Author: Emily Hasz
THE DIRT: Understanding the work throughout Burke Pt. 2
The cleanup at the Hecla Star Complex started in 2023. The area known as Burke saw a big increase in construction work this past summer and will continue through the summer of 2026. Notably, the biggest change this summer was the installation of a very large box culvert that was placed near the large concrete mill building. Great efforts were taken to avoid impacts to the large historic buildings along Burke Road and to salvage the concrete stamped “HECLA 1923” at the culvert outfall. The creek was diverted during installation but was reintroduced into the culvert and stream channel at the end of 2024. The culvert was installed to reduce area flooding and is robust enough to handle a 100-year storm event. This will not only reduce flooding downstream but also reduce the possibility of recontamination from transported mining waste into the floodplain.
Work will continue near Burke next season. The emphasis will be on removing contaminated waste from Burke Road’s roadbed and the Canyon Creek corridor. Mine waste was commonly used as the foundation for the area roadways, and that waste is over 20 feet deep in some areas. The asphalt on Burke Road is rapidly degrading, exposing contaminated materials and creating a danger to public health. To remove these contaminated materials, Burke Road will need to be reduced to one-lane traffic, while each side is excavated out, backfilled with a new clean road base, and re-paved following project completion in 2026. In addition, cleanup work will remove contamination from the Canyon Creek stream corridor and a natural stream channel will be rebuilt upstream from the Star complex, up to Gorge Gulch. These extensive efforts will not only improve surface water quality but will provide a freshly paved section of road for travelers to the area. The work is expected to be completed in the Hecla Star area in the fall of 2026.
Once the Hecla Star Complex project is completed, work will continue downstream on additional sites. Historically, there were many different mill sites in the canyon. Crews will begin working to address the areas that impact human health and recreation the most. The current plan is for work to begin at the Tamarack No. 7 in 2025, the Flynn/Black Bear in 2026 and the Standard Mammoth in 2027. The work is anticipated to have less impact to traffic on Burke Road; however, an increase in truck traffic as part of the removal and replacement actions taking place should be expected.
Cleanup work may be an inconvenience for those who live and frequent this area, but good things come to those who wait. Once work is complete, the area will be cleaner, and the risk of metals exposure to humans and wildlife will be greatly reduced.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: The History of the Cataldo Dredge
One of the most scenic views along Interstate 90 in the Silver Valley is arguably found when driving west across the Mission Flats area of Cataldo. As the trees break away, you encounter the beautiful site of Latour Baldy and Silver Mountain in the background, with the historic Cataldo Mission in the foreground surrounded by serene swamps and wetlands. This area may look beautiful today, but it was not always so. In fact, historically this area was used for the consolidation of massive amounts of mine wastes traveling downstream from the many mines and mills of the Upper Basin.
Historically, hard rock mining in the Silver Valley region used disposal methods that were common across the nation. Flowing creeks and streams provided an easy disposal mechanism for industrial waste. In the Silver Valley, those wastes were primarily mine and mill tailings, and slimes. While not the original intention of mine operators, these practices harmed the environment, the ecosystem, and human health.
By the early 1900s agricultural areas, especially along the lower sections of the Coeur d’Alene River, became inundated with these waste products. Farmers watched helplessly as their crops died and their livestock became poisoned, leading to dozens of farmers filing lawsuits against the mining companies. The mines were given preferential treatment in these court rulings, but due to court costs and settlement fines, the Mine Owners Association (MOA), an organization comprised of thirteen local mining companies, began efforts to curtail the amount of mine waste migrating downstream. Early efforts included the construction of a series of plank dams that the MOA hoped would slow the migration of the waste. Dams were constructed on Canyon Creek at Woodland Park and on the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River (SFCDA) at Osburn and Pinehurst. While the dams reduced the volume of suspended solids carried downstream, they could not contain the finer tailings generated by the new flotation method being implemented across the Coeur d’Alene mining district. The dams were also easily damaged and breached during high water and flood events. Without proper maintenance and constant re-building, they stopped functioning.
