Whitefish River cleanup nearly complete

The major work to clean up the Whitefish River should be complete by the end of the month.

Crews are expected to have all of the dredging and most of the backfill in the river finished, according to Jennifer Chergo with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“It’s 95 percent complete on everything,” Chergo said.

Work will wrap up this year with contaminated sediment being removed down to Spokane Avenue.

The Whitefish River is being cleaned up after petroleum products were found in the river sediment at several sites. About 14,800 cubic yards of material was expected to be removed from the river this year.

Concerns have been raised about the turbidity or cloudiness in the river during the cleanup process.

Chergo said crew continually monitor turbidity levels in the work zone and the turbidity remains within the required levels.

A hydraulic dredge is used to remove the contaminate sediment and water. It’s then piped up river to the ponds at the BNSF yard where the sediment is removed and the water is returned to the river. Testing is used to confirm that the sites are clean and then backfilling is done in those areas.

Next spring, likely in April, crews will return to finish backfill work and regrade the river. Some bank restoration and revegitation will also take place.

“Regrading it will make the river flow the way it should,” Chergo said. “That’s the bulk of the work that will take place next year.”

Also next year, crews will spot clean a few smaller contaminated areas downstream of Spokane Avenue. A method for that work hasn’t been determined, but it isn’t expected to be done by barge and should have less impact, noted Chergo.

“Baring anything unexpected, we expect the river and bike path will remain open next year,” she said.

The bike path opened last week after being closed for safety reason’s during this summer and fall’s work.

Work is currently in its fourth phase to cleanup the river. The project was initiated after the EPA received a report in 2007 of an apparent sheen at several locations along the river. Citing the Oil Pollution Act, EPA ordered BNSF to clean up petroleum contamination from the Whitefish River and to restore it to as close to pre-removal conditions as possible.