VELVA – The McHenry County emergency manager on Monday reported that diesel fuel had entered the Souris River from an excavator accident on Sunday. The incident occurred four miles northeast of Velva.

Initial estimates indicate about 20 gallons of fuel impacted surface water.

A boom was put in place to contain the spill. Personnel from the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality were onsite and will continue to oversee the remediation.

McHenry County Sheriff Trey Skager said the excavator was working under contract to remove tree debris from under a bridge when the equipment came too close to the edge of the bank and toppled into the river. The excavator was pulled out of the river, but some diesel spilled from the machine in the incident, he said.