Cleanup
Update
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
http://wiA
http://www.cfrtac.org
To view on-going
activities, please visit:
http://www.clarkfork.org/
and click on the webcam.
Milltown Reservoir
Sediments
Superfund Site i
Status: The Milltown Project continues to go very well and is on schedule.
Project personnel have worked 313,027 hours without time lost to injury.
Issue #88
September 2, 2009
REMEDIATION AND RESTORATION
• As of Monday, 2,933,472 tons (~ 2,256,517 cubic yards) of sediment have been excavated,
loaded and hauled off-site. This portion of the project should be complete by the end of
September 2009—almost exactly two years from the start of sediment hauling by rail.
• Continuing to excavate sediments from under the former rail spur area.
• Last week, removed 350 feet of rail and shortened the train to just 8 cars. Crews
are now switching out trains six times/day and so far have been able to avoid switching out
trains during the busy school arrival and departures times. Sediment hauling should be com-
pleted by the end of September so there should only be a short overlap with the school
schedule. Please bear with us as this phase of the project nears completion.
• As reported in the last update, EPA coordinated with the State and Minercl, Missoula,
and Sanders Counties to select locations of sediment samples along the Clark F~»rk River
from Sha-Ron Fishing Access downstream to Thompson Falls. The results are in and the
levels of arsenic are well below levels considered to be safe for recreational use (levels that
were low enough to even be considered safe under residential exposure scenarios).
• Recently, Governor Schweitzer approved the agreement between the State and ARCO
(and its representatives) to remove approximately 230,000 cubic yards of material from
the area known as SAA Illb and deposit the material in the Tunnel Pond repository. This
action will result in a wider Clark Fork River f loodplain. Work in this area began on Monday,
8/31, and should be complete by December 2009. The Clark Fork Coalition received a grant
from the MT Natural Resource Damages Program for this removal in 2007.
• Installed seven new dewatering wells along the old Milwaukee Rail road grade on the
south side of the Remedial Project Area. De-watering this area will facilitate construction
of the buttress along Tunnel Pond and storage of SAA Illb sediments in that repository.
• Implementation of the Restoration Grading Plan continues— Area J: excavation of mate-
rial; hauling material to Area B; construction of river channel and sideVhannels, wetlands,
and planting swales. Work continues in the Remedial Project Area and upstream.
J
IS0
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.I 5th St., Ste.3200
Helena, Montana 59626
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Upcoming
Events
Weds., September 9
NOTE NEW DATE
Milltown Redevelopment
Working Group regular
meeting 6:30 pm at Our
Savior's Lutheran Church
in Banner. Please join us!
Monday, September 14
Banner Community
Council meeting 7 pm
Banner School Library.
Last train load of
sediment leaves the
Milltown project area
(exact date TBD)
Sept. 30-October 2
Waters that Cross
Divides—3 o\rrt 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
October 2009
Milltown Project Update
on the 3Rs: Remediation,
Restoration, and Redevel-
opment. Public meeting
and open house in Banner
(exact date TBD).
On-going and Upcoming work:
• Continue sediment excavation, hauling, and
disposal of contaminated sediments;
• Week of 9/7, remove another 200 feet of
rail spur to allow excavation
• Envirocon, US(5S, U of M, and Missoula Co.
continue surface and groundwater monitor-
ing of Clark Fork River and wells;
• NRPD continues to monitor surface water
for turbidity from upstream activities;
• 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.
PROJECT SCHEDUU
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.
9/1/09 Photo at left showing the view
along old Milwaukee railroad grade with
new dewatering wells installed. Rail
road berm will be re-shaped and
re-enforced to make it more stable as
the SAA Illb sediments are added to
the Tunnel Pond repository (area to
left of roadway). Removal of these
sediments should be complete by De-
Stakes shown in this
photo (/1/09) taken in the
upstream Restoration
Area CFR3 mark the new
Clark Fork River Channel.
The bank of young willows
seen at the right will be
preserved. Work in this
area will be complete
later this fall (2009).
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