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Mackinaw Bay Petroleum Sheens

 
Site Contact:
Steven Merritt
On-Scene Coordinator

(merritt.steven@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Whitefish, MT 59937
 response.epa.gov/MackinawBayPetroleumSheens

On July 31, 1989, a BNSF freight train derailed along the Hi-Line Track about 4 miles northwest of Whitefish, MT, which led to four tank cars filled with diesel fuel sliding down the slope and into Mackinaw Bay on Whitefish Lake. Three of these four tank cars leaked some portion of their contents onto the shoreline, into sediments, and into the lake. The subsequent clean-up focused on the upland area and the ballast of the track itself, as well as collecting the floating petroleum. There was no focus on dredging or removing submerged petroleum trapped in the shoreline soils and the sediments of Mackinaw Bay. In the time since the derailment, several reports of residual sheen and petroleum hydrocarbons in the submerged sediments have been received, investigated, and confirmed by the Whitefish Lake Institute and other key stakeholders, including local and state government.

These reports were forwarded on to EPA and followed up in earnest between by BNSF and its contractors in November and December 2010. In 2011, BNSF collected bathymetry data and attempted further pilot-scale testing into the efficacy of non-invasive petroleum removal techniques, such as air sparging. Ultimately, BNSF and its contractors, in consultation with EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, have determined that the most complete and technically feasible method of petroleum removal would be achieved by dredging the contaminated sediments and disposing of them in an approved landfill. BNSF, with oversight from EPA, is preparing to conduct this removal action in Spring 2012 using the existing infrastructure from the Whitefish River Remedial Project that is available for dewatering sediments at the BNSF railyard. The Mackinaw Bay removal action will involve dredging and hauling approximately 450 cubic yards of contaminated sediments across Whitefish Lake in sealed roll-off boxes on barges over a period of several weeks before the summer recreation activity begins in earnest.


