For many years BNSF crews discarded used broken railroad ties into the waters of “Little Loon Lake” while repairing tracks along the wetland. Lake residents, Bob and Nancy French, alerted the Conservancy Board to this practice, and expressed concern that these discarded ties were leaching creosote and chemicals into the water, threatening wildlife and water quality of Big Loon Lake as water moved into the lake via a culvert system.
The Frenches contacted Stevens County Water Quality Coordinator, Charlie Kessler, who was equally concerned. He, in turn, contacted the BNSF Environmental Department, and BNSF officials subsequently met with them on site and agreed to fund a tie removal project.
After several delays, the Frenches eventually completed the JARPA (Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application) to acquire the necessary permits from various Washington State agencies to get the project moving.
Sandry Construction Company was contracted by BNSF to retrieve the ties from the wetland area. Their crew spent four days in mid-October combing the seasonally “dry” wetland and recovered more than 300 pieces of ties. The following week the BNSF line crew picked up every piece and hauled them away from this beautiful wetland.
Thanks to Bob and Nancy French, a hazardous situation was identified and proper steps were taken to correct it. Thanks to the cooperation of BNSF, the advice and assistance of Charlie Kessler of Stevens County, and the cooperation of David and Kristy McMullan, owners of the wetland, this critical wetland will continue to function as it should.
Little Loon Lake is located south of the bridge on Larson Beach Road.