From late 1929 to early 1930, Coeur d’Alene Press editor John Knox Coe ran a series highlighting the pollution problems of the Coeur d’Alene Basin. Coe’s series helped spotlight this issue and put pressure on local officials to take these concerns to the capital. In response, the Idaho state legislature created the Coeur d’Alene River and Lake Commission. A 1932 study led by Dr. M.M. Ellis of the United States Bureau of Fisheries found no live fish species in the main Coeur d’Alene River nor in the SFCDA up to Mullan. After his months-long study, Dr. Ellis concluded that “there is but one solution for this pollution problem as far as fisheries are concerned, namely, the exclusion of all mine wastes from the Coeur d’Alene River.”
Prior to the Ellis study, the MOA had consulted with the U.S. Bureau of Mines to develop a new plan for addressing mine waste in the Coeur d’Alene River system. The group decided to construct a large floating suction dredge below the Cataldo Mission on the main channel of the Coeur d’Alene River. The MOA established a Dredge Fund and over twenty-three mining companies contributed to the fund. W.L. Zeigler, a local mine engineer, was selected to design the dredge and develop an operating plan. More than two thousand acres of Mission Flats were purchased to be used as the impoundment area for the dredge. The MOA determined that this location was ideal because this portion of Mission Flats, where the river converted from a high to a low gradient system, already acted as a natural deposition zone. Mine waste naturally settled out across the flats and at times the river flowed so slowly along this stretch that build-up would partially plug the river channel, making boat travel difficult or impossible. When Dr. Ellis assessed this new dredging method, he concluded that the operation of the suction dredge would reduce the amount of waste carried downstream, but could not capture and contain the finer particles, nor would it impact the upriver pollution. He warned that “this pumping out of mine slimes will be helpful to some extent but it will not solve the pollution problems in the Coeur d’Alene River.” But investments had already been made, and despite Ellis’ criticisms, the MOA continued with their operational plans.
This dredge differed from the traditional ladder dredges used in the Murray gold fields just north of the Silver Valley. It operated by collecting tailings scoured from the river bottom through a powerful pump. It then transported the tailings through a large flexible rubber pipe floating on steel drum pontoons that would connect to one of four heavy discharge stations spaced along the shore. The floating line would then connect to each discharge station as the dredge moved down the pond. Once transported to the discharge stations, the tailings were then carried from the water’s edge up to the top of the impounding dike out into the impound area. The pumped water would then travel through a series of ponds and sloughs, that provided a way for the remaining tailings to settle out before returning to the river. Powered by electricity from a nearby substation, the dredge could pump approximately 7,000 gallons of water per minute, removing an estimated five hundred tons of sediment per hour. The dredge operated 22.5 hours per day, after springtime high waters receded, through the summer months into the fall until the onset of freezing temperatures which could cause mechanical disruptions. From 1932 to 1968, it removed an estimated 34.5 million tons of tailings, which were deposited across more than two thousand acres of Mission Flats at depths of thirty-five to forty feet in places. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Idaho Department of Highways contracted with the MOA to direct approximately one million tons of tailings between two parallel dikes, constructing the roadbed for Interstate 90 through Mission Flats, which we still drive across today.
For over eighty years, Silver Valley mining companies legally discharged waste products without limits or safeguards. In 1968, state and federal regulations mandated that mine and mill operators completely cease direct discharges and begin impounding all tailings on company-owned property. With the construction of individual tailings impoundment ponds, there was no longer a need for the dredge. It was dismantled, scrapped for parts, and the rest abandoned in place. While the dredge ended operations more than 55 years ago, the mine tailings impounded on Mission Flats remain today. Most of these dredge tailings have the look and consistency of fine beach sand and still contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. Due to their very fine size, they are extremely mobile, making them easy to accidentally inhale and ingest. In the early 2000s, access controls and no trespassing signs were installed to keep the public out of the dredge area; however, tailings can still be found lining the banks of the South Fork and the main Coeur d’Alene River. It is advised to avoid contact with sediments along the river and for recreators to use recommended guidance to protect your and your family’s health when recreating in these areas. For more information please visit www.deq.idaho.gov/waste-management-and-remediation/mining-in-idaho/play-clean-in-the-coeur-dalene-basin/.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Understanding the work throughout Burke Pt. 1
Many of you have witnessed the massive amount of work taking place in Canyon Creek, near Burke. Cleanup of historic mine waste, as part of the Bunker Hill Superfund Site (BHSS) selected remedy, has begun for this area.
