From the Shoshone News Press:
New Wetlands built between Pinehurst, Smelterville
by Kelsey Saintz, Staff Writer
The West End Natural Infiltration Area took 7 years to permit, but just about 8 weeks to build.
WENI is a new wetlands area that鈥檚 being constructed on 18 acres of state-owned land between the South Fork Sewer District Pump Station and the Highway 10 underpass, between Pinehurst and Smelterville.
鈥淚t was the perfect place to build wetlands,鈥� said Department of Environmental Quality Remediation Manager Bruce Schuld. The area, between Interstate 90 and the Trail of the Coeur d鈥橝lenes, is remediated ground that was cleaned in the 1990s. However, it wasn鈥檛 reclaimed for a future, beneficial use 鈥� it wasn鈥檛 aesthetically pleasing for I-90 drivers or users of the trail.
鈥淚t just seemed to kind of exist,鈥� he said.
Schuld has worked for years to create WENI because the Page Repository is expanding into a wetlands area that鈥檚 on contaminated ground. Wetlands provide a refuge for wildlife and house native plants. It鈥檚 also a nice view for people. The expansion will be seen by drivers of Silver Valley Road near Page, but will be hidden by wetlands for those driving on the freeway.
A planting crew from 花椒直播s Construction under the direction of Project Superintendent Aaron Rainio and Engineering Manager Susan Firor has been working since the middle of last week to put 23,000 plants 鈥� about 20 species 鈥� into the ground at the WENI site.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e doing a terrific job,鈥� Firor said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a neat project and we鈥檝e had a lot of fun.鈥� The planting phase, which includes the use of backhoes, power augers, rock bars and lots of elbow grease, should be complete next month. It鈥檒l have open water near the pumping station and a serpentine-like creek to the other end.
鈥淚t鈥檒l be a tremendous improvement for trail users,鈥� Schuld said.
It鈥檒l take between 10 and 20 years for the wetlands area to meet its full potential. In the meantime, some plants may die while others thrive 鈥� nature will decide what happens. As with most vegetative areas, wildlife might snack a bit more than humans would prefer.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to plant enough for everyone,鈥� Firor said, laughing.
Compost from the project comes from the Page Repository. Schuld said they鈥檝e been receiving wood waste from the public, the transfer station and other groups, which is turned to compost and mixed with soil at the site. Mulch that鈥檚 not matured to the point of compost is put around each individual tree or shrub, giving it the best chance at survival. Each plant is also individually watered.
Using compost from the repository took the compost bill from a possible $250,000 down to $100,000. Building a temporary road that crosses the Trail of the Coeur d鈥橝lenes saves a massive amount of diesel fuel and time 鈥� the trip to haul compost could have been a 5-plus mile haul through Smelterville, but is instead a three-quarter mile jaunt. Normally, Schuld said, creating wetlands costs between $65,000 and $70,000 per acre, but he hopes it鈥檒l cost more like $45,000 per acre for WENI.