Black Butte Mine - Furnace Creek

 
Site Contact:
Randy Nattis
On Scene Coordinator

(nattis.randy@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
 epaosc.org/BBM_FurnaceCreek

All site activities have been completed.


Post Removal Furnace Creek Borrow area soil movement from upper access road Borrow area soil movement final grade of the repository and Adit creek rework Upper OPWA restoration activities excavations completed from the lower and upper OPWA Slide area near the old furnace - about 25 feet off and up from the restored furnace creek START verifies all mercury contaminated soils have been successfully removed using an XRF Excavation of upper OPWA. START using an XRF verifies the excavation success. The 35 ton haul truck will bring the mercury contaminated soils to the on-site repository Residential removal DU - Excavation areas working around the leach field within DU11 and DU10 excavation of DU11 and DU6 (in the distance) - the excavated material is stockpiled for transport to the repository area up the mountain excavation of DU11 on the NW side of the property Exposing the septic tank and lines prior to starting excavation activities Old furnace location capped and restored Borrow source area fully restored Looking down from the old furnace location - Restoration is complete, including hydro-seeding Repository regraded and prepped for hydro seeding Repository regraded and prepped for hydroseeding Adit creek reroute Looking down the restored Furnace Creek Looking down Furnace Creek from STA 4+00. Completed channel in background, excavation for RCV installation in foreground. Looking up Furnace Creek at RCVs from STA 8+52 to 8+37. Installation of RCVs between STA 8+52 to 8+57 rock cross vanes in the new furnace creek channel between 0+00 and 1+00 looking down from the top boundary of the furnace creek excavation - 0+00 Installation of lower stairstep feature leading down to Garoutte Creek floodplain. rock and mulch bern installed near 2+50 through 3+50 Looking up towards the top of the excavation area during the first phase of restoration Both left and right descending banks regraded and rocked per the design for slope stabilization START and ERRS constructing rock crossvane at STA 8+82-8+87. Looking downstream along roughed-in channel from STA 2+50. Looking downstream from STA 2+50 along roughed-in channel grade and treated slopes. Looking upstream at completed channel and rock crossvanes, from STA 1+00-0+00. Looking upstream at rock crossvane at STA 0+50-0+60. START and ERRS discussing layout of rock crossvane feature at STA 8+82-8+87. ERRS constructing rock crossvane at STA 8+77-8+82, and START checking grade. ERRS and START constructing rock crossvane at STA 8+82-8+87. Looking upstream at upper extent of restored creek channel, and rock crossvane structures from STA 0+50 to 0+77. Terminus of rock crossvane series and final rock ledge at STA 8+87. START engineer inspecting construction of rock crossvane series at STA 0+50 to 0+77. ERRS placing bedding material along subgrade for rock crossvane at STA 0+60. ERRS excavating rock crossvane subbase at STA 0+50. ERRS about to create the first 50 foot section of stream bed First 50 foot section of restoration completed Restoration - installing the first splash pool at the top of the excavation boundary On site meeting with EPA, ODEQ, START, ERRS and CDMsmith. This meeting was to adjust the implementation design based on the excavation Furnace Creek mid point looking up - deep channel back filled Furnace Creek mid point looking down - channel back filled Straw wattle installed at the bottom of the excavation area in the lower channel before the July 4th break. ERRS continues to load contaminated soil and tailings into the repository. The dozer is used to compact and shape the repository. Excavation and monitoring of lower channel near STA 8+50. ERRS excavates lower channel near STA 8+50. DustTrak dust monitor near lower channel. OSC, ERRS, and START plan excavation of lower channel near STA 8+50. START uses the XRF to assess the excavation area near STA 8+50. ERRS excavates contaminated soil and tailings from the lower channel near STA 8+50. Haul truck on the lower access road. ERRS clears vegetation at Borrow Source 1. START measures the elevation of the excavated channel at STA 5+50. START measures the elevations of the excavated channel at STA 5+00. ERRS excavates contaminated soil from the creek channel near STA 6+00. ERRS unloads contaminated soil at the repository. START adjusts a transect line survey marker across Furnace Creek channel. Well casing materials fro MW-11 after abandonment. Mulch (wood chips) placed by ERRS on access road near residence to mitigate dust. Excavation and loading activities in Furnace Creek channel viewed upstream