US Environmental Protection Agency
10 West 15th Street, Suite 3200
Helena, Montana 59626
Attn: R. Hoogerheide
Site Contacts
If you need more information on the work being conducted, please call or email one of the people listed
below:
Roger Hoogerheide, EPA Remedial Project Manager (406) 457-5031 or 1-866-457-2690
hooqerheide.roqer@epa.gov
Keith Large, DEQ Project Officer, (406) 841-5039, klarqe@mt.gov
Beth Ihle, USFS, Geologist, (406) 495-3863, bihle@fs.fed.us
Document Repositories
Site-related documents are available at the following locations for your information and review:
•	EPA Records Center, 40 West 15th St., Ste. 3200, Helena, MT 59626, (406) 457-5046, M-F, 8am- 4:30pm
•	U.S. Forest Service, Belt Ranger Station, 4234 U.S. Hwy 89 N, Neihart, MT 59465, (406) 236-5511,
M-F, 8:30am-4:30pm
•	Cascade County Health Department, 115 4th Street South, Great Falls, MT 59401, (406) 454-6950,
8am- 5pm
i^l Barker Hughesville Superfund Site
Judith Basin and Cascade Counties, Montana
U.S. EPA Region 8 - Montana Office

15 West 10th Street, Suite 3200, Helena, Montana 59626
August 2011
2011 Field Update
The Barker-Hughesville Mining District Superfund Site is located in
west-central Montana, east of Monarch. The area is most renowned
for its rich mining legacy that prospered through the later part of the
19th century and early 20th century. Historic mining camps of Barker
and Hughesville were home to more than 500 people. The site covers
almost 15 square miles of land in the Lewis and Clark National Forest
and encompasses the floodplain of Dry Fork Belt Creek, four tributary
drainages (Galena Creek, McKay Gulch Creek, Spruce Creek, and
Smoke-in-Hole Creek), and the upper portion of the Otter Creek
drainage.
The site includes the Block P Mill Tailings and Block P Mine Waste
Complex properties that are owned by Doe Run Resources
Corporation (Doe Run). There are also 45 known abandoned mine
sites with associated waste rock dumps, discharging mine adits,
streamside tailings deposits, and tailing impoundments. Abandoned
mine sites are mostly in the Galena Creek Drainage, near the historic
town sites of Barker and Hughesville. Other ancillary mine sites are
located in the McKay Gulch Creek and Otter Creek. These sites are on
privately-owned land and on public land administered by the U.S.
Forest Service (USFS).
In May 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued
Doe Run an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) for a removal
action of mine waste from the Block P Mining Complex (which includes
discrete waste rock piles and associated mine workings). Planned
actions under the AOC include excavation of mine wastes and
consolidation of those materials into a repository to be located on Doe
Run property. Activities in 2011 include road construction and
improvement, clearing and grubbing of existing vegetation, and initial
grading and preparation of the repository footprint. With the exception
of the former tramway structure located north of the now-sealed Block
P mine shaft, all historical structures in the footprint of the work zone
will be removed prior to excavation. Structures will be demolished
using heavy equipment, with the wood will be stockpiled for hauling to
the repository.
Site Timeline...
•	1970s to 90s. Numerous
investigations by the State of Montana.
•	2001. Site listed on EPA's National
Priorities List.
•	2002 to 2005. Under an EPA and
USFS AOC, Doe Run investigates and
cleans up Block P Mill.
•	2004/2005. EPA visited and ranked by
hazard (Tiers 1, 2, and 3) the 45
abandoned mine sites identified by the
State and compiled existing site data
into a Technical Memorandum.
•	2007 to 2010. Doe Run conducts
annual monitoring.
•	2008. EPA and Doe Run sign AOC for
investigation of the Block P Mining
Complex.
•	2009. EPA began a remedial
investigation (Rl) and sampled Tier I
and Tier II mines sites, residential
properties, roadways, and surface
water, and sediments. Doe Run
investigates Block P Mine.
•	2010. Doe Run prepares EE/CA
addressing cleanup of Block P Mining
Complex. Montana Fish, Wildlife and
Parks (FWP) begin to collect macro
invertebrates and electrofish along
Galena and Dry Fork Belt Creeks. EPA
continues to collect sediment and
surface water samples. Doe Run
begins site prep for waste rock removal
in 2011.
•	2011. EPA and Doe Run sign AOC for
cleanup of Block P Mining Complex.
EPA and FWP continue their
investigations (see pages 2 & 3).
•	2012. EPA will asses volume of
streamside tailings identified in 2011
and investigate the remaining Tier I
mine sites (in Daisy Creek drainage).
Doe Run will continue cleanup of Block
P Mining Complex.

