River Flats, a 865-ha estuarine salt marsh on Fort
Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson is on the Na-
tional Priority List, and Eagle River Flats is designated
Operable Unit C (OUC) under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability
Act (CERCLA). Documents produced under the
CERCLA process, such as the ecological risk assess-
ment, remedial investigation report, feasibility study
report, and the proposed plan, have used the research
results first published in this series of annual contract
Teports.

This year marks the first of a planned 5-year
remediation effort in Eagle River Flats. Pond pump-
ing, using six remote-controlled pumps to temporarily
drain contaminated ponds within several areas of Ea-
gle River Flats was conducted this year. The success
of the pumping treatability studies conducted in 1997
and 1998 resulted in pond pumping being chosen as
the preferred alternative in the Record of Decision for
OUC, signed in October 1998. The pumps keep the
ponds drained for an extended period during the sum-
mer, thus allowing the pond bottom sediments to dry
and the white phosphorus to sublime and oxidize. In
addition, temporarily draining the ponds excludes wa-
terfowl from these contaminated water bodies thus
reducing potential exposure to white phosphorus.

Despite an expected poor season because of pre-
dicted flooding tides every month, the pond pumping
resulted in significant sediment drying and loss of
white phosphorus in treated ponds. A series of tide
gates installed at the heads of tidal gullies that lead
into the ponds being treated resulted in the prevention
of significant flooding in July, August, and early Sep-
tember for five of the six ponds being treated.

Monitoring of the effectiveness of the remediation
showed a greater than 76% reduction in the white
phosphorus mass of planted particles in Pond 183 and
lesser levels in other locations. Other studies included
in this year's report are the waterfowl use and mortal-
ity studies, the additional sampling for white phospho-
Tus contamination in ponds in Areas A and in C/D that
had either not been sampled before or had only limited
sampling, and the collection of environmental and
habitat information for Eagle River Flats for inclusion
in the GIS database.

‘Collins, C.M. (2000) Weather data for Eagle River
Flats. In Remediating and monitoring white phospho-
us contamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit
C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL
Contract Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of
‘Public. Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S.
Army Engineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 97-
104.

13

The summer of 1999 had normal to slightly
above-normal temperatures for June through Septem-
ber. Precipitation was below normal in June, slightly
above normal in July, and considerably above normal
in August and the first half of September. May and
June are normally the driest months of the core drying
season needed for treatment of contaminated pond
bottom sediments. The cooler weather and flooding
tides of May eliminated any effective drying that
month, but June and the first week of July provided
near ideal drying conditions. There were 30 days dur-
ing the summer with maximum temperatures of 20°C
or more. This compares to only 18 days during the
summer of 1998. After 9 July, the net evaporation rate
decreased dramatically because of the increased rain-
fall, more complete cloud cover, and resulting de-
creased evaporation. Several large rainfall events oc-
curred in August, with 25 mm (1 in.) falling on 13
August.

‘Cummings, JL, PA. Pochop, RE. Jol , KS.
‘Graver, D.L. York, JE. Davis, J.B. Bourassa, BS.
Dorr, and C.H. Racine (2000) Movements, distribu-
tion, and relative risk of Mallards using Eagle River
Flats: 1999. In Remediating and monitoring white
phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Op.
‘erable Unit C),. Fort Richardson, Alasko-—FY 1999.
‘USA CRREL Contract Report to Us: . Amy, Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
and US. Amny Engineer District, Alaske. Final Re-
‘port, p. 19-32.

We determined spatial distribution, movements,
turnover rate, and mortality of Mallards using Eagle
River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska, during fall mi-
gration, 4 August to 14 October 1999. We randomly
captured 116 Mallards between 4 and 18 August on
ERF using a net gun from a Bell 212 helicopter. Each
duck was banded and fitted with a 9.1-g backpack
transmitter and released at its capture site. All 116
Mallards were fitted with standard mortality transmit-
ters that emit about 60 pulses per minute when the
duck is alive. If the duck dies, the transmitter will emit
about 120 pulses per minute. Tracking data indicated
that transmitters did not appear to inhibit Mallard
movements or activities. LOCATE II was used to map
telemetry locations.

Mallard movements and distribution indicate that
they spent about 82% of their time in Areas A, B, C,
and C/D. In addition, Mallards spent about 61% of
their time in areas that are considered contaminated
(A, BT, C, C/D, and RI). The average daily turnover
rate for waterfowl was about 1.3%. The greatest turn-
over of waterfowl occurred from 20-31 August and
15-27 September when 29 and 20% of the Mallards,



