Lake cleanup work complete

The cleanup of a historic oil spill in Whitefish Lake has been completed and the boat ramp at City Beach is open for full use to the public.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency directed the effort to clean up the remaining contamination from the 1989 spill.

Initial sampling results show that the dredging reduced the petroleum concentrations in the sediment by 97 percent. This is only slightly higher than the concentrations found elsewhere in the sediments in the lake.

“The dredging removed more than 97 percent of the petroleum contamination from Mackinaw Bay, eliminating the potential for sheen during summer recreational activity, and restored aquatic habitat for an important part of the Whitefish Lake ecosystem,” Steve Merritt, on-scene coordinator with the EPA, said.

Dredging in Mackinaw Bay was completed on June 25. A total of 46 barge loads of two lined roll-off containers were filled and moved across Whitefish Lake during the project. Up to 460 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed.

In 1989 a Burlington Northern freight train derailed and spilled more than 20,000 gallons of fuel into the Mackinaw Bay area. The subsequent cleanup focused on the upland area and the track itself, as well as collecting the floating petroleum. There was no focus on dredging or removing petroleum trapped in the sediments of Mackinaw Bay.

Several reports of sheen and petroleum in the lake sediments have been confirmed. The Whitefish Lake Institute tested and found contamination at the site. Last year, BNSF collected samples and set cleanup for this year.

Contractors last week used barges to move all equipment used to City Beach to be offloaded by a crane and then transported by trucks. The equipment was taken to the BNSF railyard for cleaning.

The crane and other items used to establish a docking bay near the crane were removed from the lake. All that remains from the project is the washed river rock that served as the platform for the crane, which has been donated to the City of Whitefish by BNSF and will be converted into a launch ramp for the rescue hovercraft by contractors once the water levels recede.

City Beach opened to full access Friday.

“I’m grateful to the people of Whitefish and to the rest of the stakeholders involved in this project for their patience and assistance,” Merritt said.