The gloves are off and the shovels are in at the Trowbridge Dam, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun its concerted crack at cleaning up the PCB-tainted muds and banks of the Kalamazoo River. We're talking a 2.4-mile stretch of environmental rehabilitation upstream of the dam, which, if you weren't aware, is part of the rather ominously named Allied Paper Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site. The cleanup works signaled the starting pistol for a much-needed teardown in the area, as reported by WZZM13.
The plan is as no-nonsense as you'd hope: dredge it, excavate it, and dispose of it – "it" being the sediment and soil thoroughly marinated in polychlorinated biphenyls, a compound you don't want in your backyard sandbox. This is all a prelude, a setting of the stage, to eventually tear down the beleaguered Trowbridge Dam itself. It's worth taking a moment to sightsee the heavy machinery along 108th Avenue. you're witnessing a slice of the state's Dam Risk Reduction Program at work which, according to WZZM13, is an initiative backed by $14.1 million in grants to sort out, or in this case, sort out of existence, 22 dams across the state.
Buckle up Kalamazoo River aficionados: the boat launch at 26th Street is shutting down until 2027. You'll need to adjust your nautical escapades accordingly, with the EPA suggesting the Pine Creek or Fox Mountain/Bittersweet public access areas as alternative get-off points for those canoeing or kayaking adventures. This detail was floated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as they lay out guidelines and projections for the river's altered traffic flow during the cleanup period.
After the initial purge of PCBs, attention will turn to the riverbanks, which the EPA plans to firmly stabilize to prevent anyone or anything from disturbing the once-contaminated peace. They're not just throwing a Band-Aid on it; this project includes restoring parts that have long suffered erosion scars. The riverbanks stabilization exercise will also limit future soil erosion and aim to ensure the floodplain soil stays a clean distance. For the dirt on what comes after the cleanup, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has outlined a plan that continues monitoring and maintaining the restored ecosystem. Coordination is key, with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy all getting their hands dirty together in this environmental team effort.
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