Cleanup methods for the Bunker Hill Superfund Site are documented in the Records of Decision or RODs. In simple terms, the RODs provide direction for cleanup actions implemented on the site. All superfund sites have one or multiple RODs, which highlight the history of the site, provide a description of alternatives for site cleanup, and give the rationale for chosen cleanup methods, cost estimates, and responses to any public comments received. The BHSS has four RODs that document how the cleanup should proceed. The Upper Basin, where Canyon Creek and Burke are located, utilizes the 2012 ROD Amendment.
The Canyon Creek area is one of the most contaminated areas upstream of the Box. The Box is the 21 square mile at the BHSS that surrounds the former smelter complex. Canyon Creek has 127 source areas from 70 historical mines and 13 historical mills which produced 35,000,000 tons of ore and 27,000,000 tons of tailings during their operational lifetimes. Historic mining practices resulted in the direct discharge of tailings, or waste, from mining and milling operations into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River and its tributaries. This did not end until 1968. The largest source of dissolved metals loading to the river is the discharge from the Canyon Creek Drainage.
The selected remedy is expected to result in significant improvements to surface water quality in the Upper Basin. Areas that present exposure risk to people from contaminated mine wastes are the highest priority. Following the implementation of remedial actions, the health of Upper Basin fisheries is expected to improve dramatically. Cleanup will expand the recreational use of riparian areas and allow potential development. In addition to cleanup work, stormwater controls will be implemented to reduce potential recontamination. Most importantly, the selected remedy will reduce human health risks associated with exposure to contaminated mine waste materials.
As the cleanup efforts at Canyon Creek progress, it’s essential to understand the scope of work planned for the next phases. Part 2 will cover the specific strategies being used to tackle the remaining contaminated areas, including the methodologies for stormwater control, soil remediation, and ecosystem restoration. We’ll also explore the steps being taken to monitor the environmental impact of these efforts and ensure long-term safety for the surrounding communities and wildlife.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Mining in Burke Canyon
The first discovery of lead–silver–zinc ore in the Silver Valley was on May 2nd,1884 in what is now known as the community of Burke. This first discovery was staked and named the Tiger. Three days later, on the opposite side of the Canyon, the Poorman Claim was staked. These early discoveries were just the beginning. Over the next few years, more than seventy additional mining claims were staked along Canyon Creek, making it one of the most prolific mining areas of the Silver Valley.
During this era, mining and milling practices were drastically different than those of today and did not directly take into consideration human health or ecological impacts. The early mills constructed to process and concentrate the ores were relatively crude, and the mineral recovery rates were much lower than modern methods. Early mills relied on hand sorting and the use of equipment such as stamp mills, jigs, buddles, and vibrating tables to separate the metal-rich ore from the less valuable materials. These methods were very inefficient, at times recovering less than 75% of the metals from the ore and leaving behind concentrated levels of lead, arsenic, and zinc in the waste, known as tailings. Though the mines knew that technologies would change, and extraction methods would improve, Burke Canyon is extremely narrow, making it nearly impossible to stockpile materials for future processing. Instead, leftover mine tailings and the slimes created by mixing water with the tailings were deposited directly into Canyon Creek, or piled onto hillsides and into gullies allowing gravity and surface water drainage to carry them to the creek. With the rapid growth of Burke Canyon, timber quickly became a precious commodity needed for mine timbers, railroads, mill and home construction, and fuel. The hillsides in and around Canyon Creek were quickly stripped bare, increasing the rate of runoff from the hillsides. This, combined with the large volume of tailings already clogging the creek channel, raised stream levels so that overbank flooding was a common occurrence, further distributing the contaminated materials throughout the canyon.
