United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region V
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

The Ruddiman Creek and Pond remediation is located in Muskegon, County, Michigan and consists of approximately 2.3 miles of creek, a 21-acre pond, and approximately 39 acres of wetlands adjacent to the pond and creek.  The pond discharges to Muskegon Lake and then to Lake Michigan.  The Ruddiman Creek drainage is approximately 3,000 acres, and includes the cities of Muskegon, Norton Shores, Muskegon Heights, and Roosevelt Park.  All four cities have storm sewers contributing the Ruddiman Creek.  The watershed includes properties used for industrial, commercial, residential, and recreational pruposes.  

Currently the main branch of Ruddiman Creek is posted as a No Swimming, Fishing or Recreation Area due in part ot contaminated sediment.  The primary contaminants of concern include cadmium at 25 parts per millions (ppm), chromium at 2,900 ppm, polychlorinated biphenyls at 6 ppm and lead at 1,200 ppm.  

The $10.6 million project is expected to take about nine months and remove approximately 80,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment.  Upon completion of the sediment removal, the creek and pond will be reconstructed and water flow patterns restored.

The project is a joint effort between the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO).  This project is being performed under the authority and guidelines provided by the Clean Michigan Initiative of 1998 and the Great Lakes Legacy Act of 2002.  USEPA Emergency Response Branch is providing assistance by conducting project oversight and providing contract support.

During the week of September 12, 2005 project set up continued.  The pre-dredge survey of Ruddiman Pond was completed with participation from Great Lakes Docks and Materials (GLDM), Collins Engineering, EarthTech, United States Army Corps of Engineers and US EPA.  GLDM installed the turbidity curtain in the pond, and placed the dredging equipment onto the work barge.  Jackson and Merkey completed the access road from Staging Pad 3 to areas G, H, and I.  A culvert was installed to create a route across Ruddiman Creek between dredge areas H and G.  Environmental Quality Management (EQM) has spent the week welding and laying a 6 inch pipe that will carry water from the extents of the project to the water treatment system.  The fence around the office trailers was completed, and the fencing around other work areas continued.  While driving fence posts along McGraft on 9/15/05, a Verizon phone line was damaged.  Many customers were without phone service from mid-afternoon until 8 am the next morning when all service was restored.

Anticipated activities for the week of September 18, 2005 include: beginning to dredge in the pond, and possibly the creek; completing fencing around work areas; and, closing down McGraft to through traffic.

Once all site set-up work is complete, dredging in both the Ruddiman Pond and the main branch of Ruddiman Creek will begin.