Clearwater Junction RV dump site remains closed

GREENOUGH - Ryan Sokoloski, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks park manager for Placid Lake, Salmon Lake and Beavertail Hill State Parks, said that the Clearwater Junction RV dump site will be closed indefinitely unless something changes substantially.

According to him, in spring 2019 FWP saw the site's system fail repeatedly for a multitude of reasons. The built-in alarm system continually went off and when maintenance workers went in to fix the issue they would have to manually override it to get it to function.

After inspections were done, it was determined that nearly all of the functions were failing or near failing. FWP originally estimated that they would have to spend around $100,000 on maintenance updates. However, after another assessment it was determined that the entire structure needed to be replaced. 

This new estimate came to over $400,000 which would have hypothetically paid for the tank, electrical systems and metal fittings in the underground plumbing. Sokoloski said that the "very corrosive nature" of the waste and RV chemicals brought into the site adds more complications.

According to the Missoula City-County Health Department septic permit, the existing system was permitted in 1999 and consists of two, 3,000-gallon tanks and 600 linear feet of drain field. The system was designed to handle 2,000 gallons per day servicing 26 RVs.

Sokoloski said that Montana State Parks has a "tremendous" backlog of major maintenance repairs that need to be completed. The main way the dump site could be replaced is if they form a partnership with another entity.

"To spend that kind of money out of State Parks' operations budget is going to be a significant financial investment as well as a staffing investment," he said. "So we're kind of looking for partners to fund and potentially take over operations of it."

As an alternative for those looking to dispose of their waste, Sokoloski advises that they use the site located near Lindey's Prime Steak House or the multiple in and around Missoula as well as one near Lincoln. He also said that Salmon and Placid Lake State Parks offer full-service bathroom facilities and comfort stations.

He said RV dump site prices can vary location to location, but it is rare for them to exceed $10 per dump.

Because he estimates that less than half the people who use the site actually pay the $5 fee at Clearwater Junction, it is difficult to justify investing large sums of money into maintaining its continued operations. He also believes that the vast majority of waste in RVs is generated outside of Montana State Parks.

He said he has heard multiple comments from the public that it was unfair for travelers to drive for long periods of time with their tanks full of effluent. However, he said that from his research, a full tank of effluent is negligible and that minor reductions in speed can have a much larger effect on gas mileage.

If they were to re-activate it, Sokoloski would like to see not only a higher fee to offset costs but also a way to ensure that everybody was paying either through an electronic swing gate or by staffing the site which would cost staff labor and wages. Currently they use what FWP calls an "iron ranger," where patrons drop the fee off in a sealed envelope.

He acknowledges that the issue is nuanced and that there are likely multiple perspectives when it comes to determining the responsibility of waste disposal. However, his point of view is that the individual who created the mess inside of their personal equipment or property are responsible for properly disposing of it. He said he does not believe that a dump station actually enhances the State Park experience although it can make it more "comfortable" for visitors.

"I would say [RV dump sites are] a popular service, but I don't think that they're a critical service," he said.

A full list of RV dump sites in Montana can be found at https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/activities/list-of-rv-dump-sites.pdf.