COON RAPIDS, Minnesota – A leak in the hydraulic lubricant system of the Coon Rapids Dam caused two oil spills on the Mississippi River last week, according to state officials.

They said the substance could come into contact with food without causing harm and that drinking water remained safe.

“The Three Rivers Park District, which operates the dam, reported to the Minnesota Duty Office that during the adjustment of a dam gate Tuesday morning, a valve failed and the substance leaked into the river. The Park District estimates that approximately 30 gallons of lubricant spilled,” said a statement from Michael Rafferty, spokesman for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The first sheen of snow was reported on Tuesday, August 20, between Coon Rapids and Fridley. It was about 25 feet wide at one point and extended for nearly two miles.

A second, smaller oil sheen was discovered Wednesday morning, August 21, near Mississippi Gateway Regional Park, formerly known as Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.

Rescue workers tried to use oil booms to keep the snow away from water intakes in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Both have since disappeared. Additional samples are being tested as a precaution, but officials at the state Environmental Protection Agency say they are not concerned about the safety of drinking water from that part of the river.