Silver Bow Creek / Butte Area
Bulletin #7
Butte Treatment Lagoons
(Lower Area One)
October 6, 2010
Design Report was
released in September.
Details on the
Upgrades, planned by
EPA, DEQ, Butte-Silver
Bow & Atlantic Richfield,
will be at two locations:
EPA's Butte Office
155 W. Granite
(Courthouse basement)
Mon. - Fri., 9 am - 4 pm
CTEC - Citizens' Technical
Environmental Committee
27 West Park Street
Mon. - Thu., 10 am - 3 pm
Design plans were
available Sept. 27, 2010.
Butte Treatment Lagoons (BTL) and
West Camp Pump Station Upgrades
As part of the overall cleanup in and around Butte, EPA and Atlantic Richfield
cleaned up the Butte Reduction Works and Colorado Smelter (known as Lower Area
One). A two phase clean-up plan was designed for the area (see map on back).
Phase I (1993 to 1998) involved removing the Colorado Tailings that contained heavy
metals and then reconstructing the Silver Bow Creek channel. About 1.2 million cubic
yards of tailings (1.2 million pick up loads) were moved and placed on the Clark Tail-
ings, capped with clean material. The Copper Mountain Park was built on the site.
Large volumes of clean soil were brought back to replace the Colorado Tailings before
the new Silver Bow Creek channel was constructed. The area was re-vegetated with
native grasses, shrubs and trees.
Phase II (2001—present) involved the construction of the BTL and a ground water
collection system. The groundwater collection system includes the Metro Storm Drain
which runs from the corner of Continental Avenue and Texas Avenue to just east of
Montana Street. Groundwater is collected from the West Camp Underground System
and Lower Area One. BTL treats approximately 1200 gallons/minute of water.
The treatment system is a two part process. Lime is added to the groundwater, causing
the heavy metals to drop out of the water. Then the water travels through a series of
wetlands to meet State water quality standards.
Starting this fall, EPA and Atlantic Richfield will begin the upgrading of the existing
BTL. Please refer to the map for locations of facilities discussed in this bulletin.
The Lime Addition System is located in a building where lime is added to the
contaminated groundwater. The existing building will be expanded to house equip-
ment needed to operate an upgraded lime system. A parking lot and security lights will
be installed. Once lime is added to the groundwater, it will flow to the lagoon cells,
which will be upgraded to ensure the cells continue to function properly for the future.
The Site Operation Building will be constructed and used for office space, sample
preparation, maintenance and storage as well as site wide monitoring and system
instrumentation. New water and sanitary lines will be installed at the site.
The Automatic Sampling Building, Influent Pump Station, and Effluent station will be
constructed at the end of the Butte Treatment Lagoons System. This building will be used for sampling treated water
before it enters Silver Bow Creek.
Finally, the West Camp Pump station is located on the north side of Centennial Avenue (see map on back). The pump
station will be upgraded with a new building, a paved road to the site, and on-site security.
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Site Utilities Upgrades
Silver Bow Creek
Centennial Avenue
Interstate 90
Eltluent Station Upgrades Site
Montana Department of
NVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Automatic Sampling Building &
Site Operations Building
Upgrades Site
www.buttectec.org
www.epa.gov/region8/superfund/mt/sbcbutte
Lime Addition System
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