Cleanup
Update
For More Information:
Diana Hammer, US EPA
457-5040
hammer.diana@epa.gov
Keith Large, MT DEQ
841-5039
klarqe@mt.gov
Doug Martin, MT NRDP
444-0234
douqmartin@mt.gov
Peter Nielsen, Missoula Co.
258-4968
Nielsen P© ho.missoula.mt.us
Websites:
http://www.epa.gov/
regionS/superfund/sites/
mt/milltown
To view on-going
activities, please visit:
http://www.clarkfork.org/
and click on the webcam.
Milltown Reservoir
Sediments
Superfund Site A
Status: The Milltown Project continues to go very well and is on schedule.
Project personnel have worked 309, 027 hours without time lost to injury.
Issue #87
August 19,2009
REMEDIATION AND RESTORATION
• As of Monday, 2,867,292 tons (~ 2,205, 609 cubic yards) of sediment have been excavated,
loaded and hauled off-site. This portion of the project is near!/ complete — only about
130,000 cubic yards of sediment remain to be excavated. Removal, loading, and hauling
of the contaminated sediments to the Anaconda Smelter Superfund Site should be complete
in mid-September 2009—nearly two years from the start of sediment hauling by rail.
• Continuing to excavate sediments from under the former rail spur area.
• Next Monday, August 24, remove additional 400 feet of rail to allow excavation from
under this area as well. The train will be halved again from sections of 15 cars to sections
of 7 cars each. This will require additional switching of trains. Crews will c!o their best to
avoid switching out trains during the busy school arrival and departures times. Sediment
hauling should be completed in mid-September so there should only be a short over 4p with
the school schedule. Please bear with us as this phase of the project nears completion.
• EPA coordinated with the State and Mineral, Missoula, and Sanders Counties to select
locations of sediment samples along the Clark Fork River from Sha-Ron Fishing Access
downstream to Thompson Falls. This sampling effort is similar to that done last year.
2008 sampling results showed the levels of arsenic in sediments to be well below levels con-
sidered to be safe for recreational use (levels that were low enough to even be considered
safe under residential exposure scenarios). We expect this year's sample results to be low
— safe — like those from 2008. Sample results will be shared with the public later this fall.
• Work continues on the Restoration Grading Plan— excavation of materials from areas M
and J, construction of river channel, wetlands and planting swales.
• 142,000 yds3 of general fill material have been moved to the Bypass Channel stockpile.
• Placing growth media (see photo below) in Restoration Area J of the former reservoir.
V
These updates are intended to
provide you with the latest
information about remediation,
restoration and redevelopment
activities at the
Milltown Reservoir Superfund Site.
US EPA Montana Office
10 W.I5th St., Ste.3200
Helena, Montana 59626
I
u.
3
a.
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Upcoming
Events
Thursday, August 20
Trustee Resource
Council meeting re: the
proposed SAA Ill-b
Sediment Removal. For
more information, call
MT NRDP at 444-0205.
Sunday, August 30
Community at the
Confluence (of the Clark
Fork and Blackfoot
Rivers) Celebration of
arts and the environment
around Milltown and Bon-
ner. Details to come...
Monday, September 14
Banner Community
Council meeting 7 pm
Banner School Library.
Tuesday, September 22
Milltown Redevelopment
Working Group regular
monthly meeting 6:30 pm
at Our Savior's Lutheran
Church in Banner.
Sept. 30-October 2
Waters that Cross
Divides—Joini Confer-
ence of the Montana
Section of the American
Water Resources Asso-
ciation and the Univer-
sity of Montana Center
for Riverine Science.
The conference will be
held at the Holiday Inn
Parkside in Missoula. For
more information and to
register, please visit:
http://water.montana.ed
u/awra/registration/
default.asp
Upcoming work:
• Continue sediment excavation, hauling, and
disposal of contaminated sediments;
• Envirocon, US(5S, U of M, and Missoula Co.
continue surface and groundwater monitor-
ing of Clark Fork River and wells;
• FWP continues fish monitoring (caged fish
and radio-tagged fish) on sections of the
Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers;
• USSS continues to monitor scour and flow
conditions on the Blackfoot River;
• Restoration work continues excavating new
river channel and stockpiling Buried A-
horizon soils for later use;
• Continue restoration work in the very upper
end of the reservoir (above former Duck
Bridge) in SAA- IV and V; creating a new
channel. Access will be off Rustic Road.
• Redevelopment/Park planning continues;
• September 2009: Complete removal and
rail hauling of over 2.2 million cubic yards
of contaminated sediments from the
former Milltown Reservoir area.
Placing growth media (soils that will help
establish f loodplain vegetation), 8/18/09.
PROJECT SCHEDULE
2009 Sediment removal
Rail hauling sediment
Restoration
Redevelopment
2010 Restoration
Redevelopment
2011 Restoration
Redevelopment
WARNING
Safety Reminder
DURING THE MILLTOWN CLEANUP,
THE CLARK FORK AND BLACKFOOT
RIVERS ARE CLOSED
TO RIVER RECREATION ABOVE AND
BELOW THE PROJECT AREA.
Clark Fork River users must exit
the river at Turah
Fishing Access;
Blackfoot River
users must exit at
Weigh Station.
VIOLATORS and
TRESPASSERS
WILL BE FINED.
For more information, contact
Montana FWP at 542-5500.
Growth media placed on wetlands and
swales for base of future river restora-
tion work—an area previously filled with
contaminated sediments. Photo 8/18/09.
Approximate location of the Area Illb sediments.
Discussions progress regarding removal of these
sediments (about 230,000 yd3). If an agreement is
reached, these could be removed later this year.
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