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Ambush Rock
OUR RESTORATION
Ambush Rock
Ambush Rock is significant to the culture and history of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho. Variations of the oral history reflect the use of the location as a lookout by the Tribe. Later, the land was used as an unpermitted dump site by both the City of Bonners Ferry and Boundary County from the turn of the century until ca.1973. Although the dump was closed, illegal dumping continued until the mid 1990s.
A site assessment report by the USEPA , March, 2022 indicated the contamination at Ambush Rock was primarily on the surface. The USEPA provided financial assistance to the Kootenai Tribe in November 2023 to remediate the site.
Over 31 tons of debris was removed from this site and cap and cover material measuring 14,367 cubic yards was put in place. The preparation for and planting of native plants and trees began in October, 2024. Once fully planted and allowed to mature, The Kootenai Tribal citizens will once again be able to enjoy this property.
As part of the reclamation and clean-up of the site, the Tribe, working with Goodfellow Bros. and Boundary County Search and Rescue Dive Team, also successfully removed three car bodies dumped along the shoreline of the Kootenai River downstream of the Search and Rescue boat ramp and adjacent to Ambush Rock.
Project Overview
In November of 2023, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho’s Environmental Department was awarded a small-scale non-CERCLA site clean-up grant to remediate Ambush Rock.
Before
After
Continuing Efforts
The removal of debris and garbage was finished in July, 2023. The next phase of the restoration includes seeding and planting of native grasses, plants, shrubs, and trees, which will begin in the fall of 2024. These efforts will take time and maintenance.
Complete project restoration is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024, but the vegetation will need maintenance for a few years in order to get established and over the initial ‘sensitive’ phase. The landscape itself will take at least 5 years to stabilize, but it will take decades for the vegetation and wildlife to establish.