As time passed and more mills were constructed along Canyon Creek, farmers downstream witnessed changes to their land as mine waste inundated their farms. In 1903, all these factors led to the first lawsuit against a mining company by a Shoshone County farmer living downstream of the pollution sources. The complainant claimed that the mine wastes being deposited onto his land by Canyon Creek were killing crops, hay, and other vegetation, and poisoning his farm animals, some to death. During the trial, the mining company defended itself by citing the Idaho State Constitution which granted preferential water use for mining and milling purposes over those for agricultural use due to the economic benefits of the mining industry. Despite other similar lawsuits filed over the years, area mines were legally allowed to continue directly discharging waste materials into area water bodies until 1968.
Nearly 100 years of historic disposal practices took a toll on much of the Silver Valley and the Lower Coeur d’Alene River Basin region, which led to the area being listed as a federal Superfund Site enabling cleanup actions to be implemented. Early remedial activities to address widespread contamination focused on residential yards, schools, parks, and community areas and much of those cleanup efforts have been completed. Now remediation efforts have turned to the more isolated mine and mill sites, including many found in Burke Canyon. Work to remove contaminated materials in the town of Burke began last year and will continue throughout the gulch. Burke Canyon is a historical gem, and cleanup crews are taking measures to preserve historical structures and features as best as possible. While remedial actions are essential to protect human health, the environment, and our ecology, considerations for preserving our history are also a major consideration in this process.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Land use transfers to support economic development and recreational opportunities in the Silver Valley
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) finalized three land transfers and a renewable lease agreement for property located within the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, helping advance local economic development and recreational opportunities.
These actions, done in partnership with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR), Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), and the city of Kellogg, provide almost 200 acres for public recreation and economic expansion.
“DEQ is excited to support new land use now that the cleanup work is complete for these properties,” said Dan McCracken, DEQ’s Coeur d’Alene Regional Office Administrator. “We believe that these transfers will help provide safe outdoor recreation access and promote local economic activity throughout the area.”
William Niska, manager of the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, said the move will open exciting opportunities for recreators along the 73-mile trail, giving users a place to rest and recuperate. “We appreciate DEQ’s willingness to support something new with the campground, which will reclaim this once-damaged ground for positive public use,” he said.
“The transfer of DEQ property to the city of Kellogg is viewed as a very forward-looking asset for the local community,” said Mike Fitzgerald, Public Works Director for the city of Kellogg.
The first transfer includes property located on the east side of Government Gulch Road. DEQ transferred the 9.8-acre parcel to a local excavating company, DG&S, providing an opportunity to construct a new facility and expand operations.
The second includes an approximately 140-acre property lease agreement with IDPR for a bike-in campground along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes. The campground will have 26 bike-in/walk-in sites, a restroom/shower house, tent pads, and power hookups for recharging devices and e-bikes. Construction is planned for 2025.
The third includes a 40-acre parcel transfer to IDFG to expand an existing Wildlife Management Area north of I-90 and west of the Shoshone County Airport. The added property will help improve wildlife habitat and extend recreational opportunities.
The fourth transfer allows the city of Kellogg to designate the existing Government Gulch Road, previously a private access point, as a public right of way. Transfer of approximately four acres to the city creates local development and recreational opportunities.
Through these land transfers, DEQ and the State of Idaho are supporting the local economy and ensuring the Silver Valley is an area where people can live, work, and play.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Local Students Show Us How to Avoid Lead Exposure
Panhandle Health District’s Lead Health Intervention Program (LHIP) has recently completed the second year of its Lead Awareness Poster Contest.
Each year, area third through fifth-grade students are asked to create posters demonstrating how to avoid lead exposure. These posters allow students to showcase what they learn each spring when PHD’s LHIP visits each area school to teach students how to avoid lead exposure through fun, interactive lessons.
This year Harrison Elementary, Pinehurst Elementary, and Silver Valley Christian Academy students submitted a total of 58 posters for consideration. The winners of this year’s contest include Roscoe Rauch, from Harrison Elementary, and Hyrum Creswell and Madison Johnson, both from Pinehurst Elementary.
All students’ posters were proudly displayed in honor of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week October 20th – 26th. The posters will remain on display through November 8th to give the public a chance to admire the students’ hard work.
Feel free to stop by PHD’s Kellogg office anytime Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 35 Wildcat Way in Kellogg, Idaho.