Recession of tidal creeks at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (L.E. Hunter, D.E.
Lawson, and S.R. Bigl, 1997)
Record of Decision for Operable Unit C, Fort Richardson, Alaska (CH2M Hill, 1998) .....
Remedial investigation report for white phosphorus contamination in an Alaskan salt marsh
(C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck,
L. Reitsma, and B. Steele, 1992) ....
Remediation of a white phosphorus contaminated salt marsh: Eagle River Flats, Alaska (CM.
Collins, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, J.T. Walls, and M.E. Wong, in press) .. o
Remediation of white phosphorus contamination in wetlands using small scale dredging (2.
Walsh, CM. Collins, and M.E. Walsh, 1997) ... 35
Remediation methods for white phosphorus contamination in a coastal salt marsh (VR. Walsh,
M.E. Walsh, and C.M. Collins, 1999) ..
Report of USDA-APHIS-Animal damage control for the U.S. Army at Eagle River Flats, Apa
October 1996 (C. Rossi, 1997) /
Report of USDA-APHIS- Wildlife Services for
October 1997 (C. Rossi, 1998) ....
Review of chemical and physical properties of WP (A/E. Walsh, 1994) .
Role of phosphine in white phosphorus toxicity (S.J. Nam, B.D. Roebuck,
and M.E. Walsh, 1993)
Sampling and site assessment of white phosphorus sediment contamination in ponds of an
Alaskan salt marsh (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins,
L. Reitsma, and B. Steele, 1993) ...
Screening study of barriers to prevent poisoning of waterfowl in Eagle River Flats, Alaska
(KS. Henry, 1995) ....
Secondary poisoning of kestrels by white phosphorus (D.W. Sparling, and
NE. Federfoff, 1997)
Secondary toxicity in raptors caus
Sediment accumulation at Eagle River Flat
and L.E, Hunter, 1997)
Selection of silt fence to retain suspended toxic particles (K.S. Henry, M.R. Walsh, and S.H.
Morin, 1999) ......
Silt fence testing for Eagle River Flats dredging (K.S. Henry, and S.T. Hunnewell, 1995) .
Simple field screening method for white phosphorus (P,) in sediment (\/.E. Walsh, C.R. Racine,
CM. Collins, C. Bouwkamp, and P.G. Thorne, 1995) .....
Testing and performance of silt fence for dredging operation (K.S. Henry, M.R. Walsh, and S.
Hurnewell, 1996) ..
Tidal flooding dynamics, sedimentation, and implications to site remediation, Eagle River Flats,
Ft. Richardson, Alaska (S.R. Bigl, D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, BM. Nadeau,
P.B. Weyrick, and JH. Bodette, 1995) ..
Toxicity of white phosphorus to waterfowl: Acute exposure to Mallards (D.W. Sparling, M.
Gustafson, P. Klein, and N. Karouna-Renier, 1997)
Toxicological properties of white phosphorus (P,): Effects of particle size (B.D. Roebuck,
GN SLT. Nam, 1995) ceesesscecsscssvessessesessessseseessesssesnecnnecsseeneesesneaseesnseaneesssenensceasennecsassananeseneensnes 30
Toxicological properties of white phosphorus: Comparison of particle sizes on acute toxicity and
the biotransfer of white phosphorus from hen to eggs
(B.D. Roebuck, and 8.1. Nam, 1995)
Toxicological studies of white phosphorus in waterfowl (D.IW. Sparling, R. Grove, E. Hill, M.
Gustafson, and L. Comerci, 1994) ..... . 63
Toxicology of white phosphorus (P.) to ducks and risk for their predators: Effects of particle size
(B.D. Roebuck, S.1. Nam, D.L. MacMillan, K.J. Baumgartner, and M.E. Walsh, 1998) ........ 77
Translocation of white phosphorus from hen (Gallus domesticus) to eggs (S.I. Nam, D.L.
MacMillan, and B.D. Roebuck, 1996) ..sesssssssssesssesssssssessnssssssseeeeseeseeseesrsessessunnnasnnnnnnannntnnt 16
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white-phosphorus-contaminated
sediments of drained ponds (A/.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 1998)

e U.S. Army at Eagle River Flats, April-

y white phosphorus (D.W’. Sparling, 1995) . .
Fort Richardson, Alaska (S.R. Bigl, D.E. Lawson,

21

78

61

34



INDEX TO ABSTRACTS

First Edition (1950-1998)"

Acute toxicity of the bird repellent, methyl anthranilate, to fry of Salmo salar, Oncorhynus mykiss,
Ictalurus punctatus and Lepomis macrochirus (L. Clark, J. Cummings, S. Bird, and E.
Aronov, 1993)..... 75

Acute toxicity of white phosphorus (P,) in game farm Mallards (D.W. Sparling, M. Gustafson,
EF. Hill, P. Klein, and R. Grove, 1994) ... 3

Analysis of the Eagle River Flats white phosphorus concentration database
(CH. Racine, 1995) .

Analysis of white phosphorus in biota at Eagle River Flats, 1995 field season (B.D. Roebuck,
1996) ...

Analytical method for white phosphorus in water (4.E. Walsh, 1995) 78

Analytical method for white phosphorus residues in munitions-contaminated sediments ((M.
Walsh and S. Taylor, 1993) ......

Analytical methods for white phosphorus (AZ.E. Walsh, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck, and S.I. Nam,
1995) ...

Analytical methods for white phosphorus (P,) in sediment and water (M.E. Walsh, S. Taylor, D.
Anderson, and H. McCarty, 1995) ..

Appendix A: Eagle River Flats map atlas (C.H. Racine, and M. Brouillette, 1995)

Appendix A: Method documentation in USATHAMA format: Analytical method for white
phosphorus in soil or sediment (KNO1) Revised in April 1992 (M.E. Walsh, 1994)

Biodiversity inventory of Eagle River Flats, Upper Cook Inlet Alaska (C.H. Racine,
B.B. Steele, L. Reitsma, and C. Bouwkamp, in press) ......

Biotransfer and accumulation of white phosphorus (S.J. Nam, B.D. Roebuck, M.E. Walsh, and
C. HH. Racine, 1992) ..

(L. Clark and J.L. Ci ‘ummings, 1995)
Climate and tides (R.K. Haugen, 1995) ..
Climate and tides (R.K. Haugen, 1996) ..
Composite sampling of sediments contaminated with white phosphorus (M.E. Walsh, C.)

Collins, R.N. Bailey, and C.L. Grant, 1997) ..
Composite sampling of white phosphorus contaminated sediments (A4.E. Walsh, CM. Collins,

RN. Bailey, and C.L. Grant, 1997) .
Contaminant inventory (C.A. Bouwkamp, 1994) . _
Debris exclusion device for an augerhead-type hydraulic dredge system (A/.R. Walsh, and D.

Lambert, 1998)
Demonstration of sample compositing methods to detect white phosphorus particles

(MLE. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 1997) ... an

Deposition and distribution of white phosphorus into chicken eggs (S.l. Nam, D.L. MacMillan,

and B.D. Roebuck, 1994) ...
Designation of white phosphorus for toxicity testing by the TSCA Interagency Testing

Committee (B.A. Rattner and J.D. Walker, 1994) ....
Development of a remotely controlled drilling and sampling system for remediation program at

Eagle River Flats @4.R. Walsh, 1996) .... 7
Development of an analytical method for white phosphorus (P,) in water and sediment using solid-

phase microextraction (M.E. Walsh, S. Taylor, and P.G. Thorne, 1996)
Different susceptibilities to white phosphorus poisoning among five species of ducks

(B.B. Steele, L.R. Reitsma, CH. Racine, S.L. Burson, R. Stuart, and R. Theberge, 1997) .... 78
Distribution of white phosphorus residues from the detonation of 81-mm mortar WP smoke
rounds at an upland site (V4.E. Walsh and C.M. Collins, 1993) ...