Historical derailment photo from July 31, 1989. Courtesy of and permission to use this photo must be obtained from the Whitefish Pilot. Copyright 1989, All Rights Reserved. Barge, tug boat and silt curtain boom staged in Mackinaw Bay. A BNSF train passes by the equipment being staged to support dredging operations in Mackinaw Bay. Tugboat pushing work platform across Whitefish Lake. Excavator/dredge anchoring work platform in Mackinaw Bay for the evening. EPA OSC and Envirocon Pilot preparing to exchange empty barge for loaded container barge at City Beach from mooring area in Mackinaw Bay. 250 feet of silt curtain boom staged in Mackinaw Bay. Flexi Float barge used to stabilize the excavator barge. Silt curtain boom being deployed and staged on Mackinaw Bay shoreline. Flexi Float barge being secured the the stern of the excavator work barge to improve stability. EPA OSC and Envirocon conducting pole oil sampling on Mackinaw Bay shoreline. Barge setup consisting of excavator and two, thrity yard roll of boxes secured in place in Mackinaw Bay. Calibrating GPS Deploying silt curtain boom across Mackinaw Bay. Silt Curtain boom deployed around excavator and container barges. View of installed 5' sediment curtain boom crossing Mackinaw Bay. Calibration of excavator in Mackinaw Bay to enable dredging operations to be GPS-guided. Water drains from the excavator bucket during operational testing. USCG FOSC-R monitors silt curtain deployment. Envirocon conducts inpromptu safety brief prior to deploying silt curtain during inclement weather. A contractor welds a fabricated GPS protection cover onto the excavator bucket. Silt boom is adjusted into position prior to commencing excavation of sediment. Contractors asses the sediment that was excavated from Mackinaw Bay. Contractors secure flexi-float to section to excavator barge Envirocon Tug transports sediment containers back to pier for offload. Sediment waste containers being offloaded from container barge. Contractors deploy absorbant boom along Mackinaw Bay shoreline. Contaminated sediment removed from site. Pillow absorbants applied to areas of sheen in the bay. Contaminated sediment is being offloaded from excavator to removal containers. Contractors splice wire rope for placement on barge spuds. A diver prepares to enter the water for underwater welding operations. New sheen product being used at the site. Sheen absorbant being tested at the site. Sheen within containment on Mackinaw Bay as a result of dredging. Contractors evaluate dig area containing mostly large boulders. Excavator bucket filled with sediment, large rocks, and a boulder from dig area. Contractor welds access port into excavator barge bilges to check for water. CI Agent solidifier applied to heavy sheen area around excavator barge. Solidifier absorbing sheen. Excavator bucket filled with sediment and debris. A piece of the railroad track was uncovered while excavating for sediment. A pair of nylons prove to make an effective skimming device. The feet of this pair of nylons contains solidifying agent that was used to remove sheen from the water. Excavator barge and skimming operations. Silt curtain boom protects the undisturbed lake water from the turbid sediment water. Boom is opened to allow the container barge to leave Mackinaw Bay. Excavator placing sediment into containers. Debris and sediment being removed from site. Contractors take sediment samples from excavated areas. Envirocon contractor surveys completed dig areas. Excavator operator uses computer monitors and GPS to locate the precise dig areas. Contractors calibrate the survey program. Tug pushes container barges into position. CI Agent used in sheen areas. Envirocon conducting survey of Mackinaw Bay Large debris being removed from Mackinaw Bay Contractor removes a sample from the collection tube Contractors sample sediment from completed dig areas. A tree stump is removed along with contaminated sediment. Contractor observes a large boulder in the excavator bucket. Contractors driving sediment sampler down to collect confirmation samples. Contractors connect two of the remaining barge sections for easy removal. Contractors collecting confirmatory samples from Mackinaw Bay sediments in areas already dredged. C.I. Agent solidifier in dissolvable packaging. Solidifier dissolvable packaging reads Boom is stacked in bundles in preparation for transit back to the pier. The second stage of treatment, the clarifying pond, as seen during the draining process following the event. View across the pond to the south side, where the breach occurred, showing the size of the gap and the liner washed out around it. Breach point in south side of berm for clarification pond as seen immediately after the event. Washout area from the south side of the pond showing the amount of debris accumulated on the bike path from the discharge. View of debris on bike path immediately after the discharge. The view along the bike path of the washout area and the undermined asphalt due to the force and speed of the water. The discharge point into the Whitefish River. Emergency NPDES exemption granted by OSC under 40 CFR 122.3(d) to drain the pond. Colloidal clays less than 5 microns that cannot be filtered are the source of the turbidity and the reason for the required flocculation step in the clarification pond. Containers carrying contaminated sediment are dumped into the railroad yards treatment and container ponds. Sediment treatment and drying area, where lime is added to further bind clays and reduce moisture before material is loaded into rail cars. Installing the washed rock base at the City Beach boat ramp to facilitate placement of the crane. View of rock crane platform in relation to the City Beach boat ramp and dock. 6, 5000lb mats installed at Whitefish Lake beach landing to support crane outriggers. 65 ton crane being prepared to secure in place. USCG FOSCR monitoring crane operations Leveled and secure on platform at City Beach. Supersacks filled with rocks for use as a buffer between crane and barges at City Beach. Sacks filled with rocks being placed in front of the crane to provide a protective barrier. Crane in place on platform at City Beach. Second tug Boat that will be used in Whitefish Lake. High-temperature pressure washing of vessels in the BNSF Railyard to ensure they are free of aquatic invasive species. Tug Boat being inspected under the Aquatic Invasive Species Program by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department. Barge Sections that will be used in Whitefish Lake. Barge sections for Mackinaw Bay being unloaded in railyard. More barge sections for Whitefish Lake being unloaded and staged at BNSF rail yard. Aquatic Invasive Species inspections of the final work platforms for the project at the BNSF railyard. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducting Aquatic Invasive Species inspection on barge that will serve as work platform for the excavator. Aquatic invasive species inspections on tugboat to be used for moving barges and dredge spoils. Excavator that will be utilized for the dredging operations in Mackinaw Bay. Roto-tilt excavator/dredge attachment being configured on excavator in the BNSF railyard. Excavator GPS-guided electronics for precision dredging operations. Excavator equipped with roto-tilt dredge attachment and DredgePack hardware and software for GPS-guided dredging. Roto-tilt dredge bucket attachment on excavator. DredgePack GPS-guidance system for excavator attachment showing survey area within Mackinaw Bay in excavator cab. Lifting the larger tugboat into Whitefish Lake at City Beach. Tug boat being placed into Whitefish Lake Small tug boat being placed in Whitefish Lake. Three connected barge sections being rigged/attached to tug boat for transit to Mackinaw Bay Twenty foot bow/rake section of barge Boom being lowered on Flexi Float barge. Two, 30 yard roll off boxes being loaded onto a 3 section Flexi Float barge. Barge sections being connected, will serve as work platform for the excavator. Silt curtain boom staged at Whitefish Lake City Beach. Envirocon, EPA OSC and ERT address concerns for loading the excavator on the barge. Driving the excavator/dredge onto the work platform at City Beach. Excavator being driven onto the barge. Excavator loaded on barge at Whitefish Lake boat ramp. The work platform loaded with the excavator/dredge begins its crossing of Whitefish Lake to Mackinaw Bay. Contractors deploy another section of flexi barge to be connected to other barges previously deployed Water levels in the lake continue to rise with the rainy weather conditions Tug barge waits for containers to be loaded next to the submerged dock. Container being offloaded at City Beach City Beach crowd. More super sacks were added to the offload area to protect the crane and allow easy transit. Contractors place liner in sediment disposal containers. Excavator approaching City Beach for offloading. Disassembled work platform section being removed by crane onto a waiting transport truck during demobilization. Tug being demobilized. Last vessel being removed from Whitefish Lake and demobilized. Community outreach in Whitefish Lake neighborhood. EPA OSC conducting interview with local media
For additional information, visit the Pollution/Situation Report (Pol/Sitreps) and the Notices sections.