Title
Restoring Silver Bow Creek: An Educational CD-Rom
Abstract
The cleanup of the Silver Bow Creek Superfund site near Butte is the largest stream and floodplain remediation/restoration project ever undertaken in the United States. Since remediation began in 1999, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has removed over one million cubic yards of tailings in the floodplain, reconstructed the stream channel in the first six miles, and designed work for the next four miles. When complete, over 22 miles of stream channel and floodplain will have been treated to remove some four million cubic yards of tailings and soils laden with heavy metals. Under restoration, a greenway trail system is also being constructed that will enhance aquatic and riparian resources and provide a variety of recreation opportunities. Combined, the 10-12 year joint remediation/restoration work will result in a restored floodplain ecosystem.
The educational CD-ROM, “Restoring Silver Bow Creek” provides the visual context necessary to comprehend the enormous size of the pollution problem, cleanup, reconstruction and restoration effort. Artist Todd Trigsted spent ten years filming the cultural and environmental impacts of Butte’s copper mining industry. Some of this work, and new work under contract with the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, was consolidated for this educational CD-ROM. The CD-ROM offers photographs, panoramic views, videos, or diagrams that cover topics such as the mining history, environmental injuries, remediation and restoration. Viewers can see snapshots of tailings removal, transport and disposal activities and stream reconstruction activities in progress, as well as reaches of the creek in various phases of cleanup.
Start Date
31-3-2005 8:30 PM
End Date
31-3-2005 9:00 PM
Document Type
Presentation
Restoring Silver Bow Creek: An Educational CD-Rom
The cleanup of the Silver Bow Creek Superfund site near Butte is the largest stream and floodplain remediation/restoration project ever undertaken in the United States. Since remediation began in 1999, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has removed over one million cubic yards of tailings in the floodplain, reconstructed the stream channel in the first six miles, and designed work for the next four miles. When complete, over 22 miles of stream channel and floodplain will have been treated to remove some four million cubic yards of tailings and soils laden with heavy metals. Under restoration, a greenway trail system is also being constructed that will enhance aquatic and riparian resources and provide a variety of recreation opportunities. Combined, the 10-12 year joint remediation/restoration work will result in a restored floodplain ecosystem.
The educational CD-ROM, “Restoring Silver Bow Creek” provides the visual context necessary to comprehend the enormous size of the pollution problem, cleanup, reconstruction and restoration effort. Artist Todd Trigsted spent ten years filming the cultural and environmental impacts of Butte’s copper mining industry. Some of this work, and new work under contract with the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program, was consolidated for this educational CD-ROM. The CD-ROM offers photographs, panoramic views, videos, or diagrams that cover topics such as the mining history, environmental injuries, remediation and restoration. Viewers can see snapshots of tailings removal, transport and disposal activities and stream reconstruction activities in progress, as well as reaches of the creek in various phases of cleanup.