“USA Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Special Report 99-13.

30



White phosphorus contamination of an Alaskan salt marsh: Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins, C.H.

. 22

White phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in a wetland impact area (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh,
C.M. Collins, and S. Taylor) ....
White phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in an Alaskan salt marsh (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh,
B.D. Roebuck, CM. Collins, D.J. Calkins, L.R. Reitsma, P.J. Buchli,
and G. Goldfarb) ....

29

oe TT

1993

Acute toxicity of the bird repellent, methyl anthranilate, to fry of Salmo salar, Oncorhynus
mykiss, Ictalurus punctatus and Lepomis macrochirus (L. Clark, J. Cummings, S. Bird,
and E, Aronov)
Analytical method for white phosphorus residues in muni ions-contaminated sediments (M4.E.
Walsh, and S. Taylor) .... vo
Distribution of white phosphorus residues from the detonation of 81-mm mortar WP smoke
rounds at an upland site (4.E. Walsh, and C.M. Collins) we. 87
Effects of methyl anthranilate bead formulations on Mallard feeding behavior in an aqueous
environment (J.L. Cummings, L. Clark, S.A. Bird, J.E. Davis Jr., H.W. Krupa, and P.A.
Pochop, 1993)
Factors that determine persistence of white phosphorus residues in a wetland impact area (VE.
Walsh, C.H. Racine, CM. Collins, and B. Nadean) .. 32
Preliminary assessment of sedimentation and erosion in Eagle River Flats, south-central Alaska
(D.E. Lawson, and B.E. Brockett) ... .. 83
Preliminary evaluation of encapsulated methyl] anthranilate at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson,
Alaska (L. Clark, J.L. Cummings, S.A. Bird, JE. Davis Jr., and P.A. Pochop) ... a 81
Role of phosphine in white phosphorus toxicity (S.J. Nam, B.D. Roebuck,
and ME. Walsh) ...
Sampling and site assessment of white phosphorus sediment contamination in ponds
of an Alaskan salt marsh (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, L. Reitsma,
and B. Steele) oo
White phosphorus contamination of salt marsh sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska. Part II.
Remedial investigation report (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, D. Lawson,
K. Henry, L. Reitsma, B. Steele, R. Harris and S.T. Bird) .. -
White phosphorus contamination of salt marsh sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H.
Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck, L. Reitsma,
and B. Steele)
White phosphorus: An environmental contaminant (ME. Walsh)

. 82

wn 57

1994

Appendix A: Method documentation in USATHAMA format: Analytical method for white
phosphorus in soil or sediment (KNO1) Revised in April 1992 (QE. Walsh) .....
Acute toxicity of white phosphorus (P,) in game farm Mallards (D.W. Sparling, M. Gustafson,
E-F. Hill, P. Klein, and R. Grove) ...
Contaminant inventory (C.A. Bouwkamp)
Analysis of the Eagle River Flats white phosphorus concentration database
(CH. Racine) ...
Deposition and distribution of white phosphorus into chicken eggs (S.J. Nam, D.L. MacMillan,
and B.D. Roebuck) ... 7
Designation of white phosphorus for toxicity testing by the TSCA Interagency Testing
Committee (B.A. Rattner, and J.D, Walker) ......
Eagle River Flats - An Army environmental rescue operation (H.4. Gossweiler) .
Eagle River Flats: A potential repellent for reducing waterfow! ingestion of white phosphorus
UL. Cummings, L. Clark, P.A. Pochop, and J.E. Davis) ...

39



CONFERENCE PAPERS

Collins, C.M., MLR. Walsh, MLE. Walsh, J.T. Walls,
and MLE. Wong (1999) Remediation of a white phos-
phorus contaminated salt marsh: Eagle River Flats,
Alaska. In Proceedings, 1999 International In Situ and
On-Site Bioremediation Symposium, 19-22 April, San
Diego, Cali ifornia.

Pond pumping treatability studies were conducted
at Eagle River Flats in the summers of 1997 and 1998.
Pond pumping is a way to temporarily drain the ponds,
allowing the sediments to desaturate and the P, to
sublime. Pond pumping does not permanently alter the
environment the way ditching and dredging do. Six
automatic remote pumping systems have been de-
signed for ERF: one 1000-gallon-per-minute (gpm)
system (powered by a 50-kW diesel generator), four
2000-gpm systems (80 kW), and one 3000-gpm sys-
tem (125 kW). The pumping systems consist of two
units: a 15-cm (6-in.) open-impeller centrifugal pump
on floats and a generator set (genset) with fuel tanks,
also on floats. A series of float switches automatically
turns the pump system on and off as water levels
change. Units are sized to allow air transport into re-
mote ponds using UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. In
1997, one pumping system was operated at ERF, and
in 1998 all six systems were deployed.

The automatic pump system was highly success-
ful in keeping the treated ponds drained for much of
the summer. This resulted in extensive drying of the
exposed pond bottom sediments. Following treatment
in 1997, P, concentrations decreased by over 88% in
the pond treated. Laboratory-manufactured P, particles
were planted in the sediment during the 1997 and 1998
treatment seasons. The planted particles decreased in
mass by 50% in 1997, and 60% in 1998 at ponds
where pumping was being done. Mallards were se-
lected as the indicator species to measure the effects of
any treatability studies or remediation actions on ERF.
Overall Mallard mortality, calculated from telemetry
and census data, decreased from 983 ducks in 1996 to
360 ducks in 1997, then increased to 532 ducks in
1998. The increase of Mallard mortalities on ERF
from 1997 to 1998 can be attributed to remediation
efforts that caused more ducks to move from areas
being treated to other contaminated areas not yet
treated.

