DEQ and Gallatin River Task to hold public meeting on water quality test results

Contacts:

Kristi Ponozzo, Montana DEQ, 444-2813
Kristin Gardner, Gallatin River Task Force, 993-2519

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Gallatin River Task Force will host a public meeting to discuss sampling results from the March Yellowstone Mountain Club spill. The meeting will be held at the Belgrade Community Library, 106 N Broadway, on Thursday June 16 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Both DEQ and GRTF conducted water quality sampling and issued water quality monitoring reports this spring. DEQ began monitoring water quality in the spill affected area on March 5, 2016, and collected samples until March 12, 2016. DEQ issued three reports: one for human health effects, one for aquatic life and fisheries, and one for pharmaceuticals released during the spill.

GRTF began monitoring water quality on March 5, 2016 and will continue to monitor until the end of spring runoff. GRTF has published the results from the initial period between March 5 and March 9 when the pond was actively leaking and impacting downstream waters.

Monitoring results from both DEQ and GRTF indicated exceedances of turbidity and ammonia standards. Monitoring results from this period indicated exceedances of turbidity and ammonia standards.

DEQ and GRTF officials will be on hand to discuss the results of the testing and further water quality monitoring.

Information about the Yellowstone Mountain Club Spill can be found at: http://deq.mt.gov/Water/WPB/mpdes/Gallatin-BigSkyWastewaterSpill

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