Ten-Mile Drain Site

Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Fish Advisory

MDCH has issued a “Do Not Eat” advisory for all fish taken from the Lange/Revere canals and carp and catfish caught in Lake St. Clair. In July 2011, fish samples were collected from Lake St. Clair from an area up to five miles north and four miles south of the 10 Mile/Lange/Revere canals. When that information is available, it will be presented to the public.

2011-2012 Michigan Fish Advisory
A Family Guide to Eating Michigan Fish

Fish Advisory at the Lange and Revere Canals

Site Information

St. Clair Shores, Michigan (Macomb County)
EPA ID# MIN000510063
NPL Site Narrative
NPL Fact Sheet
Alias(es): PCB Drain, St. Clair Shores PCB Drain #2, St. Clair Shores Drain, 10 Mile Drain PCB Spill

Contact Information

Community Involvement Coordinator
Megan McSeveney (mcseveney.megan@epa.gov)
312-886-1972 or 800-621-8431, ext. 61972

Remedial Project Manager
Colleen Moynihan (moynihan.colleen@epa.gov)
312-353-8196 or 800-621-8431, ext. 38196

MDEQ Contact
Autumn Lawson
Project Manager
MDEQ
(lawsona@michigan.gov)
517-241-2120

Repositories

(where to view written records)

St. Clair Shores Public Library
22500 Eleven Mile Road
St. Clair Shores, MI

Links

EPA Superfund Home Page
Region 5 Superfund
Superfund Frequent Questions

Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry

ATSDR info on PCBs

City of St. Clair Shores

Background

The Ten-Mile Drain Site is located northeast of the City of Detroit and on the western shore of Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Michigan. The geographical coordinates of the site are latitude 42°29'12" North and longitude -82°53'56" West. The site encompasses a several block area where polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been documented to be present in significant quantities in an underground storm sewer drain system. The ten-mile storm sewer system is approximately 15 feet underground and empties into two residential canal systems connected to Lake St. Clair. The area of concern for this site includes sewer lines in and around the intersection of Bon Brae Street and Harper Avenue in St Clair Shores, Michigan, and other areas to be determined for further investigation and sampling. (more...)

Send feedback to the Community Involvement Coordinator

Site Updates | Recent Activities | News Releases | Fact Sheets | Technical Documents | Photos || Public Meetings

You will need the free Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

Site Updates

April 2012

Starting April 25, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will sample for PCBs and contaminated sediment from behind the 17 weirs, or small dams, located within the Ten Mile Drain storm sewer system and in the sediment trap at the outfall.

If sampling indicates PCB oil contamination, EPA will place an absorbent material resembling pompoms on weighted chains in front of the weir to collect incoming oil, keeping it out of the Lange and Revere Canals.

The work will take two to three days a month and should not cause significant traffic delays. EPA personnel will take samples from 15 feet below the surface; staff will be wearing personal protective equipment because of the potential contact with contaminants.

EPA will take all collected material to a licensed PCB disposal facility while monitoring the level of contamination caught behind the weirs.

Over the past 10 years, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Macomb County Public Works Office, city of St. Clair Shores, Michigan Department of Community Health, and EPA's Removal Response staff have done extensive cleanup, responded to residents' concerns and conducted investigations at the site.

Recent Activities

March 6, 2012: Open house and public meeting
Late August 2011: EPA crews took sediment samples from the 10 Mile/Lang/Revere canals as part of the ongoing investigation into the Ten Mile Drain Superfund Site
July 26, 2011: Open House and Public meeting to present proposed weir maintenance activities for review and public comment.
April-May 2011: EPA took 90 samples in an effort to identify source of PCBs within Ten-Mile Drain system.
April 2011: City of St. Clair Shores inspected absorbent snares and removed and replaced snares containing oil; clean absorbent snares placed at four weir locations.
February 26, 2011: PCB oil removed and absorbent snares placed at six weir locations with PCB contamination; absorbent snares soak up oil and further inhibit movement of contamination.
May 2010: City of St. Clair Shores began monitoring weirs and periodically sampling behind weirs to keep track of sediment and PCB levels.
September 2010: Ten-Mile Drain site placed on National Priorities List, making it eligible for investigation and cleanup under Superfund Program.
March-April 2010: EPA removed water from the drain and installed 15 weirs (small dams), bringing total number of weirs to 17; removed PCB oil and PCB-contaminated sediment from within the drain.

National Priorities List (NPL) Status Update

In September 2010, the Ten-Mile Drain site was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL is a roster of the nation's hazardous waste sites eligible for investigation and cleanup under EPA's Superfund program. The transfer of the site to EPA's remedial branch will allow for additional funding and resources.