‘Hull, J.P., IM. Jersak, and HLF. Crowell (1999)
“Biofriendly” remediation of impacted ‘wetlands. In
Proceedings, International Conference on Wetlands

land Remediation, 16-17 November, Salt Lake City,
(Utah, p. 229-236.

In this paper, we explore the potential for concur-
rent use of two nonremoval, sediment remediation
techniques—in situ capping and in situ treatment—for
reducing and/or immobilizing contaminants in wetland
sediments while minimizing disturbance to wetland
habitats and functions.

Organic and metallic contaminants have been dis-
charged to coastal and inland wetland ecosystems
across the U.S. Remediation of sediments via removal
by dredging is frequently used in deepwater systems
(e.g., lakes, harbors, and rivers) and can be performed
in wetlands as well. Dredging can result in substantial
and irreparable damage to wetland plant and animal
communities and alter wetland characteristics.

In situ treatment (including chemical or biological
processes) could be used to address sediment contami-
nants without significantly affecting wetland func-
tions. In situ capping can be used in concert with in
situ treatment methods. In particular, a relatively
impervious yet reactive clay mineral-based capping
technology, AquaBlokTM, can be integrated with in
situ treatment techniques in impacted wetlands to 1)
enhance the effectiveness of in situ treatment tech-
niques and facilitate monitoring of in situ treatment
effectiveness through creation of a “closed” sediment
system, and 2) provide a comparable “replacement”
substrate for indigenous flora and fauna, minimizing
impacts to wetland organisms that may occur as a con-
sequence of in situ treatment techniques.

j y (1999).
‘Monitoring of remediation of a. salt: marsh contami-
wpated with white phosphorus. In Proceedings, Inter-
national Conference on Wetlands and Remediation,
‘16-17 November, Salt Lake City, Utah, p. 349-356.
Detonation of projectiles containing white phos-
phorus, a smoke-producing munition, contaminated
Eagle River Flats, a salt marsh located on Fort
Richardson, Alaska. Ingestion of highly toxic white
phosphorus residues by dabbling waterfowl caused
significant mortality, leading to the suspension of
training with white phosphorus in wetlands and desig-
nation of Eagle River Flats as a Superfund site. The
anaerobic sediments of shallow salt marsh ponds are
ideal for long-term storage of the millimeter-size par-
ticles of white phosphorus ejected from detonated
mortar and howitzer shells. In unsaturated sediment,
white phosphorus particles ultimately sublime and
oxidize, leaving nontoxic residues. In 1997, large



Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated
sediments in treated ponds (ME. Walsh, CM. Collins, and R.N. Bailey)
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April—-October 2001 (W.D. Eldridge)

2003

Work plan: Field work to control flooding of the Bread Truck Pond
(Weldin Construction, Inc.).....

In Press

2002 Remedial progress report, Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats), Fort Richardson, Alaska
(USA CRREL) ....
2003 Remediation and monitoring work plan, Operable Unit C—Eagle River Flats
(USA CRREL) ....
Biodiversity inventory of eagle River Flats, Upper Cook Inlet Alaska (C.H. Racine, B.B. Steele, L.
Reitsma, and C. Bouwkamp.) ..... Co
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2002 (C.M. Collins and
D.W. Cate, eds.) ..

47



Range cleanup plan due hearing (Anchorage Daily News)

1999

1999 Field work plan for Eagle River Flat, Alaska (CH2M Hill)
“Biofriendly" remediation of impacted wetlands (J.P. Hull, JM. Jersak, and H.F. Crowell) ..
Corps cleans up Alaska saltwater marsh (M. Darling).
Database for monitoring remediation efforts (C.H. Racine and P. Berger)
Development of a remediation method for white-phosphorus-contaminated wetlands (M.R. Walsh,
CM. Collins, and D.J. Lambert) ....
Eagle River Flats pond pumping treatability study: Full-scale deployment of remote pumping
systems (M/.R. Walsh, CM. Collins, and D.J. Lambert)
Interagency expanded site investigation: Evaluation of white phosphorus contamination and
potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska-FY 1998 (C.M. Collins and M.J.
Hardenberg, eds.) ...

5
7
8
1

M. Collins, and RM. Bailey)
Monitoring physical and biological changes in Eagle River Flats (C.H.
Tracy, and P. Berger) .....
Remedial action work plan and final design for Eagle River Flats (CH2M Hill)
Movements, distribution, and relative risk of waterfowl using Eagle River Flats: 1998 (/.L.
Cumming., R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, P.A. Pochop, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B. Bourassa,
GNA C.H, RACING) eesescssesssssesssessssesssesesssessssessaveessnsecsneccssnecsuccssuscseanecnsncennsetsnsecsanesnsesensesssnssesses 10
Remediation of a white phosphorus contaminated salt marsh: Eagle River Flats, Alaska (CM.
Collins, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, J.T. Walls, and M.E. Wong) ..
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated s
of drained ponds (ME. Walsh, CM. Collins, and R.N. Bailey)... seseee
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April to October 1998 (W.D. Eldridge and D.G.
Robertson) .......
Weather data for Eagle River Flats. (CM. Collins)

2000

Amny to set off explosions as part of phosphorus cleanup (Anchorage Daily News)
Army torpedoes bird-killing ponds (E. Manning)...
Composite sampling and analysis for white phosphorus in untreated ponds (M.E. Walsh, CM.
Collins, and R.N. Bailey) ....
CRREL, Army clean up contaminated Alaskan marsh (M. Darling)
Eagle River Flats pond pumping remediation project: First-year deployment under the record of
decision (V.R. Walsh, and CM. Collins ene ()
Effects of white phosphorus on Mallard reproduction (L. Vann Stephanie,
M.A. Ottinger) ....
Method for attenuation of white phosphorus contamination in wetlands (M.R. Walsh,
M.E. Walsh, and CM. Collins)
Monitoring of a salt marsh contaminated with white phosphorus (.E.
and RM. Bailey) ........
Physical barrier to reduce WP mortalities of foraging waterfowl (P.A. Pochop,
C.A. Yoder, and W.A. Gossweiler) ...
Pond pumping, ditching, and habitat change on Eagle River Flats (C.H. ’)
Movements, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards using Eagle River Flats: 1999
(LL. Cummings, P.A. Pochop, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B.
Bourassa, B.S. Dorr, and C.H. Racine) ....
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 1999 (Collins, CM., and M.J.
Hardenberg, eds.)

