Welcome

EnvironmentalRestorationattheGrand
CalumetRiversEastBranch
EricJHritsuk,PE
NaturalResourceTechnology,Inc.
CleanRivers,CleanLakeConference
Milwaukee,Wisconsin
April30,2015

GreatLakesLegacyAct(GLLA)of2002

Acceleratethepaceofsedimentremediation
atAreasofConcern(AOCs)

Usepartnershipsasaninnovativeapproach
toconductingsedimentremediation

2008Reauthorizationincludeshabitatrestoration

DelistAOCsbyremovingbeneficialuseimpairment
(BUI)

Atleast35%ofprojectcostsfromnon
federalsponsor
USEPAprovidesupto65%

ApproachesforGeneratingNon
FederalCostShare

Linkingwaterfrontlandrevitalizationand
sedimentcleanupefforts
Combiningbrownfieldrevitalizationand
contaminatedsedimentremediation
Establishingpublicprivatepartnerships
Establishinganonfederalcoalition
Statebondprograms
Inkindservices
Settlementagreements
CleanWaterstaterevolvingfunds

GLLAGoals

emediation

estoration

evitalization

EnvironmentalBenefits
ofGLLA
Higherqualityhabitatforfishand
wildlife
Betterwaterquality
Improvedfishery
Improvedbenthichabitat
Reducecontaminantlevelstobiota

EconomicBenefitsofGLLA
Cleaneranddeeperurbanwaterway
Restorationandremediation

Increasespropertyvalues
Increasesrecreation
Increasestourism
Increasesfishing
Increasesshipping

Projected$50billioninrestoredbenefitsto
theGreatLakesregion(BrookingsInstitute,
2007)
6

GreatLakesLegacyActProjects
Completedorongoing
projects

GLLAToDate
21CleanUpsCompleteor
AgreementsSigned
~3,000,000cubicyards(CY)
Totalcost:$565Million
Leveraged$227Millionnon
federalmatch
10yearsofsuccessful
implementationunderGLLA

GrandCalumetRiverAOC

GrandCalumetRiverAOC

Source:http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/aoc/grandcal/index.html

ProjectBackground

90%offloworiginatesasmunicipalandindustrial
effluent,coolingandprocesswater,andstormwater
overflows
Legacypollutantsinsedimentsandsurfacewater
All14BUIsincludedin1991remedialactionplan
$2.1millionsettlementwithHammondSanitary
Districtin1999
$56millionsettlementwith9responsiblepartiesin
2001
USSteelcompleteddredgingof800,000cyinupper
5mileportionofEastBranchin2007andperformed
additionalinstreamrestorationin2010

ProjectMap Reaches4A/4B

PartnersandStakeholders

USEPAGreatLakesNationalProjectOffice
IndianaDepartmentofEnvironmentalManagement
IndianaDepartmentofNaturalResources
U.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers
U.S.FishandWildlifeService
ShirleyHeinzeLandTrust
TheNatureConservancy
SavetheDunesConservationFund
E.I.duPontdeNemoursandCompany
RescoProductsCompany
SulTRAC(EngineerofRecord)
GreatLakesSedimentRemediation

JFBrennan,EnvironmentalRestoration,NRT

ProjectGoalsandObjectives

Removecontaminantmassinsediment
Reduceriskstoaquaticlifeandhuman
health
ReducecontaminanttransporttoIndiana
HarborandLakeMichigan
ImprovewaterqualityinEastBranchGrand
CalumetRiverandGrandCalumetRiverAOC
AdvancetheAOCtowarddelistingthru
removalofbeneficialuseimpairments
Improvebiota,fish,andwildlifehabitat

MajorProjectComponents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Removeabandonedrailroadbridge
Constructtemporaryuplandsupportareas
Excavatesedimentationbasintoprotectremedyfrom
upstreamcontaminants
Partiallydredgecontaminatedriversediments
Excavateadjacentwetlandstoremovephragmitesand
placesandbackfillwithponds
Dewatersedimentsandtreatwater
Offsitetransportationanddisposalofdredgedmaterials
Placeamendedcapoverremainingsediments
Restorationincludingplantingnativespecies

RailroadBridgeRemoval
Testingandremovalofabandoned
gaspipeline
Removaloftiesandwalkways
Testedforleadbasedpaints
Disassemblyofgirdersections
Removaloftimberpiling
Debrisremovalandloadout

UplandSupportArea

InstallationofSedimentBasin
Createdtoprovidesedimenttrapforupstream
contaminatedsediments
Dredged28,000cy

4,400ft2 sheetpilewalldrivenacrossdownstream
end
Raiseswaterelevation1footabovenormal
Functionsasaweir,trappingsedimentbehindit

HydraulicDredging

40,000CYriver;82,000CY
wetland
Two8dredgeswithpipeline
andboosterpumps
Cuttershearsforphragmites

HydraulicDredging(continued)

WaterQualityMonitoringDuring
Dredging
Realtimeturbiditymonitoring
Measureandcontroldownstreamtransportof
contaminatedsediment

GeotextileTubesandWaterTreatment
60tubesstackedin
threelayers
Sizedtotreatupto5
milliongallonsperday

LoadOutOperations
Dredgedsedimentandused
geotextiletubes
Approximately127,000tons
Eachtruckbedwaslined
Truckscaleandtirewash
Allsedimentwastruckedtothe
NewtonCountyLandfill,Indiana

MarshExcavation
203,000CYofmaterialexcavated
mechanically
Amphibiousequipment
Splitintoeastandwestmarsh

MarshExcavation

SandBackfill
BroadcastCappingSystem
(BCS)
Evenlyandgently
distributessandwhile
minimizingintermixing
withunderlying
sediments
WetlandsA F,sediment
basin
100,000ton
SeidnerMarsh
199,000tons

Reactive CapDesign
Water Column

Armoring Layer
AquaGate (adsorptive)Treatment
Layer
Residual Contamination

SedimentCapping

Riversegments
16,000cyofabsorptivecap
40,000tonofarmoredcap

EcologicalSignificance
Numerousenvironmental
stakeholders
Globallyrareduneandswale
complex
RareSpecies
WildLupine
Harebell
FringedGentian
WhiteIndigo
BlazingStar

InvasiveSpeciesControl

Eradicationofinvasivevegetation
(phragmites,cattails)
Herbicideapplication
Prescribedburning(planned)

Revegetation

GenotypeRestrictions(NorthwestMorianal
DivisionofIndiana)
NativeSeed:73.90acres(1,200lbs.)
NativePlugs:121,245

MaintenanceandMonitoring
PerformanceStandards
Coverage(NativeandInvasive)
Representation
Survival

12monthsfromEPA
preliminaryacceptance
(2016)

Metrics

Projectlength:1.8miles
Riverdepth

Predredge~010
Postdredge>6

Riversedimentandwetlanddredgingvolume:~140,000cy
Marshexcavationvolume:~203,000cy
Sedimentcapprofile:9armorover6isolationwith
AquaGate+ORGANOCLAY
Watertreatment:3,500GPMduringhydraulicdredging
Dewatering:~60geotextilestubesstacked3high
Wetlandsandmarshinvasivespeciescontrol(47acres)and
restoration(74acres)
Projectduration:~3yearsplus12monthsrevegetation
maintenance
Projectbudget:~$80million

Questions?