Characterization
of Soil Contamination at Former Small Arms Training Ranges
Utilizing a Triad Work Strategy
Elizabeth
Chien, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, 4735
E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98134, Tel: 206-764-6170, Email:
Elizabeth.A.Chien@nws02.usace.army.mil
Gwyn Puckett, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District, 4735 E Marginal
Way S, Seattle, WA 98134, Tel: 206-764-6170,
Email: Gwyn.L.Puckett@nws02.usace.army.mil
Kym Takasaki, US Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle
District, Seattle, WA 98134, Tel: 206-764-3322, Email:
Kym.C.Takasaki@nws02.usace.army.mil
This
paper describes the application of a Triad approach at
Fort Lewis, Washington.
Fort Lewis is a major military facility located
approximately six miles south of Tacoma, Washington. The
facility consists of approximately 34,875 hectares of
cantonment areas, natural prairies, lakes, wetlands, and
forests. Weapons qualifications and field training has
occurred at Fort Lewis Ranges since around the time the
Fort was established in 1917. As part of the Fort Lewis
Agreed Order with the Washington State Department of
Ecology, Fort Lewis Directorate of Public Works tasked
USACE with determining
the nature and extent of contaminated soils in three
former small arms training ranges. These ranges included a
former pistol range (ca. 1929-1944), an infiltration range
(ca. 1951-1965), and a skeet range (ca. 1962-1972).
The characterization was designed to determine if
surface soils contain significant concentrations of metals
with the focus on collecting sufficient data for potential
future actions (i.e., risk analysis or soil remediation).
A Triad work strategy was created
in order to conduct
sampling in one mobilization and to manage uncertainty
around site specific remediation decisions.
Concurrent analysis of soil samples during the Demonstration
of Method Applicability (DMA) using
both field portable
X-ray Fluorescence (FPXRF) and
laboratory methodologies for the initial sampling period
established a correlation between FPXRF and laboratory
data. Immediately
following the DMA, the site characterization data was
collected in the form of FPXRF data and fixed-laboratory
soil collaborative sample results to refine the
conceptual site model for each site.
During the site characterization process,
additional sample locations were determined from the
analysis and interpretation of real time data, which
identified the extent and distribution of contamination.
Communication strategies were developed to inform the
project delivery team, customer and regulator of real time
data and
to ensure the
effectiveness of the sampling communication and to allow
real time decisions.
A
Metal Detector Study to Locate Inactive, Un-Maintained
Small Arms Firing Range Impact Areas
W. Andy
Martin, Applied Research Associates, Inc., 119 Monument
Place, Vicksburg, MS 39180, Tel: 601-634-3710, Fax:
601-634-4844, Email:
andy.martin@ara.com
Victor F. Medina, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Engineer
Research & Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road,
Vicksburg, MS 39180, Tel: 601-634-4283, Email:
victor.f.medina@erdc.usace.army.mil
Joseph R. Marsh, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Seattle District, 4735 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA
98134, Tel: 206-764-6170, Email:
Joseph.R.Marsh@nws02.usace.army.mil
Kym Takasaki, US Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle
District, Seattle, WA 98134, Tel: 206-764-3322, Email:
Kym.C.Takasaki@nws02.usace.army.mil
Precise
locations of older firing ranges at many military bases
are often unavailable, because the records for training
have either been destroyed or are vague and
non-descriptive. We conducted
an “environmental forensics study” of a 25-acre site
at a large military facility in order to locate impact
areas of a Thompson sub-machine gun range that was last
used over 50 years ago.
Preliminary
assessment activities included historical map and aerial
photography review, site visits, and interviews with range
control personnel, which suggested sub-machine gun
training in the general area.
However, site visits did not indicate any visual
features signifying range use, and the site had been
overgrown with vegetation covering all traces of bullets.
We used a Garrett Infinium metal detector to
successfully locate several small impact areas.
The impact rounds were identified, marked, and the
location coordinates were identified using GPS.
The study was completed in 4 days, and at a
fraction of the cost of physical.
The characterization will be used in future
development of the site.
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