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Prior Government Actions

Prior Government Actions

US EPA and EGLE RRD Superfund Section Actions

The EGLE RRD Superfund Section and the US EPA have stabilized many areas (totaling over 800 acres) in the Torch Lake Superfund Site. However, the mass of stamp sand on the bottom of inland lakes has been left for natural recovery. The EGLE RRD Superfund Section has indicated natural recovery is estimated to take in excess of 800 years.

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Map depicting areas of identified stamp sands

EGLE Water Resources Division (WRD)

In addition to the abandoned mining wastes disposed of in the Project area footprint, historic mining operations produced wastes that were disposed of in waters of the state including the Portage Canal, Lake Superior, Torch Lake, and inland waterways. "Stamp sand," the finely crushed waste materials from stamp mills, is the most obvious waste material. Being crushed rock, stamp sand is coarse, angular, lacks organic content, is extremely well drained, and extremely physically abrasive. Stamp sand was discharged in huge volumes - dozens of millions of metric tons.

As stamp sand contains materials that may be toxic to aquatic organisms and are physically unsuitable as aquatic habitat, the EGLE WRD has taken action at several inland sites. The WRD obtained funding for remedial activities and has stabilized several deposits.

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Water Division Priority Inland Stamp Sand Sites
inland stampsands location (L), aerial view of stampsands in Gay, MI (R) Inland stampsands location (L), aerial view of stampsands in Gay, MI (R)

At Gay, about 90 percent of the 23 million metric tons of stamp sands initially deposited there have already washed down drift as far as the Traverse River (nearly 5 miles) or out into Lake Superior. In 2013, these stamp sands covered 1400 acres upland and 1000 acres sub-aqueous.