Please contact PHD at 208-783-0707 for more information about this contest or to learn ways to avoid lead exposure in our area.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Committee, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Understanding the Coeur d’Alene Work Trust
The cleanup work being done in the “Basin” of the Bunker Hill Superfund Site is funded in a unique and sustainable way. When a potential responsible party is identified at a Superfund Site, the EPA works to pursue all sources of funds to ensure the responsible party pays for cleanup and not taxpayers. In 2009, ASARCO applied for bankruptcy allowing the EPA to pursue environmental claims resulting in a settlement that must go toward environmental cleanup and restoration at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. The settlement from the Asarco bankruptcy was placed with the Coeur d’Alene Work Trust (Trust) to support cleanup work for this area.
The Trust is a product of that ASARCO settlement and is an environmental remediation trust which allows management of settlement funds while also paying for environmental remediation. Its beneficiary is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with assets mainly consisting of money and properties. This collaborative effort is highly effective as both parties work together to complete the cleanup work. Their procurement process uses the marketplace to achieve the best value possible. EPA decides what environmental actions the Trust undertakes and approves their annual budget which currently stands at $30 million a year. The Trust and EPA have settled on a 10-year prioritization and planning tool, meeting several times a year to talk about future challenges and how best to proceed.
The Trust is very well defined on costs and cleanup, as these funds must be used in the Upper and Lower Basin, not in the original 21-square mile “Box” where other settlement agreements are set aside for those costs. Upper Basin remedial actions include work such as repository management, stream and riparian stabilization, and source control at mine and mill sites. Work in the Lower Basin includes recreational areas, wetlands, and work in the river, which will eventually start with pilot projects in the Dudley and Cataldo Reaches.
The Trust started at just over $436 million and has spent $234 million so far. The current value of the Trust is $618 million. Their gross investment continues to grow, earning sufficient money to pay for the Upper Basin Record of Decision (ROD) and fund additional Lower Basin projects as well. Their portfolio is conservative with investments into different types of securities with very slow or rare changes made.
Another focus of the Trust is local labor. Currently, 80% of the construction workforce must come from the three local Idaho counties. In 2023, 86% of construction contractors and sub-contractors working on the site were local. They estimate over the last 14 years, the economic impact has been over $200 million.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Committee, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: 30-year Water Quality Trends show improvements are being made
Water quality data was collected throughout the Bunker Hill Superfund Site before remediation work began, giving a reference point to compare data as work is completed. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recently studied data going back 30 years to determine if water quality has improved after decades of remedial work.
Data from 1990 to 2018 indicate there is a dramatic downward trend in dissolved zinc concentration and loads throughout the South Fork Coeur d’Alene (SFCDA) River and Main Coeur d’Alene (CDA) River to the Spokane River. The total lead concentrations and loads also decreased at Pinehurst and Spokane River locations, but at Harrison, data indicates there may be a slight increase. Overall, total lead concentrations and loads have decreased 25-75% over this period except for loads at Harrison.
The USGS observed a sharp decrease in dissolved zinc concentrations and loads during the first part of the 30-year trend but that decrease flattened out over time. Similarly, total lead initially trended downward at most of the locations sampled with the exception of Harrison where an increase was observed from 1999-2009 and a flat trend in more recent years.
Previous work indicated that most of the dissolved zinc is coming from the SFCDA River from sources such as groundwater from the Central Impoundment Area. The majority of particulate lead is coming from the main stem of the CDA River where contaminated sediment that has been transported downstream from historic mining activity and deposited throughout the Basin continues to enter the waterway.
From 2003 to 2018, the SFCDA River remained the main source of dissolved zinc. Also, similar amounts of zinc entered and exited Lake Coeur d’Alene most years. Lead is a different story, with the majority still coming from the main stem of the CDA River including the lateral lakes, wetlands, and floodplains. Upward or flat trends are seen at Harrison as much lead is still in the system. Only limited remedial activities have occurred on the mainstem CDA River to date, so lead loads have not decreased.
These trends show water quality improvements have been made through remediation work and the Central Treatment Plant upgrades. This study provides evidence that remediation work is improving water quality and also points to areas that still need attention.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: Community input needed!