(Collins,

45



dressing some of the contaminated areas in the vicinity
on Canoe Point. Additional ditches were made using
Bangalore torpedoes and detonation cord to expedite
drainage in treated areas.

This year, we had three 1100-L, double-walled
fuel tanks to supplement the two 1900-L tanks used in
the field last year. The lack of flooding after the June
high tides resulted in a sharp drop in the necessity to
refuel the field systems. Logistics still need to be
worked out to make the most efficient use of these
assets. Three additional 1100-L tanks have been or-
dered to allow complete field refueling and defueling
with a Bell 212 helicopter, thus reducing our reliance
on the Blackhawks and significantly reducing costs.

A team from Weldin Construction, Inc., led by
Terry Edwards, conducted the field operation and
maintenance work this year. The results were excel-
lent. They were able to address and work through a
number of potentially crippling problems in the field.
As a result, there was no significant unplanned down-
time this year. The controls were once again reconfig-
ured and rewired, this time to address stuck float
switches. This will also increase the reliability of the
systems, as the controls were simplified in the process.
A developmental video monitoring system was de-
ployed, with mixed results. Although it was a valuable
tool, more work needs to be done before it becomes
useful.

Next season looks to be unavoidably bad, with
tides in excess of 9.75 m (32 ft) every month. The
option of whether or not to deploy was considered,
and the decision was made to recommend deployment
to ensure continuity of the project, to reduce the ef-
fects of inundation of the ponds under treatment (es-
pecially Pond 730), and to work out the new commu-
nications structure of the meteorological station and
the video monitoring system.

Collins, C.M., and D.W. Cate, eds. (2001) Reme-

‘idiating and monitoring white phosphorus ‘contamina-
tion at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL Contract
‘Report to U.S. Army. Alaska, Directorate of Pubic
‘Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and’U.S. Army En-
gineer District, Alaska. August.

This is the eleventh annual contract report pre-
pared by researchers from CRREL and other Federal
agencies for U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, and
U.S. Amny Alaska, Public Works, describing the re-
sults of research, monitoring, and remediation efforts
addressing the white phosphorus contamination in
Eagle River Flats, an 865-ha estuarine salt marsh on
Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson is on the
National Priority List, and Eagle River Flats is desig-

17

nated Operable Unit C (OUC) under the Comprehen-
sive Environmental Response, Compensation, and-
Liability Act (CERCLA).

This year marks the second of a planned five-year
remediation effort in Eagle River Flats. Pond pump-
ing, using six remote-controlled pumps to temporarily
drain contaminated ponds within several areas of Ea-
gle River Flats, was conducted again this year. The
pumps kept the ponds drained for an extended period
during the summer, allowing the pond bottom sedi-
ments to dry and the white phosphorus to sublime and
oxidize. The logistics continued to be fine-tuned,
leading to a more effective and efficient operation this
year.

The combination of a warm, dry period during the

first half of the summer and the successful use of
floodgates to prevent flooding tides resulted in a long
and effective drying season. Sampling showed that
levels of contamination continued to decline, although
localized areas of contamination still exist.
‘Collins, GM. (2001) 2000 Weather data for Eagle
River Flats. In Remediating and ‘monitoring white
'phosphorus.contamination at Eagle River Flats (Op-
‘erable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000.
‘USA CRREL ‘Contract Report to U. Amy Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
and U.S. Amy Engineer District, Alaska, Final Re-
‘port, p. 71-78.

May and June are normally the driest months of
the core drying season needed for treating contami-
nated pond bottom sediments. This year the timing of
the last spring flooding tide in early May allowed us to
deploy equipment and pump the ponds out so that we
could take advantage of the warmer weather of late
May to start the drying process. June and early July
provided nearly ideal drying conditions except for an
occasional rainstorm.

The summer of 2000 had normal to slightly
above-normal temperatures for May and June. There
were 38 days from mid-May to mid-August 2000 with
maximum temperatures of 20°C or more. This com-
pares to only 30 days during the summer of 1999 and
only 18 days during the summer of 1998. Tempera-
tures were below normal for August and September.

Precipitation was minimal from late May through
almost all of June, with a precipitation total from 24
May through 28 June of only 8 mm. Thirteen of the
days with maximum temperatures of 20°C or more
also occurred in this dry spell, contributing to the ex-
cellent sediment drying conditions during this period.



