GREAT LAKES MUD
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Black Lagoon

Detroit River Area of Concern
It is truly wonderful to come together with all our partners to celebrate the completion of a 23-year effort to clean up contaminated
​sediment, restore habitat, further economic revitalization through marina development, and remove the stigma of the Black Lagoon.
​
- Jerry Brown, City of Trenton Mayor, 2007

The sediment cleanup in Black Lagoon is complete!

Before its cleanup, Black Lagoon was severely impacted by historical contamination from upstream industries, limiting activities like fishing, swimming, and boating. A Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) sediment cleanup was completed in 2005, removing 116,000 cubic yards of pollutants from Black Lagoon.

Using other funding sources, the City of Trenton restored the shoreline along Black Lagoon and built a marina. In 2007, the city and its many partners celebrated the impact of the remediation and restoration by renaming Black Lagoon as "Ellias Cove." The name is in honor of the family who donated the adjacent land to the City of Trenton that became Meyer Ellias Park. 

Location

Black Lagoon is a 3.5 acre cove of relatively still water in the Trenton Channel of the Detroit River. Black Lagoon lies within the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge and is surrounded by a city park to the west, residential properties to the south, and a defunct steel mill to the north. 

The Black Lagoon GLLA sediment cleanup site is located within the Detroit River Area of Concern.

Cleanup Process

Sediment remediated: 116,000 cubic yards
Contaminants: PCBs, mercury, oil and grease
Method: Mechanical dredging and a sand and stone cover
When: 2004-2005
Partners: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 
Cost: $8.7 million
Notes: Dredged sediment was transported by barge to Pointe Mouillee disposal facility.

Long-term Benefits

  • ​The cleanup reduced exposure risk for humans, fish, and wildlife to PCBs, mercury, and oil and grease in Black Lagoon.

  • The cleanup improved aquatic habitat in Black Lagoon and the Trenton Channel of Detroit River, providing better food and shelter for native species. 
​ ​
  • The removal of contaminated sediment improved the aesthetics of Black Lagoon. 

More Information

Documents
Black Lagoon final report (PDF, 88p, 24MB) October 2007
​P
roject completion fact sheet (PDF, 2p, 485KB) November 2005
Project start fact sheet (PDF, 2p, 328KB) September 2004
Stakeholders
City of Trenton
​Friends of the Detroit River 
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
IISG and GLR logos
Picture
Picture
Picture

Contact Us

Great Lakes Mud c/o Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Purdue University
195 Marsteller Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2033

​Email: abelle@illinois.edu
© 2019 Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, All Rights Reserved.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant strives to ensure equal access and an
​inclusive environment.
Website last updated December 14, 2022
  • Home
  • Pollution
    • Dioxins
    • Heavy Metals
    • NAPL
    • Oil and Grease
    • PAHs
    • PCBs
    • TBT
    • TPH
  • Partnership
    • Great Lakes Legacy Act
    • Cost-Sharing
  • Cleanup Process
    • Project Stages
    • Dredging
    • Dry Excavation
    • Caps and Covers
    • Habitat Restoration
  • Waterbody
    • Indiana >
      • East Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Branch Phase II - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • East Chicago Waterways - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Indiana Harbor Canal TSCA - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Lake George Canal Middle & East - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Roxana Marsh - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • Stateline - Grand Calumet River AOC
      • West Branch - Grand Calumet River AOC
    • Michigan >
      • Black Lagoon - Detroit River AOC
      • Centennial Park - Detroit River AOC
      • Division Street Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Former MGP Site - St. Marys River AOC
      • Lower Rouge River Old Channel - Rouge River AOC
      • River Raisin - River Raisin AOC
      • Riverwalk - Detroit River AOC
      • Ruddiman Creek - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Ryerson Creek Outfall - Muskegon Lake AOC
      • Tannery Bay - St. Marys River AOC
      • Torch Lake - Torch Lake AOC
      • Upper Trenton Channel - Detroit River AOC
      • Zephyr Site - Muskegon Lake AOC
    • Minnesota >
      • Azcon/DSPA Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Minnesota Slip - St. Louis River AOC
      • Munger Landing - St. Louis River AOC
      • Scanlon Reservoir - St. Louis River AOC
      • Slip 3 and Slip C - St. Louis River AOC
      • SLR Interlake/Duluth Tar - St. Louis River AOC
      • Spirit Lake Site - St. Louis River AOC
    • New York >
      • Buffalo River - Buffalo River AOC
    • Ohio >
      • Ashtabula River - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Cuyahoga River Old Channel - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Gorge Dam - Cuyahoga River AOC
      • Jack's Marine North Slip - Ashtabula River AOC
      • Ottawa River - Maumee AOC
      • Otter Creek - Maumee AOC
    • Wisconsin >
      • Greater Milwaukee Estuary - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Hog Island Inlet - St. Louis River AOC
      • Howards Bay - St. Louis River AOC
      • Kinnickinnic River - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Lincoln Park - Milwaukee Estuary AOC
      • Sheboygan River - Sheboygan River AOC
      • Tyco - Menominee River AOC
    • More coming soon...
  • Education
    • Grade School Curriculum
    • High School Curriculum
    • More Resources >
      • Indiana
      • Michigan
      • Minnesota
      • Ohio
      • Wisconsin
  • Contact