Effective communication can help resolve conflicts, prevent misunderstandings, and is essential for building and maintaining relationships. Creating an open line of communication is a great step towards building trust within a community. With this in mind, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking your input on their new Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for the Bunker Hill/Coeur d’Alene Basin Superfund Site.
A CIP is a site-specific strategy to enable meaningful community involvement throughout the Superfund cleanup process. Once completed, the final plan will describe how EPA will provide information and coordinate with partners and communities on site cleanup activities.
To create a plan that meets people’s needs, EPA wants to better understand how people in the community currently receive and prefer to receive site-related information. EPA is seeking interested community members who want to help in the creation of the new CIP.
To develop the new CIP, EPA will need to learn about the community’s needs, concerns, and expectations. To achieve this, the EPA wants to speak directly with community members to determine their thoughts about the cleanup, impressions of EPA, how they currently get information about the cleanup, and what precautions they take before, during, and after recreating in the area.
The intent of the CIP is to create a road map for informing and involving the community in the cleanup process. To create an effective plan, they need your help. Community Involvement Coordinators Debra Sherbina and Rafi Ronquillo will be visiting the Silver Valley later this month to meet in person and talk to interested community members willing to help facilitate the development of the CIP. They will be available to meet with the public in Panhandle Health District’s Conference Room at 35 Wildcat Way in Kellogg on September 25th and 26th between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Please stop by to meet with them.
The EPA anticipates the updated CIP will be completed the winter of 2024-2025. For more information or to set up a time to meet and discuss your ideas and concerns, contact Rafi Ronquillo at ronquillo.rafi@epa.gov or Debra Sherbina at sherbina.debra@epa.gov. They welcome your ideas for improving EPA’s community involvement program at any time.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Corporation, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
THE DIRT: The Central Treatment Plant’s upgrades are making an impact!
There are many clean-up actions and remedies currently taking place in the Bunker Hill Superfund Site that are intended to improve the water quality of the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. These remedies often take time before their effectiveness is quantified and determined. Recent studies have shown that some of these remedies are making great improvements.
The Central Treatment Plant (CTP) that is located near the Central Impoundment Area (CIA) in Kellogg was upgraded and completed in 2021 to treat ground water and mine water waste. The CTP upgrades were necessary to treat and meet current, more stringent discharge requirements. The design included a ground water collection system that consists of a soil bentonite cutoff wall between the CIA and Interstate 90 that blocks contaminated groundwater flow to the river. The contaminated groundwater is pumped back to the CTP where it is treated and discharged back into the SFCDA following current water quality standards. The CTP was also designed to treat Acid Mine Drainage, which is acidic and laden with metals, that continually flows out of the Bunker Hill Mine.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) did a seepage study to help understand the impacts of the upgrades at the CTP to surface water. They utilized data that was collected in 2017 which was before the upgrades were made. They sampled again in 2022 to look at differences after the remediation was completed. A seepage study measures the amount of water at two points and subtracts the upstream from the downstream to get the specific portion coming into or out of the river. They must also factor in inputs and outputs, like tributaries coming in or anything exiting out.
The USGS’s comparison study showed significate reduction in contaminants of concern. Their study showed an 86% reduction in zinc, an 81% reduction in Cadmium, and an 88% reduction in Phosphorus.
Field observations also support this data regarding phosphorus – in 2022, there was a lot less algae in the stream which correlates with the reduced phosphorus loading. Also in 2022, the left riverbank near the seeps were noticeably drier than in 2017 which supports the bentonite wall is cutting off groundwater to this area. All of this is considered a success story with lower trace metals and nutrient loads reaching the CDA River and eventually CDA Lake.
The Dirt is a series of informative articles focused on all aspects of cleanup efforts associated with the Bunker Hill Superfund Site. Our goal is to promote community awareness of contamination issues, to provide tools for protecting public health, and to keep the community informed of current and future cleanup projects. The Dirt is a group of committed and local experts from multiple agencies including the Basin Environmental Improvement Project Commission, Panhandle Health District, Shoshone County, Silver Valley Economic Development Committee, and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
