Machinery Operation, Hazardous Substances and
Spill Containment

Operating machinery and heavy equipment near or in the water can negatively impact water quality, aquatic and riparian habitats and the plants and animals that live there. Such impacts can include:

• Physical disturbance of the ground from the wheels or tracks of machinery;
• Removal of vegetation (i.e., trees, shrubs) to create space for machinery to access and work at a site;
• Leaks and spills of hazardous or deleterious substances (e.g., fuel, oil, grease);
• Releasing sediment from the worksite; and
• Transport of invasive species, noxious weeds and pathogens from site to site.

In general, you can mitigate these impacts by:

• Operating machinery from a stable location above the bank or from existing infrastructure (e.g., bridge, road);
• Only allowing buckets, booms or attached tools to enter the water;
• Using swamp/rig mats where there are soft ground conditions to decrease disturbance to the ground from machinery operation;
• Having adequately sized spill kits on site to immediately contain leaks and spills;
• Using biodegradable oils that are less harmful to the environment (e.g., vegetable oil, synthetic oils) instead of regular hydraulic oil;
• Regularly inspecting machinery for leaks, excess oil and grease, and cleaning as necessary;
• Fueling and servicing machinery away from the watercourse or water body;
• Relocating machinery away from the watercourse or water body when not in use;
• Using appropriate secondary containment (e.g., drip pans) for stationary engines and machinery not in use;
• Following all best management practices for machinery use around water.

For more information about deleterious and hazardous substances, see our Preventing the Discharge of Deleterious Substances page.

For more information about spill reporting, visit the Hazardous Spills Reporting website.

Remember, planning your project to minimize the disturbance caused by machinery operation will result in lower costs to restore disturbed project areas and better environmental outcomes.