Spokane River Metals Barker Road South

Facility Site ID: 615198 Cleanup Site ID: 11588

Site Background

Looking from the river south up the ravine
Looking from the river south up the ravine
Contaminants from historic mining practices in Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Basin washed downstream and settled in soil and sediment along some Spokane River beaches. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted studies of the mining contaminants in the Coeur d’Alene Basin and began a wide-spread cleanup of the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Superfund Site. As part of the EPA study and studies Ecology conducted, nine beaches in Washington were cleaned up, including Barker Road South.

The Barker Road Bridge South site is located north of I-90 via exit 293 and lies immediately south and east of the Barker Road Bridge in Spokane Valley. 

Contamination

The mining-related contaminants include arseniccadmiumlead, and zinc.

Cleanup

Looking east from near the Barker Road Bridge (ravine on right)
Looking east from near the Barker Road Bridge (ravine on right)
Ecology planned to build a fence around the Barker Road South site near the Centennial Trail. The fence would have prevented access to contaminated soil at the bottom of the ravine along the Spokane River bank in this area. 

During a public comment period held August 10 through September 9, 2009, local residents and river users expressed concerns about the fencing in the site. Concerns included river access, safety and questions about the proposed fence at the site. The original schedule for Barker Road South was anticipated to begin after the Barker Road North bridge construction was completed. The bridge was undergoing construction, and delays in the bridge project would complicate river access if Ecology’s project continued at the same time.

Ecology re-evaluated the proposed Barker Road South cleanup in 2013 and decided to install a sign warning users about the contamination.

Ecology completed the first periodic review in 2022. The report is for all the Spokane River shoreline sites affected by mining contaminants. The purposes of the review are to evaluate site conditions about every five years when contaminants are capped and ensure the cleanup continues to protect human health and the environment.

The cleanups continue to protect human health and the environment from the capped contaminated sediments. However, contaminant concentrations have increased in some cases, and new contaminated sediments have been deposited on the caps. This likely means upstream sources are continuing to impact the river and could pose a risk to human health and the environment if they are not controlled.

We will continue monitoring to ensure that the sites continue to be safe for human health and the environment. A monitoring study evaluating sediments entering the site at the Washington-Idaho border would help assess the potential for recontamination.

Public Information 2
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Response to Comments: Periodic Review for the Spokane River Shoreline Metals Sites 11/10/2022 Responsiveness Summary
Barker Road South Fact Sheet Design Docs SEPA DNS 8/10/2009 Fact Sheet\Public Notices
State Environmental Policy Act 1
Document Title Document Date Document Type
SEPA Environmental Checklist and DNS 8/10/2009 SEPA Documents
Technical Reports 6
Document Title Document Date Document Type
Periodic Review: Spokane River Shoreline Metals Sites 9/21/2022 Periodic Review (5 Year)
Spokane River Beach Sites 2019 Report 6/14/2019 Site Specific Technical Document - other
Spokane River Shoreline Sediment Sites Heavy Metals (As, Cd, Pb, Zn) Post-Remediation Monitoring 4/1/2015 Performance/Confirmational Monitoring Plan or Report
Spokane River Shoreline Sediment Sites Heavy Metals (As, Cd, Pb, Zn) Monitoring, Sampling and Analysis Plan 9/1/2013 Sampling and Analysis Plan
Barker Road South Fence Specs Only 7/1/2009 Construction Plans and Specifications
Barker Road South Engineering Design Document 7/1/2009 Construction Plans and Specifications
There may be more documents related to this site. To obtain documents not available electronically, you will need to make a public records request.

Places to see print documents

  • Eastern Regional Office
    N 4601 Monroe St
    Spokane, 99205-1265
    Please schedule an appointment to view print documents at this location.

Contaminants 1

Contaminant Type
Soil
Groundwater
Surface Water
Air
Sediment
Bedrock
Metals - Metals - Other C
S
Suspected
C
Confirmed Above Cleanup Levels
B
Below Cleanup Levels
RA
Remediated-Above
RB
Remediated-Below
R
Remediated
This contaminant list was based on our best information at the time it was entered. It may not reflect current conditions at the site.