ARCO Santa Clara River

Summary

map showing gray line along a stretch of the Santa Clara River
Arco / Santa Clara spill location. Click to enlarge in new tab.
river streaked with brown oil
The Santa Clara River after the crude oil spill.
  • LOCATION: Santa Clara River in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties.
  • DATE: January 17, 1994
  • INCIDENT SUMMARY: A pipeline break during the Northridge Earthquake resulted in the spill of over 190,000 gallons of crude oil. Oil entered the Santa Clara River near Interstate 5 and continued 16 miles downstream.
  • RESPONSIBLE PARTY: Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO)
  • NATURAL RESOURCE TRUSTEES: California Department of Fish and Wildlife; United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • RESOURCES IMPACTED: Fish (including the Unarmoured Threespine Stickleback); riparian vegetation (approximately 100 acres destroyed); birds, mammals, and other riparian and aquatic animals.
  • SETTLEMENT DETAILS: The trustees settled the NRDA portion of the case for $7.1 million.
  • STATUS OF RESTORATION: Final Restoration Plan, restoration projects in progress.

Available Documents

Administrative Record

The Arco Santa Clara Trustee Council Administrative Record can be viewed at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service office located at 2493 Portola Road, Suite B, Ventura, CA 93003, telephone number (805) 644-1766.

Restoration Project Monitoring Reports

Santa Clara River

Contact

Michael Anderson
Email: Michael.Anderson@wildlife.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 375-6672

Office of Spill Prevention and Response
Mailing: P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
(916) 375-8580 for OSPR Information

Report Oil Spills
(800) 852-7550 or (800) OILS-911

Email OSPR | Office Locations

Facebook  Twitter  YouTube  Instagram  Flickr