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Reclamation crews started removing the Mike Horse Dam at the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex east of Lincoln, Mont. in 2014.
State and federal officials say a large mining clean up project in Montana is nearly complete and open for recreation.
At the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex east of Lincoln, crews have removed roughly 1 million cubic yards of tailings and mine waste. The area is the former site of a lead and zinc mine and the six and a half story high Mike Horse Dam made of mining waste. The dam partially failed in the 1970s, flushing contaminated material downstream for almost 10 miles and into the Blackfoot River.
Cleanup Nearly Complete At State Superfund Site Near Lincoln
State and federal officials say a large mining clean-up project in Montana is nearly complete and open for recreation.
At the Upper Blackfoot Mining Complex east of Lincoln, crews have removed roughly 1 million cubic yards of tailings and mine waste. The area is the former site of a lead and zinc mine along with the six-and-a-half-story high Mike Horse Dam, which is made of mining waste.
The dam partially failed in the 1970s, flushing contaminated material downstream for almost 10 miles and into the Blackfoot River.
Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality said in a Tuesday press release that cleanup of the mine site, the Blackfoot River and the river s tributaries is nearly complete and the area is open for recreation. The nonprofit Blackfoot Challenge is working on a self-guided tour with information kiosks about the unique plants and wildlife, as well as the history of mining in the area.
Mike Horse drainage near Lincoln reopens for recreation
Following more than six years of environmental clean-up work, the state is opening the Mike Horse drainage east of Lincoln for recreation.
By: MTN News
and last updated 2021-01-20 15:12:09-05
LINCOLN â Following more than six years of environmental clean-up work, the state is opening the Mike Horse drainage east of Lincoln for recreation.
Crews have spent years and millions of dollars cleaning up the damage that was left when the dam at the old Mike Horse Dam failed in the mid-70s, sending tons of contaminated soil into the headwaters of the Blackfoot River.