Uptake and loss of white phosphorus in American kestrels (S.J. Nam, B.D. Roebuck, and M.E.
Walsh, 1994) .
Use of geosynthetics to prevent white phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in Eagle River Fl lats,
Alaska (K.S. Henry, C.M. Collins, and C.H. Racine, 1995)
Water sampling (M.E. Walsh, 1994)
Water, sediment, macroinvertebrate, and fish sampling, Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson,
Alaska, July 12-23, 1993 (U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency, 1994) ....
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Cook Inlet: April~October 1996 (W.D.
Eldridge, 1997) .....
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Cook Inlet: April—October 1995 (W.D.
Eldridge, and D.G. Robertson, 1996)
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Coo!
Eldridge, and D.G. Robertson, 1998) ....
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April-October 1993 (W.D. Eldridge, 1994)
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April-October 1994 (W.D. Eldridge, 1995) ....
Waterfowl distribution and movements in Eagle River Flats (J.L. Cummings, P.A. Pochop, and
JE. Davis, 1994)
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats impact area, Anchorage,
Walsh, C.M. Collins, B.D. Roebuck, and W. Gossweiler, 1991) ...
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of nunitions compounds and human
health risk assessment (S.7. Bird, C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, D.J. Calkins, B.D.
Roebuck, L.W. Metker, and R. Newsome, 1991)
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of munition compounds (C.H. Racine,
M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, D.J. Calkins, and B.D. Roebuck, 1991) ... “
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of munition residues (CH. Racine,
M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, D.J. Calkins, and B.D. Roebuck, 1992) .......
Waterfowl mortality on Eagle River Flats (B.B. Steele, L.R. Reitsma, and S.L. Burson, 1997)
Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (B.B. Steele and L.R. Reitsma, 1996)
Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (L.R. Reitsma and B.B. Steele, 1994)
Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (L.R. Reitsma and B.B. Steele, 1995) ...
White phosphorus contamination of an Alaskan salt marsh: Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins, C. H.
Racine, and M.E. Walsh, 1992) 22
White phosphorus contamination of salt marsh sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska. Part IT.
Remedial investigation report (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, D. Lawson, K. Henry,
L. Reitsma, B. Steele, R. Harris and S.T. Bird, 1993) oe
White phosphorus contamination of salt marsh sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H.
Racine, M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck, L. Reitsma,
and B. Steele, 1993) .....
White phosphorus in plants at Eagle River Flats (M.E. Walsh, 1994) ...
White te phosphorus mobilization at the Eagle River Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (L.E. Hunter, D. E.
Lawson, S.E. Bigl, BM. Nadeau, P.B. Weyrick, and J.H. Bodette, 1995) .. 26
White phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in a wetland impact area (C.H. Racine, ME. Walsh,
CM. Collins, and S. Taylor, 1992) ...
White phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in an Alaskan salt marsh (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh,
B.D. Roebuck, C.M. Collins, D.J. Calkins, L.R. Reitsma, P.J. Buchli,
and G. Goldfarb, 1992) ...
White phosphorus toxicity and bioindicators of exposure in waterfowl and raptors (D.W. Sparling,
R. Grove, E. Hill, M. Gustafson, and P. Klein, 1995) ..
White phosphorus: An environmental contaminant (ALE. Walsh, 1993) ..
Winter test of artillery firing into Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (C.M. Collins, and
DJ. Calkins, 1995) ....
WP in sediment (C.H. Racine and M.E. Walsh, 1994)
WP poisoning of waterbirds in ERF (D.W. Sparling, R. Grove, and L. Comerci, 1994)

let: April-October 1997 (W.D.

aska (CH. Racine, ME.

35



CONTENTS

Nomenclature ........scscscssssssssssssssssessssseeceesssssescessseceessnnssesecsnseseesnnneesessnseeesanarecsesssnsestsssesseessnnnsscenganaess

Introduction.
Aerial photographs of ERF
CERCLA documents.
Conference papers .
Contract reports
Journal articles

Newsletter and periodical articles
Reports.....
Videotapes.
Web sites.

First Edition (1950-1998).
Second Edition (1998-2003)
Chronological index to abstracts ......
First Edition (1950-1998: Excluding aerial photos).
Second Edition (1998-2003: Excluding aerial photos)
Abstract...



phosphorus. Teratogenic effects were observed in em-
bryos from hens dosed at all treatment levels. Egg
laying frequency was reduced even at the lowest
treatment level; treated hens tequired a greater number
of days to lay a clutch of 12 eggs than control hens.
After two doses at 2.0 mg/kg, all females stopped
laying completely for a minimum of 10 days, and
laying frequency was depressed for at least 45 days.
Fertility of 10 adult male Mallards dosed with 1.0
mg/kg of white phosphorus did not differ from 10
controls, but plasma testosterone levels were
significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the treated males 1
day after dosing ended. These results provide evidence
that productivity of free-ranging Mallards may be
impaired if they are exposed to white phosphorus at
typical field levels.

‘Walsh, MLR, M.E. Walsh, and C.M. Collins (2000)
Method for attenuation of white phosphorus contami-
‘pation in’ wetlands. Journal of Environmental Engi-
neering, 126(11): 1013-1018.

White phosphorus, a manufactured form of ele-
mental phosphorus, is both toxic and persistent in satu-
rated environments. This form of phosphorus (P,) is
used by militaries worldwide as a component for ob-
scurants, tracer rounds, and incendiary munitions. At
Eagle River Flats, an estuarine salt marsh located on
Fort Richardson, Alaska, white phosphorus has been
directly linked through carcass analysis to the deaths
of thousands of dabbling waterfowl. Particulate resi-
due from ordnance contaminates the permanently
ponded areas of Eagle River Flats, where the water-
fowl sieve the soft bottom sediments for food items,
picking up P, particles in the process. Death follows
within hours. Large-scale investigations into the na-
ture, extent, and persistence of the contaminant were
initiated in 1989, followed four years later by work on
the testing and analysis of remediation methods. In
1997, a method for in situ remediation of the contami-
nant through low-impact pumping and draining of
ponded areas to enhance natural attenuation of white
phosphorus was tested. Results indicate that pond
pumping is a very effective remediation technique.

NEWSLETTER AND PERIODICAL ARTICLES

Anchorage Daily News (1997) Army to drain pond
with three blasts. Anchorage Daily News, April 22, p.
B3.

Anchorage Daily News (1998) Range cleanup plan
due hearing. Anchorage Daily News, February 12, p.
B2.

Anchorage Daily News (2000) Army to set off explo-
sions as part of phosphorus cleanup. Anchorage Daily
News, March 17, p. B3.

Campbell, L. (2001) Sounds like an attack, but it's
just practice Anchorage Daily News, February 25, p.
B3.

Chambers, M. (2002) Artillery range bill could sty-
mie suits. Associated Press article in the Anchorage
Daily News, May 1, p. B2

Darling, M. (1999) Corps cleans up Alaska saltwater
marsh. Engineer Update 23(10): p.13.

Darling, M. (2001) CRREL, Army clean up contami-
nated Alaskan marsh. Engineer Update, 25(5): p 12.
Manning, E. (1998) Pond cleanup planned for Eagle
River Flats. Anchorage Daily News, February 14, p.
Al.

Manning, E. (2000) Army torpedoes bird-killing
ponds. Anchorage Daily News, May 19, p. B1.
Manning, E. (2002) Army sued over range cleanup.
Anchorage Daily News, April 18, p. B1.