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2011 Field Season—Barker Hughesville Mining District Superfund Site
EPA and the State of Montana will continue the investigation into nature and extent of contamination at the abandoned mine properties within the site in late summer and early fall of 2011.
In general, these activities will involve only small project teams (usually two people) and little if any heavy equipment (a drill rig). At the same time, Doe Run will be conducting various activities in preparation for
construction of a mine waste repository. These activities will include larger equipment and may be more noticeable.
Written access has been obtained in advance from all property owners where field activities will occur.
However, residents and visitors may notice the activity, especially on streams and on private property, and may have questions.
1.
Mine Sampling/
Surveying
EPA contractors will visit 20 small
abandoned mine properties to confirm
information obtained by the State of
Montana in an Abandoned Mine Sites
Inventory in the early 1990s.
Activities will include:
•	Sample and survey mine waste
piles
•	Document (in field notes and
photos) evidence of:
•	Land use (such as ATV trails)
•	Surface water runoff, springs,
or adit discharge
•	Potential safety hazards (such
as open shafts)
•	Update field maps showing
general size and layout of mine
properties
Where: Small mine properties
across the site
When: Late Aug. to Early Sept.
2011—2 weeks
2.
Aquatic Population
Surveys
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will
collect macro invertebrates and
electrofish along Galena Creek and
Dry Fork Belt Creek. Caged fish will
also be placed in select locations to
determine mortality rates of these
fish.
Activities will include:
•	Electrofish to conduct population
surveys
•	Collect tissue samples for genetic
analysis of hybridization
•	Mark westslope cutthroat trout
with passive integrated
transponder tags
•	Sample for benthic macro-
invertebrates
•	Take discharge measurements
and check on thermographs
Where: Galena Creek/Dry Fork
Belt Creek areas
When: Late Aug. thru Sept.
2011—4 weeks
3.
Streamside Tailings
Investigation
EPA contractors will walk the lengths
of site drainages that are known to
have water during at least part of the
year and that contain documented
mine sites.
Activities will include:
•	Document (in field notes and
photographs) visual evidence of
tailings deposits in:
•	Overbank deposits on
streamsides
•	Informal camp site areas on Dry
Fork Belt Creek
•	Collect samples of shallow soils at
regular intervals to document mine
-waste contamination
Activities will be sequenced beginning
with the most downstream locations
and ending with the most upgradient.
Where: Creek drainages
across the site
When: Sept. 2011—2 weeks
4.
Monitoring Well
Installation/Sampling
EPA contractors will install and
sample monitoring wells to provide
sampling locations to evaluate
impacts of mining on the shallow
(alluvial) groundwater quality along
Galena and Dry Fork Belt Creeks.
The wells include three well pairs to
allow both the shallow and deeper
alluvial groundwater to be
characterized.
Activities will include:
•	Install 15 monitoring wells
•	Develop wells
•	Collect samples from new wells,
existing monitoring wells, and
several seeps
•	Ship samples for laboratory
analysis
Where: Galena Creek/Dry Fork
Belt Creek areas
When: Late Sept. to early Oct.
2011—3 to 4 weeks
Heavy equipment: Drill rig
5.
Low Flow Stream
Sampling
EPA and its contractors will sample
surface water and sediment at
previously identified station locations.
The data will be used with data from
previous years to assess surface
water conditions, further determine the
nature and extent of contamination,
and effectively evaluate the biological
condition of the area.
Activities will include:
•	Collect surface water and
sediment samples for laboratory
analysis
•	Collect additional sediment
samples for toxicity tests
•	Conduct habitat assessments
•	Collect pore water samples
•	Collect stream flow
measurements
Where: Galena Creek/Dry Fork
Belt Creek areas
When: Late Sept. to early Oct.
2011—1 week
Page 2
Page 3

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