Clark Fork River Remediation – Warm Springs to Garrison, Montana

Project Summary

Heavy metals originating from historic mining activities, milling, and smelting processes associated with the Anaconda Company operations in Butte and Anaconda have accumulated in the Clark Fork River bed, banks and floodplain over a period of at least 100 years resulting in the site being designated as a National Superfund Site (Clark Fork River Operable Unit of the Milltown Reservoir/Clark Fork River Superfund Site). The Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, and Natural Resource Damage Program are managing remediation of the Clark Fork site.Geum is part of the Clark Fork River Design Team and serves as the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Revegetation Consultant. As part of various design teams, Geum works closely with other team members including engineers, geomorphologists, and other State agencies as well as local landowners to develop floodplain remediation plans that address environmental health and safety concerns as well as objectives to provide floodplain stability and support riparian ecological processes. During construction, Geum works with project engineers and construction managers to ensure that project design intent is carried through in floodplain grading to support vegetation efforts and streambank treatments. Geum also coordinates plant material propagation and oversees revegetation implementation. Geum also leads development of monitoring plans and the adaptive management process to evaluate project performance.