What Happened? The Truth About Montana’s Most Toxic Lake

There's a deadly body of water in Montana that is considered one of the most toxic on earth. Here's why you need to stay away from it.

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Butte, Montana has a unique history. During the 1800s, people from around the world flocked to the city to work in the copper mines. In 1882, the area produced nine million pounds of copper, and the next year, production increased by over 250%.

Sadly, Butte's mining boom days are long gone, but you can still see evidence of the past. The scars left from decades of mining are a sight to behold. Entire mountains were leveled, and a giant open-pit mine filled with highly toxic water remains. It's known as the Berkeley Pit.

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When mining ceased in 1982, the groundwater pumps were shut down, and the pit began filling with water. However, the water is contaminated with toxic metals and chemicals, including arsenic, lead, copper, cadmium, and sulfuric acid.

The Berkeley Pit is a lake of poison. In 2016, thousands of snow geese died after landing in the lake. According to experts, the water is so acidic that it can dissolve metal.

Due to the toxicity of the water in the Berkeley Pit, getting anywhere near it is off-limits. If you visit Butte, you can see the pit from a safe distance on the observation deck.

The Berkeley Pit is part of the largest Superfund site in the U.S. due to the decades of mining-related contamination.

To learn more about Butte's mining history, you can visit the Mining History Association website.