from the lower access road at STA 8+00. Dust monitoring station above excavation activities in the Furnace Creek channel near STA 6+50. A subcontract driller prepares to abandon MW-11, to allow for expansion of the repository. ERRS clears trees and prepares the Furnace Creek channel for tailings removal at the lower end near the lower access road. View of tailings and waste from Furnace Creek stockpiled at the repository location. Note that the repository has not yet been shaped or compacted into its final configuration. START screens the floor of the excavated area using the XRF near STA 2+50. The OSC gives a tour of the site to EPA, ODEQ, and USACE personnel. ERRS operates a wood chipper to make mulch from the slash pile in the staging area. ERRS loads tailings/waste into haul truck in channel near STA 2+50. View of excavated channel upstream from approximately STA 3+50. START uses ropes and measuring tape to remotely survey the depth of excavation areas that are too deep and steep to enter safely. ERRS excavates red tailings from right downward-facing slope between approximately STA 2+50 and 3+50. View of excavation in channel upstream from approximately STA 3+50. View of clean sidewall on left downward-facing slope between STA 4+00 and 450. ERRS removes trees and lays back right downward-facing slope at approximately STA 4+50. START screens the excavation sidewall with XRF while ERRS excavates red tailings in background. ERRS pumps water down from ponded area near STA 2+00. Excavation of gray, contaminated waste at bottom of Furnace Creek channel. View of excavation activities upstream from STA 6+50, with ponded water in foreground. ERRS removes red tailings in the Furnace Creek channel. EPA, ERRS, and START assess an excavated area in the Furnace Creek channel. ERRS uses two excavators in the Furnace Creek channel to remove tailings and load the haul truck. Red tailings are visible underneath vegetated topsoil. Borrow area 1 - This area will be used as an on-site borrow source for the restoration. Roughly 10,000 cu yards will be needed Soil contained under the tarps contained micro-beads of mercury. The material has been staged for discussions with the project team Sloped repository Excavation looking downstream towards to bottom of Furnace creek - notice the groundwater ponding Excavation looking upstream Excavation looking upstream towards the top access point. Top section excavation - post rain event. All surface water was captured prior to entering contaminated areas Removal progress as of 6/6/18 Sta 0+00 (background) to Sta 0+150 (foreground). Air monitoring near the repository. Sample collection from excavator bucket. Grading of repository. In-situ XRF screening on left bank of excavation. START & CDM Smith examining sidewall of excavation. Removal / excavation benches to safety ensure the removal of tailings Removal of creek bank as tailings are covered with overburden In Situ XRF to confirm the removal of all contamination Some remaining tailing on the side of the creek In situ XRF to confirm the removal of all Hg and AS contamination Excavation on the top part of Furnace Creek, adjacent to the old furnace Pulling back material on the back side of the repository to allow drainage from Adit creek Confirmation sampling in excavation area - most furthest upstream section of Furnace Creek. Excavation to native material within Furnace creek Verifying no tailings above the excavation boundary The top of excavation boundary test excavations at the top of the tailings in Furnace creek Chipping operation of vegetation removed. This material will be used during the restoration phase of the removal action. Regrading of the repository A look from Adit creek towards the repository The area up hill from the repository cleared and regraded to help the flow of Adit Creek. Back side of the existing repository re-graded and pulled back from the slope. This will allow for the proper drainage of Adit creek. Ex-situ Hg measurements are made using the Lumex mercury vapor analyzer in the on-site laboratory In-situ Hg and As measurements are made using an XRF Area to expand the existing repository has been cleared, graded and is ready to accept new material Furnace Creek access point 1 (looking up stream) has been cleared and grubbed. Furnace Creek access point 1 (looking down stream) has been cleared and grubbed. Realtime collection and reporting (using VIPER) of on site PM monitoring installed and operational Command Post setup and functional. Removing vegetation and exposing the repository created during the 2007 TCRA. Preparing to bury resident water line in order to access the top section of Furnace Creek Cleaning, grubbing and leveling the command support area Mobilizing equipment up the old mining road to the site