ducks and Sea Otters

 

 

Lingering Oil: Weathering and Tracking