Spills
Morro bay, california
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant; Morro Bay, California · NOAAORR-6462
- issued
- 1987-04-21 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 1987-05-05 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 1987-05-05 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- North Pacific Ocean
- position
- 35.367, -120.846
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant; Morro Bay, California. Morro Bay, California. 1. At approximately 0940 on April 21, 1987, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Alameda, was notified by the Coast Guard National Response Center in Washington, D.C. that a check valve had malfunctioned at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Morro Bay, California. Sixty-eight pounds of ferric sulfate had been mixed with 5,500 gallons of water in the plant's reverse osmosis facility and inadvertently discharged into a small bay with direct access to the Pacific Ocean. An orange-yellow, scum-like material was noticed floating on the surface of the embayment in the vicinity of the discharge pipe. All of the requisite Federal State agencies and local environmental concerns were notified immediately. Samples were immediately taken in the vicinity of the discharge to determine the toxicity level. The check valve was repaired the same day and the nuclear power plant returned to normal [...] 2. COMMODITY: FERRIC SULFATE. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 68 GALLONS. 3. POSITION 35.367N 120.846W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6462: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6462
This area · spills & pollution incidents
319 within 180 nm since 1969 · 19 in the last 12 months · 1 in force now
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- 1900 CA-1, moss landing, ca 95039, USA2026-08-30
- Pollution surveillance report off santa barbara; montecito, california2026-08-13
- J444+RW monterey, ca, USA2026-08-13
- 1809 sunset dr, pacific grove, ca 93950, USA2026-08-07
- R685+56 moss landing, ca, USA2026-08-07
- 841 w brannan island rd, isleton, ca 95641, USA2026-07-31
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month of issue, all years in the archive
Timeline · 2 messages since 1987-04-21 · closed 1987-05-24
- Morro bay, california this message1987-04-21 → 1987-05-05
- San luis obispo, california1987-05-10 → 1987-05-24
joined by proximity
Nearby now · within 120 nm
- 1900 CA-1, moss landing, ca 95039, USASpills · 98 nm
Worldwide now
8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all
Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
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