Kalamazoo Superfund Site - Kalamazoo River

Kalamazoo River

The Kalamazoo River makes up a large portion of the Kalamazoo River Watershed, which spans about 162 miles. The watershed feeds into Lake Michigan. The 80 miles of the Kalamazoo River and Portage Creek is divided into five sections known as Operable Units (OU). The five operable units are as follows: Allied Paper/ Bryant Mill Pond (1), Willow Boulevard and A-Site Landfill (2), King Highway Landfill (3), 12th Street Landfill (4), and the Portage Creek (5). This allows for an easier way to divide up the rather expansive site. Portage Creek is southwest of Kalamazoo connecting to the Kalamazoo River right near the King’s Highway Operable Unit. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is state department in charge of managing the Superfund site. They work with the EPA and regional groups on research and remediation efforts.