Petroleum Plume Mitigated to Protect Flathead Lake

Case study highlights:

• PetroFix barrier stops Benzene and other hydrocarbons from entering Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River
• A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) using PetroFix determined to be the most viable and cost-effective strategy to quickly halt plume’s movement toward the lake
• Benzene concentrations remain non-detect for 3.5 years thus far

In the 1990s, environmental investigations of a legacy petroleum hydrocarbon release in downtown Polson, MT identified a large undefined light non-aqueous phase liquid (i.e., LNAPL) plume, with benzene and other contaminants migrating toward Flathead Lake. Following a comprehensive review of remedial alternatives, environmental consultant WCEC determined that installing a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) using PetroFix Remediation Fluid would be the most viable and cost-effective strategy to quickly halt the dissolved phase plume’s movement toward the lake. Following the installation of the PetroFix PRB, the threat of dissolved phase contaminant migration into the lake was immediately mitigated, with these results sustained for over 3.5 years thus far, as performance monitoring continues.