Now people who live in the area are worried for their health and the future of the environment.

The spill happened just south of Exeland along the Rusk--Sawyer county line.

It is the second spill in as many months by a Canadian pipeline company.

For years clearance Glotfelty has fished for trout in the pristine waters of Wiergor creek.

"It's very scenic here, says Glotfelty.

But after an oil spill this month Glotfelty is worried the creek's beauty may melt away with the winter ice.

"That's a lot of oil for a little place like this."

The DNR says it's not clear what exactly happened but on February 2nd crews working to expand a pipeline punctured this existing pipeline sending 3,500 barrels of oil gushing to fill this hole.

"It looked like a swimming pool of oil," says DNR warden Jeremy Peery.

DNR Warden Jeremy Peery was the first DNR worker on the scene.

He says while the pipeline was shut off quickly, pressure in the pipes left crude flowing into this hole and eventually into the water below.

"It could be a lot that was contaminated in the soil and very little in the ground water or it could be a lot in the water and a little in the soil. We don't know."

Peery, says the DNR also doesn't know if people are drinking contaminated water right now.

He says Enbridge inc., the Canadian company that owns the pipeline, discovered what they called a "sheen" of oil on the groundwater, but there's no water advisory.

"If you turn your water on and it smells like oil, don't drink it. That's the best advice I can offer," says Peery.

It's advice Glotfelty plans to keep in mind when returning to fish this spring.

"I might see first if the fish are still living or if they floated up on the bank dead. Hopefully it doesn't Affect the stream," says Glotfelty.

Since the spill, crews have removed 5,000 tons of contaminated dirt from the site.

Enbridge spokesperson Denise Hamsher says both this spill and the one in Clark County are unacceptable, but the company will not be fined.