Anchorage Daily News

A stretch of the Sterling Highway was closed Friday while crews assessed the wreckage of an overturned tractor trailer hauling fertilizer. The load spilled near the Kenai River.

Alaska State Troopers later reopened the highway to one lane of traffic and estimated it would be completely cleared by 9 p.m. Friday, assuming the crushed tractor trailer could be hauled away by then.

There were some environmental concerns about the fertilizer going into the Kenai River, but that appeared not to be a problem, officials said.

The affected stretch of highway was just south of the Russian River Ferry between Mile 57 and Mile 59.

Memorial Day weekend traffic is typically heavy on the Kenai Peninsula as Anchorage residents head south for what's often their first big getaway of the season.

Troopers got their first calls about the truck overturning in a ditch around 10:49 Friday morning, spokeswoman Megan Peters said.

The driver received minor injuries and was transported for medical attention, according to a state Department of Environmental Conservation situation report.

The double rig -- a side-dump tractor pulling a pup trailer -- spilled its load of 48,300 pounds of urea that came from the Agrium plant in Nikiski, according to the DEC.

Urea is a nitrogen-containing chemical product that is highly soluble, making it a good fertilizer. Some diesel fuel also spilled.

Almost all the fertilizer pellets went into a slough in a wetlands area that feeds into the Kenai River, said Leslie Pearson, DEC program manager for prevention and emergency response. A beaver dam was containing it and also may keep fish fry away.

The large amount of fertilizer spilled by the trucker initially concerned the DEC, but it appears the material is dissolving and may not create much problem, Pearson said.

"When our responder got on site about 2 o'clock, he said about the only remaining amount was a wheelbarrow load of urea. So it's dissolved really quickly. Really not much for cleanup action," she said.

The fertilizer may just wash away if it gets into the Kenai River. But it could create some localized problems in the slough by spurring growth of algae and choking out other life, including Dolly Varden or trout fry, Pearson said.

Plus, urea breaks down into nitrates and ammonia, which can be toxic to wildlife in high concentrations.

The state also is assessing how much diesel may have spilled into the river. Troopers noticed a sheen on the water when they first got there.

The truck tank still held about 160 gallons, Pearson said.

DEC will collect water samples to assess the situation, she said.

The private Kenai Watershed Forum, which monitors water quality on the Kenai, also plans to check out the spill, said Robert Ruffner, forum executive director.

Troopers are investigating the cause of the wreck.

Find Lisa Demer online at adn.com/contact/ldemer or call 257-4390.

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