The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has commenced the cleanup of contaminated sediment and riverbank soil along a 2.4-mile section of the Kalamazoo River upstream of the Trowbridge Dam in Allegan, Michigan. This area is part of the Allied Paper Inc./Portage Creek/Kalamazoo River Superfund site.

Effective immediately, the boat launch at 26th Street will be closed until 2027. Signage and warning buoys will direct boaters to exit the river at either Pine Creek or Fox Mountain/Bittersweet public access areas, as there will be no facilities for picking up canoes or kayaks at the 26th Street location.

Residents should expect increased truck traffic along 108th Avenue as equipment and materials are transported to cleanup sites. The work involves dredging, excavating, and disposing of sediment and riverbank soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Following this phase, crews will remove the Trowbridge Dam. The EPA will also stabilize riverbanks to prevent exposure and future erosion of contaminated floodplain soil, which will be addressed in a subsequent project phase. Monitoring and maintenance activities will continue after completion.

The EPA is collaborating closely with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on this cleanup effort.

For more information, visit EPA’s Trowbridge Dam website.

---