CERCLA §128(a) - Brownfields

EPA’s State and Tribal Brownfields Response Program empowers states, Tribal Nations, territories, and communities to build strong partnerships and local capacity to assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. States and Tribal Nations are responsible for developing brownfields cleanup standards and policy, and conducting or overseeing assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in their jurisdictions. EPA provides funding to help establish or enhance state and tribal response programs.

The people of the Campo Band value the preservation and protection of their tribal land, water sources, and people. The solid waste left behind by Illegal dumping and squatting pose a threat to these things through the introduction of various hazardous substances and pollutants, so the Tribe has proactively sought out programs and funding sources to help clean up and heal the parts of the land and water that have been damaged by these contaminants. The Brownfields program, through US EPA’s CERCLA Section 128(a), is designed for precisely that; to identify, assess, and clean up contaminated areas on the reservation, and restore these sites back to usable land.

Whether these sites are eventually made available for residential use, commercial use, or wildlife habitat it is the Brownfields program that will have helped restore the land to make these outcomes possible.

Diabold Creek Restoration Project

2023

Restoration of Diabold Creek

The lower one third of Diabold creek enters the northern portion of what is now the remnants of a defunct sand mine and continues down from there to intersect as a tributary to Campo Creek. The alluvial valley in which this portion of the creek flows has seen many changes over the years. Some of these changes have been officially documented through the aerial photography pictured here, but before directly addressing the photos on display some backstory and context is warranted; predating the Northern portion of the valley’s use as a sand mine it was leased out for commercial cattle grazing (one of the few avenues for economic development the Tribe had available to it at the time). Unfortunately, this caused a loss of plant life in and around the creek resulting in increased water flow, increased erosion, and a subsequent decrease in hydraulic absorption into the soil. This created a self-reinforcing feedback loop undermining the function of the creek and extent of the related riparian area.
In the 1990’s CEPA and the Tribe took the first steps in restoring a portion of the creek channel to its proper function by installing rock drop structures designed to once again slow the flow rate of the creek and increase hydraulic absorption into the soil. Thanks to this action we now have the Diabold creek pond riparian area (directly across Church Road from the Southern Indian Health Clinic).

Beaver Dam Analogs

The rock drop structures from the 1990’s were a large upfront investment that have yielded fantastic long-term results, but for a fraction of that upfront cost and minimal ongoing upkeep we will be able to expand on this success using what is commonly referred to as Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs). BDAs are wooden structures typically constructed using vertically oriented untreated wood steaks spaced in such a way that branches, twigs, and soil can be weaved between them to form a dam that functions with some of the same benefits to the water level and local ecology as a natural beaver dam would. BDAs are designed to slow water flow, allow pooling, increase the rate of hydraulic absorption into the soil, and, as a result, raise the water table.

The fly in the Diabold Creek ointment

There are some features (both introduced via illegal dumping and left over from the old sand mine) that present possible sources of contamination of the land and water in the valley housing the portion of Diabold Creek under consideration. At this point, much of the area’s solid waste has been removed, CEPA (through the Brownfields program) has completed a phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), and EPA has given the green light to move forward with the more comprehensive and involved phase II ESA. These are all necessary steps in the eventual revitalization of the land.

It isn’t just skin deep

The importance of monitoring and thoroughly cleaning the contaminated areas found within the sand mine’s footprint goes beyond how it might impact the creek and accompanying riparian zones since the valley in focus is estimated to contain more groundwater than any other portion of the reservation. The groundwater in this valley not only feeds into the tribal administrative buildings water supply, but several other houses and water systems in the area as well. As a community, we need to get this right, so the monitoring and cleanup of the sand mine is paramount. Thank you for your support and engagement.