Prieksat, M. (2001) Operable unit updates: OUC Ea-
gle River Flats. Environmental Restoration News (3):
p. 3-5.

Ruskin, L. (2002) Military Pushes Bird Bill. Anchor-
age Daily News, May 8, p. B1.

REPORTS

aus
The purpose of this report is to provide a thorough
and complete list of publications on the subject of WP
contamination and remediation at Eagle River Flats,

28

Alaska. To date, there are about 250 references in the
ERF Bibliography, including CERCLA documents,
conference papers, contract reports (encompassing
many individual reports), journal articles, aerial photos
or photographic series of ERF, newspaper and maga-
zine articles, patents, reports, theses, videotapes, and
Web sites. An index is provided at the end of this re-
port for those documents with abstracts included.



respectively, departed ERF. Mortality of instrumented
Mallards that used ERF from 4 August to 14 October
was 34. Of those, 24 were attributed to white phospho-
tus ingestion. The greatest mortality occurred in Area
A, 9 of 24 (38%); Area C, 6 of 24 (25%), and Areas C
and C/D, each 6 of 24 (25%). Overall, these areas ac-
counted for 88% of the Mallard mortality on ERF. We
recovered 11 whole duck bodies from the 24 white
phosphorus mortalities. Analysis showed that all 11
were positive for white phosphorus.

A mortality model was developed for ERF to es-
timate the total individual dabblers using ERF, the
peak number of dabblers using ERF, and the total
number of duck mortalities on ERF during the fall
migration period. In 1999, 1334 individual dabblers
used ERF from 4 August to 14 October. Dabblers
peaked at 650 between 21 and 24 August and 721
between 21 and 28 September. The overall mortality
that occurred on ERF was 198 dabblers. The aerial
counts and the model reflected a 55% decrease in the
number of dabblers using ERF. In conclusion, the use
of radio telemetry to collect data on Mallard distribu-
tion and mortality on ERF since 1996 has been an
effective and safe method to measure the effects of
remediation actions, such as pumping, draining, and
AquaBlok®.

Eldridge, W.D., and D.G. Robertson (2000)
Waterbird: utilization of Eagle River Flats: April to
‘October 1999. In Remediating and monitoring white
phosphorus contamination at Eagle. River Flats
‘(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY
1999. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army,
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 9-18.

Aerial surveys to monitor waterbird use of Eagle
River Flats (ERF) during the spring, summer, and fall
of 1999 were flown by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice as part of the on-going waterbird mortality and
monitoring studies of ERF sponsored by the U.S.
Amny at Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska, Num-
bers of waterbirds were counted or estimated and re-
corded by species or species group at locations on
ERF, using standardized study areas.

Nearly 100% of ERF remained snow-covered on
21 April 1999. By 3 May, however, the entire flats
were approximately 85% open. The summer of 1999
was generally wet, and water conditions throughout
Cook Inlet were good. Pumping continued to keep
parts of Areas A, C, and C/D dry, so in general less of
the preferred habitat was available to ducks than in
previous years. In late September, flood tides again
inundated ERF. Skim ice formed periodically in early

14

October, but ERF was 90% open on 13 October, then
frozen again, and open again from tides in late Octo-
ber.

Tundra and trumpeter swans utilized ERF in small
numbers during 1999. Lesser snow geese made up
79% of the total geese counted in spring, followed by
Canada geese. Duck species utilizing ERF in 1999
were similar to other years, dabbling ducks making up
99%. It is clear that in 1999 ERF supported fewer
ducks than previous years. In spring the number of
ducks peaked on 3 May and the peak was considerably
higher than other recent years. Utilization of Area C
remains reduced from 1997, but the most noticeable
reduction is in the use of Area C/D, which may be
attributed to increased pumping in that area in 1999.
Use of the permanent ponds of Areas D and B in-
creased, perhaps reflecting the lack of availability of
habitat in the treated areas. The numbers of Bald
Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were low, similar
to recent years. Lower numbers of eagles in recent
years may be ascribed to the decreased mortality of
waterbirds on ERF. The numbers of shorebirds were
lower than in recent years, and no breeding sandhill
cranes were observed.

Racine, CH. (2000) Pond. ‘pumping—ditching “and
‘habitat change on Eagle River Flats. In Remediating
‘and monitoring white. phosphorus contamination: at
‘Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort Richard-
'son, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL Contract Report
to U.S.Amy Alaska, Directorate of Public Works,
‘Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer
District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 105-114.

We monitored the changes in vegetation-habitat in
and adjacent to five permanent ponds that were
drained by summer pumping or by permanent ditching
during 1, 2, 3, or 4 years between 1996 and 1999.
While pond aquatic species disappeared almost imme-
diately following dewatering, other emergent species,
such as mare's tail, declined more slowly over 2 to 3
years. Sedges such as Ramenskii's sedge and Lyng-
byei's sedge appear to be fairly stable and resistant to
dewatering. Some sedges, such as Mackenzei's and
Lyngbyei's sedge, have expanded onto the moist or-
ganic sediments on the bottom of a deeper pond
pumped over the past 2 years. There is little evidence
that salt-tolerant annuals associated with the mudflat
zone are invading the newly exposed permanent pond
bottoms. Pumping and ditching of deeper ponds in the
bulrush marsh area began more recently and evidence
of major change is hard to detect, although multispec-
tral imagery shows a decline in "greenness." There is
little evidence of major readjusting of habitat and
vegetation attributable to WP remediation.



early June, when we prevented flooding during the
32.3-ft event, 1.2 ft above normal flood stage. This
gave us a 52-day contiguous non-flooded period dur-
ing the critical first months of the season when rainfall
is low and attenuation conditions are normally at their
best. Significant drying occurred in the A Ponds for
the first time, and results from all ponds except Pond
730 indicate this was a very successful season.

