Scientists Discover the 'Worst Possible Place' for an Oil Spill in the Great Lakes

What's the worst possible place for an oil spill? It's apparently in the strong currents in the Straits of Mackinac. Scientists have found that a rupture of the oil pipeline beneath the channel would quickly contaminate shorelines miles away in both lakes Michigan and Huron.

It's important to assess areas where oil pipelines run in case a spill were to occur. That way, responders can react accordingly and help prevent damage. That's why scientists assessed the Straits of Mackinac to see what would happen.

The scientists used a combined-lake model to simulate the release of contaminants at various locations and depths within the straits. The simulations tracked the oil for 20 days following a 12-hour release. The results weren't encouraging.

"If you were to pick the worst possible place for an oil spill in the Great Lakes, this would be it," said David Schwab of the U-M Water Center, in a news release. "The currents are powerful and change direction frequently. In the event of an oil spill, these factors would lead to a big mess that would be very difficult to contain."

In one scenario, oil reached Mackinac Island and Round Island just after 12 hours. It then reached Bois Blanc Island after two days; all three of these islands are in westernmost Lake Huron, just east of the straits. After 20 days, the oil would spread as far west as Beaver Island in Lake Michigan, a distance of roughly 35 miles, and as far southeast as Rogers City, a distance of about 50 miles.

"Any material released into the straits will go into both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, which would complicate containment efforts," said Schwab. "Hopefully, these simulations and animations will be useful in understanding and preparing for potential impacts."

The findings reveal the importance of keeping pipelines safe and secure, especially in regions where there's potential for huge environmental disaster.