EPA Announces Start of Cleanup at the Trowbridge Dam Site in Allegan, Michigan

EPA Announces Start of Cleanup at the Trowbridge Dam Site in Allegan, Michigan

Department of Natural Resources boat launch will be closed until 2027

September 20, 2024

CHICAGO (September 20, 2024) - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began cleanup of contaminated sediment and riverbank soil along a 2.4-mile section of the Kalamazoo River upstream of the Trowbridge Damin Allegan, Michigan. The location is part of the Allied Paper Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site.

Starting today, the boat launch at 26th Street will be closed until 2027. Signage and warning buoys will encourage boaters to exit the river at either the Pine Creek or Fox Mountain/Bittersweet public access areas, as there will be no way to pick up canoes or kayaks at the 26th Street boat launch.

Residents can also expect to see trucks bringing equipment and materials to cleanup areas along 108th Avenue. Work will include dredging, excavating and disposing sediment and riverbank soil that is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. Once this work is complete, crews will remove the Trowbridge Dam. EPA will also stabilize riverbanks to limit exposure and future erosion of contaminated floodplain soil, which will be cleaned up in another phase of the project. Monitoring and maintenance of the restoration will continue once the work is completed.

EPA is coordinating closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy on the cleanup.

To learn more, visit EPA's Trowbridge Dam website.