Region 8
Serving Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 27 Tribal Nations
Superfund Program
National Information
Regional Information
Site Information
National Priorities List (NPL) History
Proposed Date
12/1/2000
Final Date
9/13/2001
Barker Hughesville
Southeast of Great Falls, Montana
Congressional District - At Large
What's New?
See Cleanup Progress (Updated 2/09)
Site Description
The Barker-Hughesville Mining District is primarily in Cascade county with a portion in Judith Basin county. Galena Creek flows through the district. The community of Monarch is located about 15 miles away.
Because of the contamination and risks to public health and the environment, EPA proposed the site for the National Priorities List (NPL) for Superfund cleanup in December 2000. On September 13, 2001, the site was listed as a Final NPL Site in the Federal Register.
Site Risk
Rich silver and lead ores were discovered in the Barker-Hughesville District in 1879. Mining activity occurred until around 1893 and again in the 1920s, 1940s, and 1970s. There are approximately forty-six abandoned mines in the BH District. Sixteen have been identified as water contamination sources because of their proximity to surface streams. These abandoned mines and associated contamination are dispersed throughout a 6,000 acre watershed.
Metals and arsenic contamination of soils, groundwater, and surface water have been documented in several studies conducted at the site since 1990. Dissolved zinc is the metal of greatest concern. Ten discharging adits (horizontal mine openings) have also been identified.
Galena Creek flows through the BH site. There is no fishery or aquatic insect life in Galena Creek because of the impact of mining wastes. There is a fishery in the upper reach of Dry Fork of Belt Creek; however, it is severely impacted by Galena Creek in its lower reach.
| Media Affected | Contaminants | Source of Contamination |
| Ground water, sediment, surface water, soils | Metals and arsenic | Mining activity |
Cleanup Progress
U.S. Forest Service and EPA signed an Action Memorandum for one portion of the site, called the Block P Mill Tailings deposit. The Action Memorandum requires the Doe Run Co. of St. Joseph, Missouri, to consolidate and cap the tailings. Extensive work was completed by the Doe Run Co. in 2004 and 2005, with oversight by the U.S. Forest Service. EPA will work on the other portions as funds become available.
The EPA Removal Program (generally short-term )is working with the Doe Run Company to invesitgate the nature and extent of contamination associated with the Block P. mine and tailings. The longer-term Remedial Program plans to begin the Remedial Invesitgation sampling to determine the nature and extent of contamination at orphan mines site-wide.
Community Involvement
Documents
Contacts
EPASusan Mittelstadt |
Montana Department of Environmental QualityKeith Large |
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View Documents at: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Cascade County Health Department Belt Creek Ranger Station
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