EPA and its emergency rapid response contractor, Environmental Restoration, mobilized to the Bonita Peaks Mining District on Monday, June 3, 2018.

1. Establish an interim sludge management location at the Kittimac Tailings source area and transport approximately 14,000 cubic yards of sludge from the IWTP at Gladstone (mid-June and early fall);

2. Complete construction on the secondary pipeline conveyance system from the Gold King level 7mine adit to the IWTP (July);

3. Complete improvements on the installed flow control structure access door and adjust monitoring equipment behind the flow control structure in the Gold King Mine adit (July and August).

4. Complete work initiated in 2017 on establishing and maintaining access to the American Tunnel.  This includes installation of a flume inside the adit, installation of a sump and pipe to convey adit discharge, maintenance of the existing pond, and grading the area around the portal shed and hillside

1. Initial Site setup.

2. Demarcated the rail spur at Kittimac with orange fencing;

3. Graded, removed and stockpiled over half of the Kittimac tailings;

4. Prepared 1,300 cubic yards of sludge at the IWTP in preparation for treatment with quicklime;

5. Watered the hauling route from the IWTP to the interim sludge management location (County Road 110 along Cement Creek and County Road 2 along the Animas River) on a daily basis;

6. Conducted a pre-construction survey of the hauling route with San Juan County maintenance staff.

NOTE: Response Operations progressed despite the challenge of frequent closures of Highway 550 from Durango to Silverton due to the 416 Fire near Durango.

1. Continued grading, clearing and stockpiling of Kittimac tailings;

2. Completion of the berm construction pad at the interim sludge management location;

3. Implementation of sludge hauling to the interim sludge management location on Friday, June 15;

4. Providing a copy of the traffic control plan to San Juan County and the Town of Silverton. 

1.  Approximately 800 cubic yards of sludge material stored on the WTP sludge pad were processed with quicklime.

2.  Stockpiling of Kittimac tailings continued in the central area of the interim sludge management location.

3.  The Kittimac berm pad in the interim sludge management location was completed.

- The pad runs parallel to County Road 2 and is offset 45 feet to the west from the road.

- The pad is 100 feet wide by approximately 450 feet long.

- The pad site was compacted and delineated with t-post and rope.

- Test pits confirmed the pad elevation is a minimum of 1.5 feet above the groundwatertable at the southern end of the pad and is greater than 6 feet above the groundwatertable at the northern end of the pad.

4. Hauling of processed sludge from Gladstone to Kittimac began on Friday, June 15. Only one truckwas used on Friday and Saturday. Approximately 50 cubic yards of sludge were hauled each day.

5.  The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

6.  Sunnyside Gold Mine personnel toured the Gladstone and Gold King site on June 12.

Note: Equipment and Supplies issues continue. Time delays for receiving heavy equipment and quick lime supplies continued to occur during the week due to re-routing around Durango.

1. Continue grading, clearing and stockpiling of Kittimac tailings;

2. Continue watering for dust control;

3. Continue to process sludge at the IWTP and transport to the interim sludge management location;

4. Implement the traffic control plan.

1. Processing of sludge with quicklime at Gladstone continues with improvements in efficiency.

- Quicklime is added to the sludge at a weight ratio of between 3 and 3.5 percent to obtain the desired pH increase between 11.5 and 12. 

2. Hauling of processed sludge to Kittimac was conducted with 3 dump trucks and hauls are between 8 and 11 loads per day depending upon site conditions.  Each load is approximately 9 cubic yards.

- ERRs is making significant efforts to increase the dump truck operations to 6 trucks which was originally planned. Three additional trucks are anticipated beginning on Monday June 25.

1. A total of 155 dump truck loads of processed sludge were received at Kittimac during the 6-day period bringing the total to approximately 168 loads to date.  This equates to approximately 1,500 cubic yards.  

- Each load is mixed with tailings at a 2 to 1 ratio (tails to sludge) in a pile at the site and then spread in a 6-8-inch lift on the berm pad and mixed more thoroughly with a tractor outfitted with a harrow tiller.  At the 2:1 ratio the total tailings processed to date is estimated at 3,000 cubic yards.

2. Due to drying and curing time for each berm lift it has been necessary to construct two interim pads: one adjacent to the berm pad and one running along south side of the rail spur.  These pads will serve as storage until a future repository is identified.

1. EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings. Up to 3 additional dump trucks are anticipated on Monday to bring the dump truck fleet to 6.

2. Berm construction will continue at a rate feasible given drying and curing times of the mix and alternative pads 1 and 2 will be utilized as necessary.

3. Continue water treatment operations.

1. Continue hauling sludge from the upper Gladstone repository down to the WTP sludge drying pad for processing with lime. 

2. Continue watering for dust control and monitor effectiveness of mag chloride dust suppression, which was applied by the County on June 13 and 14, along County Road 2 (Animas River) from Silverton to Howardsville. 

3. Continue to process sludge at the IWTP and transport to the interim sludge management location;

4. Implement the traffic control plan.

1. Activities consisted of hauling sludge from the upper Gladstone repository down to the WTP sludge drying pad for processing with lime. 

2. No activities were conducted at Kittimac during the operational period. 

3. The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  Berm construction will continue at a rate feasible given drying and curing times of the mix and alternative pads 1 and 2 will be utilized as necessary.  Up to 3 additional dump trucks are anticipated on Monday (if they show up) to bring the dump truck fleet to 6.   

1.  EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  

2. Continue watering for dust control and monitor effectiveness of mag chloride dust suppression, which was applied by the County on June 13 and 14, along County Road 2 (Animas River) from Silverton to Howardsville. 

