&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
For more information
EPA invites you to review technical
reports, fact sheets and other official
documents related to Sauget Area 1
and Dead Creek at the information
repository:
Cahokia Public Library
140 Cahokia Drive
You may also visit:
www.epa.gov/region5/sites/
saugetareal.
Contact EPA
If you have additional questions or
concerns, please contact an EPA
team member:
Leah Evison
Remedial Project Manager
312-886-2064
evison.leah@epa.gov
Patricia Krause
Community Involvement
Coordinator
312-886-9506
krause.patricia@epa.gov
EPA Region 5
Superfund Division (SI-7J)
77 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
You may call Region 5 toll-free,
800-621-8431,
8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., weekdays.
Dead Creek Cleanup Done;
EPA Issues Final Report
Sauget Area 1 Superfund Site
Sauget, Illinois
January 2010
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has completed its cleanup of Dead
Creek and Borrow Pit Lake, issuing a final report in December. The project
was begun in 1999. EPA oversaw the cleanup of about 17,000 feet of Dead
Creek, from Queeny Avenue in Sauget to Cargill Road in Cahokia (see
map, Page 2). Dead Creek is part of the Sauget Area 1 Superfund site.
EPA analyzed soil and sediment in Dead Creek, and tests showed higher
concentrations of pollutants such as metals, volatile organic compounds,
semivolatile organic compounds and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
Volatile organic compounds evaporate readily into the atmosphere. They
are found in many things from paints, coatings and glue to gasoline and
diesel fuel. Semivolatile organic compounds evaporate more slowly than
VOCs and can be used as fire retardants or in building materials for
flexibility, water resistance or to repel stains. PCBs are man-made
chemicals used as coolants and lubricants in transformers and other
electrical equipment. Manufacturing of PCBs stopped in 1977.
Based on the test results, EPA ordered Pharmacia Corp. and Solutia Inc. -
two of the many parties identified as potentially responsible for
contaminating Dead Creek - to clean up the creek as quickly as possible.
EPA, Pharmacia and Solutia worked cooperatively to remove contaminated
sediment and soil. Improved storm water management was also part of the
work.
A view of Dead Creek Segment C between Judith Lane and Cahokia Street in Cahokia.
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In order to better manage the cleanup, Dead Creek was
divided into the following segments:
Segment A - 1,800 feet between the Alton and
Southern Railroad and Queeny Avenue.
Segment B - 2,000 feet from Queeny Avenue
south to Judith Lane.
Segment C - 1,200 feet between Judith Lane
and Cahokia Street.
Segment D - 1,100 feet between Cahokia
Street and Jerome Lane.
Segment E - 4,000 feet between Jerome Lane
and Illinois Route 157.
Segment F - a total of 8,700 feet between
Illinois Route 157 and Borrow Pit Lake,
although a short segment lies between the west
side of Borrow Pit Lake and Old Prairie du
Pont Creek.
Borrow Pit Lake was also part of the cleanup. The lake
is west of Segment F and east of the flood protection
levee along Old Prairie du Pont Creek. It is 1 mile long
and 500 feet wide.
Sediment and soil cleanup
Initially about 22,000 cubic yards of contaminated
sediment was removed from Segment A by Cerro
Copper, another party potentially responsible for the
pollution, under an agreement with Illinois EPA.
Solutia and Pharmacia removed approximately 46,000
cubic yards of contaminated sediment from remaining
segments of Dead Creek, working under EPA's order.
A containment cell was constructed in Sauget Area 1,
next to Judith Lane, to hold the contaminated sediment.
The cell was constructed with an extensive liner and
ite Locatiou Map (ILD9S0792006)
This map shows the segments of Dead Creek where contaminated sediment was removed.
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This containment cell has a liner, liquid collection system and temporary cover to keep materials away from Dead Creek.
liquid collection and drainage system, and a temporary
cover. A final cover will be installed when the cell is
closed.
After all contaminated sediment was removed from
Dead Creek, the bottom of the creek was sampled and
analyzed. Based on sampling results, the contaminated
soil in the bottom of the creek was removed and also
placed into the containment cell.
After contaminated soil was removed from Segment B,
a liner was installed for extra protection. Crushed stone
was placed over the liner and is visible on the banks in
this area. Natural grasses, trees and shrubs were left on
the banks of most of the creek.
Residential yards
As part of the site investigation, soil samples were
taken in the yards of a number of homes next to the
creek and in the creek floodplain. In August 2001,
residents were assured by EPA that, based on the
results of this sampling, the soil at area homes posed no
risk to human health or the environment from flooding
in the creek. This is still the case.
EPA recently sampled residential yards near other
parts of the Sauget Area 1 Superfund Site and will
inform the community when the results are complete.
Surface water
To improve surface water drainage for Dead Creek,
two culverts that allowed water to pass underneath
roads were replaced under Cargill Road in Segment
F. However, Segments B through D of the creek do
not flow naturally because all of the culverts under
the roads are higher than the bottom of the creek.
Pumps were installed in Segments C, D and E to help
move water out of these segments during dry periods
and when the Mississippi River is low. During wet
weather or high Mississippi River conditions, water
accumulates in Borrow Pit Lake and Segment F so
that the pumps are ineffective. The pumps are owned
by the village of Cahokia, with Solutia reimbursing
the village for maintenance expenses. Metro East
Sanitary District controls the amount of water that
accumulates.
Surface water in Dead Creek was sampled and is safe
for wading; however, there may be natural hazards
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such as fallen logs, debris and mosquitoes. Cahokia
manages mosquito control in most of Dead Creek,
assisted by St. Clair County Health Department.
Ground water
Ground water beneath Segment A and the northern
part of Segment B is contaminated from nearby
former landfills. To determine the appropriate
cleanup for these landfills, EPA is conducting what it
calls a "feasibility study," which evaluates cleanup
options.
An investigation to make sure contamination had not
leaked from creek soil to ground water in Segments C
through F of Dead Creek was performed and the
results showed no significant ground water
contamination caused by creek sediment.
An inspection, maintenance and ground water
monitoring program continues at the containment cell
near Judith Lane.
Update on Sauget Area 1 and 2 sites
A long-term project to clean up the remainder of the
Sauget Area 1 site is under way. EPA will perform
two important studies, called "remedial
investigation" and "feasibility study." The remedial
investigation details the types, quantities and hazards
of pollutants on the site, while the feasibility study
identifies and evaluates possible cleanup options for
the property.
EPA will pick its recommended cleanup option once
both studies are complete. The public will have an
opportunity to comment on EPA's recommendation,
and a final cleanup plan will be proposed after public
input is considered.
For the Sauget Area 2 site, which is closer to the
Mississippi River and next to Area 1, more studies
and investigations to assess cleanup options for
remaining areas are being performed. Final cleanup
decisions for both sites could be made in late 2010 or
early 2011.
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