General Overview
Pools 5, 5a, and 6 of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) is the area between Lock and Dam 4 at river mile 753, near Alma, Wisconsin, and Lock and Dam 6 at river mile 714, at Trempealeau, Wisconsin. Pools 5, 5a, and 6 include portions of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, Whitman Dam Wildlife Refuge Area, and the City of Winona, Minnesota, which is highly populated.
Primary Response Goals:
1. In general, any spilled oil product should be excluded from backwaters and kept in the main channel of the Mississippi River. Then, if possible, the oil should be diverted with boom and collection should take place on the main shore.
2. For a spill into upper Pool 5, the top protection priority should be keeping spilled product out of Weaver Bottoms. For a spill directly into Weaver Bottoms, keeping its spread to a minimum should be the primary goal.
3. Notify Dairyland Power of a spill near or above Lock and Dam 4, determine if action should be taken to protect the power plant water intake.
To further explain the techniques used above, refer to the image below labeled 728c – Lock and Dam 5a in the Pool 5, 5a, and 6 GRP. The strategy for this location is to direct and collect the spilt product from the spillway using booms so it can be collected above lock and Dam 5a.
If a spill occurs, it is essential to notify federal, state, and local authorities within 24-hours of the spill. To inform federal authorities, call the National Response Center (NRC) at (800) 424-8802. To contact state authorities in Minnesota, please call (800) 422-0798. To reach state authorities in Wisconsin, please call (800) 943-0003. To contact local authorities, please call 911. For more detailed information, refer to the Upper Mississippi River Spill Response Plan.