3. Implement the traffic control plan.

1. Gladstone operations continues to haul sludge stored at upper Gladstone for lime addition at the WTP drying pad.  Approximately 2,160 cubic yards were hauled from the upper Gladstone repository down to the WTP drying pad during the operational period and treated with lime to a pH of between 11 and 12.   

2. A total of 169 loads of processed sludge (1,521 cubic yards) were hauled to Kittimac during the operational period bringing the total loads to Kittimac at 531 (4,779 cubic yards).   

3. The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  Berm construction will continue at a rate feasible given drying and curing times of the mix and alternative pads 1 and 2 will be utilized as necessary.   

1. EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  

2. Continue watering for dust control and monitor effectiveness of mag chloride dust suppression, which was applied by the County on June 13 and 14, along County Road 2 (Animas River) from Silverton to Howardsville. 

3. Implement the traffic control plan.

1. Gladstone operations completed hauling sludge stored at upper Gladstone for lime addition at the WTP drying pad.    

2. A total of 181 loads (1,629 cubic yards) of processed sludge, pH adjusted to >11, were hauled to Kittimac during the operational period.  This brings sludge hauled to Kittimac at 712 loads for a total of 6,408 cubic yards.   

3. The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

EPA response will continue processing of sludge at Gladstone with quicklime and hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  Berm construction will continue at a rate feasible given drying and curing times of the mix and alternative pads 1 and 1 will be utilized as necessary.   

1. Establish an interim sludge management location at the Kittimac Tailings source area and transport approximately 14,000 cubic yards of sludge from the IWTP at Gladstone (mid-June andearly fall);

2. Complete construction on the secondary pipeline conveyance system from the Gold King level 7mine adit to the IWTP (July);

3. Complete improvements on the installed flow control structure access door and adjust monitoring equipment behind the flow control structure in the Gold King Mine adit (July and August).

4. Complete work initiated in 2017 on establishing and maintaining access to the American Tunnel.  This includes installation of a flume inside the adit, installation of a sump and pipe to convey adit discharge, maintenance of the existing pond, and grading the area around the portal shed and hillside

2. A total of 832 loads of processed sludge, pH adjusted to >11, were hauled to Kittimac during the operational period.  This brings sludge hauled to Kittimac at for a total of 7,500 cubic yards.

3. The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

During the next two weeks, EPA response will continue processing of sludge (Bag D) at Gladstone with quicklime in preparation for hauling to Kittimac for solidification with tailings.  Berm construction with the sludge/tailings mix at Kittimac will continue. 

An entry into the American Tunnel is planned by EPA remedial, BLM, DRMS.  EPA response will support the entry.  This support includes conducting maintenance on the pond prior to the entry and preparations necessary to treat discharge from the adit at the WTP during the entry.   Prior to these activities, EPA remedial will complete the necessary mine categorization memo and coordination with HQ and BLM.

1. Continue interim sludge management at the Kittimac Tailings source area and continue to transport approximately 14,000 cubic yards of sludge from the IWTP at Gladstone (mid-June and early fall). 

2. Construct the repository berm at Kittimac..

3. Complete work initiated in 2017 on establishing and maintaining access to the American Tunnel.  This includes installation of a flume inside the adit, installation of a sump and pipe to convey adit discharge, maintenance of the existing pond, and grading the area around the portal shed and hillside.  

1. Gladstone operations completed hauling upper Gladstone repository sludge treated with lime from Gladstone to Kittimac on July 27, 2018.

2. A total of 832 loads of processed sludge, pH adjusted to >11, were hauled to Kittimac during the operational period.  This brings sludge hauled to Kittimac at for a total of 7,500 cubic yards. Remaining sludge to haul from Gladstone includes approximately 1,000 to 1,200 cubic yards. Hauling operations will be re-started next week to haul to Kittimac.

3. Construction of the repository berm at Kittimac is progressing. The berm  has been built up to  approximately 8.5 feet in height.  To manage rain events, four large tarps are deployed at the end of each work day on the main berm (covering 1 acre) and removed each morning.   The tarps are also deployed during afternoon rain events.  The tarps have been very effective in preventing the working area from being inundated with seasonal rains allowing for construction of the main berm to progress.   

4. The treatment plant continues to treat water at approximately 415 gallons per minute.

5. On August 8, sludge from the American Tunnel was removed to restore capacity of the pond.   The spillway was extended to WTP pond 1 and lined.  On August 9, water from the American Tunnel drainage channel was diverted to the WTP to treat sediment laden water that would result from the entry. EPA contractor Deer and Ault lead an inspection of the tunnel to the bulkhead. Entry into the American Tunnel was made by BLM and EPA.

1. Continue interim sludge management at the Kittimac Tailings source area and continue to transport approximately 10,000 cubic yards(revised estimate based on low summer flows)  of sludge from the IWTP at Gladstone (mid-June through September). 

2. Construct the repository berm at Kittimac..

3. Complete work initiated in 2017 on establishing and maintaining access to the American Tunnel.  This includes installation of a flume inside the adit, installation of a sump and pipe to convey adit discharge, maintenance of the existing pond, and grading the area around the portal shed and hillside.  

1. Establish an interim sludge management location at the Kittimac Tailings source area and transport approximately 14,000 cubic yards of sludge from the IWTP at Gladstone (mid-June andearly fall);

2. Complete construction on the secondary pipeline conveyance system from the Gold King level 7mine adit to the IWTP (July);

3. Complete improvements on the installed flow control structure access door and adjust monitoring equipment behind the flow control structure in the Gold King Mine adit (July and August).

4. Complete work initiated in 2017 on establishing and maintaining access to the American Tunnel.  This includes installation of a flume inside the adit, installation of a sump and pipe to convey adit discharge, maintenance of the existing pond, and grading the area around the portal shed and hillside