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City of Grand Forks and Pacific Abrasives & Supply Inc. addressing sink holes appearing on slag pile properties

Grand Forks and Pacific Abrasives & Supply Inc. have been working together to address the issue of sink holes on the slag pile.

The City of Grand Forks and Pacific Abrasives & Supply Inc. have been working together to address the issue of large crevices and sink holes appearing on the slag pile properties.

Not taking any chances, the City of Grand Forks hired Golder Associates Ltd and a geo-technical engineer arrived in Grand Forks on Monday afternoon, to assess the situation.

After a preliminary inspection, the city was advised that the crevices were formed as a result of underground waterways which in all likelihood have been there for some time, but now due to excessive rain and running water, have become apparent.

Until the geo-technical engineer had completed his investigation of the site, the City of Grand Forks shut down excavating activities in the area, mainly the Pacific Abrasives Operation, and the city’s own gravel pit, as a precautionary measure.

While we don’t expect any sluffing from the Slag Pile properties to impact the Granby River, the situation continues to be monitored on a daily basis.

Pacific Abrasives and the city’s gravel pit will resume operations on Tuesday.

The city issued the release at 5 p.m. on July 16.

For more information, contact Dale Heriot, local emergency co-ordinator for the City of Grand Forks or Lynne Burch, City of Grand Forks CAO, at 250-442-8266.

– Submitted by the City of Grand Forks