Savanna Army Depot Activity

⚠ Superfund · Cleanup underway

The site is being addressed through federal action. The U.S. Army has lead responsibility for the site, with regulatory support from the EPA, and Illinois EPA.

Location

CitySavanna
CountyJo Daviess County
StateIllinois
Coordinates42.21000, -90.31333

Contaminants of concern

Contaminated media

Cleanup timeline

  1. Initial Assessment Completed — 02/01/1984
  2. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 07/22/1987
  3. Proposed to the National Priorities List — 10/15/1984
  4. Finalized on the National Priorities List — 03/13/1989
  5. Remedial Investigation Started — 09/29/1989
  6. Remedy Selected — 03/31/1992
  7. Remedial Action Started — 10/22/1992
  8. Construction Completed — Not Yet Achieved
  9. Deleted from National Priorities List — Not Yet Achieved
  10. Most Recent Five-Year Review — 07/30/2025

EPA references

Other Superfund sites in Jo Daviess County

EPA-regulated facilities nearby

Understanding this Superfund site

Savanna Army Depot Activity is a federal Superfund site in Illinois. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.

Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.

EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8,9-octachlorodibenzo[b,e][1,4]dioxin (ocdd), 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodibenzo[b,e][1,4]dioxin (hpcdd). Contamination has been detected in soil, groundwater, sediment, solid waste.

If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.