How has the Horseshoe Bend pumping project affected the water level in the Pit?
Now that the Horseshoe Bend pumping station is online, the amount of water entering the Pit has been cut in half. The water level rate of rise has slowed considerably. Before the diversion project, 3 million gallons of water flowed into the Pit from underground aquifers, and another 3 million gallons of surface water flowed in via the Horseshoe Bend waterfall, which was visible from the Pit viewing stand. On April 15, 1996, BP-ARCO and Montana Resources started diverting this surface water into Montana Resources’ tailings ponds. This action is the first of many that were ordered by the EPA and the MDEQ as part of the ROD concerning the Pit Superfund project.
