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Conrad Zeller shown directing removal of a large tank found embedded in the sediment near the Paddock Road Bridge.
Photo by Lincoln Applied Geology, Inc.
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As if pulling out 47 tires from the bed of the Black River wasn't accomplishment enough, volunteers for the Black River Action Team discovered a huge metal tank embedded in the sediment below the Paddock Road Bridge in Springfield during the annual RiverSweep cleanup event held recently.
Since tugging on it with a rope didn't work to loosen the mammoth piece of metal and released what appeared to be an oily sheen into the water, the 5-person "tire brigade" returned to BRAT HQ to report the location of the tank. BRAT Director Kelly Stettner reached out to the CT River Watershed Council, who recommended she talk with the State of Vermont's Hazardous Materials Division.
Within 24 hours, a contractor was dispatched to the scene to scout and plan the extraction.
A large crane-truck was secured from Hillside Auto, and the fine folks at Lincoln Applied Geology, Inc. tackled the project just a few days later.
The BRAT wishes to extend thanks to Conrad Zeller for his "boots in the river" efforts; to Lincoln Applied Geology, Inc. for their efficient and careful work; and to the State of Vermont for moving so quickly on this potentially hazardous (and definitely arduous!) task.
-- Submitted by Kelly Stettner, Director of the Black River Action Team
101 Perley Gordon Road
Springfield, VT 05156
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| Volunteers Mark Blanchard, Mo Stettner, and Sean Sullivan with just some of the tires they removed with Bob Bove and Henry Woodbury during the 2014 RiverSweep cleanup event this month. |
Isn't anyone curious as to why that was in the river? Where did it come from? What was it used for?
ReplyDeleteBack in the day, (depending on how old you are) our parents and grand parents would toss out all sorts of stuff. Some real nasty stuff. Trash went over the bank, toilet pipes directly into the river. Machine tool coolants and other hazard stuff were dumped by the ton up on the hill where the super fund project is near Seavers Brook road. You could tell what color dye the shops up in Ludlow were using that day by looking at the Black River in Springfield. Nobody cared. (Some still have that problem). The history of the Springfield area is interesting. Don't remember the name of the small settlement near the falls down on the walking trail, but there was one that used the falls for water power. The tank looks like a boiler for a steam engine. Don't need it anymore, toss it the river for finless browns to hide in. Good fishing there. Then in the 70's came woodsey owl and the slogan please please don't be a litter but cause every litter bit hurts. Remember those plastic bags you could hang off the air vent knob in the car? In Vermont there is an advantage to having a bank on your property. Need to get rid of the old chair, non returnable bottles........
ReplyDeleteI would guess that is an old tank that was part of the Hydo Dam, that was at Goulds Mill, it produced power for the Trolley line, Surprised it was not dicovered when all the work on the bridge was going on, than again maybe it was ? but why open a can of worms ?
ReplyDeleteHaha! Well said!
ReplyDeleteThis was far enough below the Paddock Road bridge that it wouldnt' have been noticed during the bridge work. No worms were discovered in it, just plenty of river sediment. :-)
ReplyDeleteThis could have been carried into the river during flooding. It obviously predates N.Springfield dam.
ReplyDeleteIt probably came from upstream during the 1927 flood. Or from one of the floods in the 30's. By the look of the big rivets it must of held steam.
ReplyDeleteAll the rivers are so much cleaner today than 50 years ago, Thankfully
ReplyDelete