Logistics continue to be refined, with an emphasis
on optimizing the utilization of helicopters when on
site. Deployment of the discharge line and heavy
equipment is now accomplished in one day. Sling
loading the pipe in and out of the Flats has proven to
be quite effective, although there were problems get-
ting the right helicopter for the job. The heavy equip-
ment aerial transfer operations are going quite
smoothly, with Weldin, CRREL, and the National
Guard all contributing to the effort. In August, all the
equipment was transferred to the EOD Pad by 1430 hr,
even though we had more equipment in the field than
we have ever had for the project. As a result of pre-
venting flooding in June and optimizing flight time
with the commercial helicopter, $40,000 was saved on
that contract. The money will go towards a badly
needed overhaul of the generator sets this fall and to
exercise the gensets over the winter.

A team from Weldin Construction, Inc., led by
Terry Edwards, conducted the field operation and
maintenance work again his year. The results were
excellent, and again no significant unplanned down-
time occurred. The controls were once again reconfig-
ured and rewired to address stuck float switches. This
will also increase the reliability of the systems, as the
controls were simplified in the process. A revised
video monitoring system was deployed with very good
results and was used throughout the season to monitor
conditions in both Area A and Area C. The meteoro-
logical site was once again operational and accessible
over the internet at the Flats Web site.

Next season looks to finally be favorable for
remediation at the Flats. Moderate flooding tides in
mid-July may be contained by the tide gates, and ma-
jor flooding tides will not occur until mid-August. A
determination, based on sampling work, will have to
be made on where the systems will be deployed next
season, and additional blasting work will need to be
done to address areas found to be contaminated this
year. The purchase of lightweight, single-wall fuel
transfer tanks capable of being lifted by the A-Star
helicopter is anticipated to further reduce helicopter

expense.

‘Williams, C.R., and G.M. Trachier (2001) Eagle
River Flats wireless remote imaging system. In Reme-

20

‘diating and monitoring white phosphorus contamina-
tion at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL Contract
‘Report to U.S.. Army. Alaska, Directorate of Public
‘Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Amy En-
igineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 79-86. :

A remote imaging system proved to be useful for
monitoring the daily operations of the Pond Pumping
Remediation Project at Eagle River Flats. By visually
inspecting the daily retrieved images from the remote
imaging systems, project managers could monitor the
effectiveness of the pumping remediation efforts. Re-
trieving images from ERF proved to be difficult dur-
ing the 1999 field season. We analyzed the shortcom-
ings and designed a new robust image retrieval system
from the bottom up. The new system, based on wire-
less technology, was deployed in two ponded areas
under treatment.

The retrieved images were successfully used
throughout the 2000 field season to monitor the con-
ditions of the pumping remediation efforts. The im-
ages that were retrieved and posted to the ERF Web
site proved to be invaluable. The images allowed pro-
ject managers to view the effects of the pumping
remediation operations, the drying of soil, the tidal
activity, and the flooding events at the Flats. It is ap-
parent that a variety of new applications are possible
with the success of the remote imaging system.

‘Weldin Construction, Ine. (2001). Field summary
teport: 2001. work. season. Contract Report to U.S.
Army. Corps of Engineers and U.S. Amny, Alaska.

Eagle River Flats (ERF) has completed the third
year of post-Record of Decision (ROD) remedial ac-
tivities. As indicated in its initial 1999 Field Summary
Report, Weldin Construction, Inc. (WCT) was hired to
support CRREL (Cold Regions Research and Engi-
neering Laboratory) for remedial activities at ERF, a
source area of Operable Unit C (OUC), Fort Richard-
son, Alaska. WCI was notified that this area consists
of a former open burning/open detonation pad, and
that remedial activities were currently underway at the
ERF portion of OUC. The selected remedy for ERF
presented in the ROD consists of treating white phos-
phorus (WP)-contaminated sediment by draining per-
manently flooded pond areas with pumps, which will
result in sublimation/oxidation of the WP, and capping
areas that do not desaturate and increase in tempera-
ture.

Prior to the initial 1999 work season, WCI was
provided with a fieldwork plan that presented the
technical work requirements needed to successfully
support the pond pumping effort and to meet the re-
quirements of ROD. WCT's primary role as field con-



conditions were favorable for sublimation-oxidation,
we measured residual white phosphorus from particles
that we planted in the surface sediment, and we re-
sampled areas of known contamination.

The main pond of Area C (Pond 183) has been
pumped for three consecutive seasons. This year
(1999), the pond was dewatered by pumping in early
June and the sediments dried significantly until a se-
ties of flooding tides on 14-19 June. Sediments dried
rapidly after the flood and were unsaturated for several
weeks until persistent rainfall in late July and August.
All measures of white phosphorus showed a continu-
ing decline in contamination. Four of the five white
phosphorus particles planted decreased from an initial
mass of 5.6 + 0.5 mg to less than or equal to 0.5 mg.
One particle showed no change. The composite sam-
ple taken from the middle of Area C (C 100 m) has
declined from 0.07 g/g in June 1997 to 0.002 g/g in
September 1999. Discrete samples obtained on a 1.82-
m square grid in the previously highly contaminated
DWRC Pen 5 showed a decline in both the number of
positive samples (from 48 in 1996 to 13 in 1999) and
the highest concentration found (420 to 0.036 g/g).
We collected subsurface samples from six locations in
Pond 183 that were cored in 1992 and had white phos-
phorus contamination along the core length. In 1999,
white phosphorus was undetectable at five of the six
locations. Finally, white phosphorus in Miller's Hole,
the crater produced when a white phosphorus-
containing UXO was detonated in 1992, is now just
barely detectable (0.0008 yg/g) compared to 2400
ug/g in a sample collected on the day of the detona-
tion. Pond pumping is successfully remediating Pond
183.

We sampled Pond 146 adjacent to Canoe Point in
an area that showed contamination remaining after
dredging. Contamination remains in the surface sedi-
ment. We frequently observe ducks using this area,
and it may be an important source of poisoning. The
sump for this pond was deepened significantly in
September 1999 in an effort to enhance drying of this
contaminated area during the next 4 years.

Pond 155, to the northeast of Pond 183, is also
drained by pumping, but is more difficult to desatu-
rated because of its location within a bulrush marsh.
Some minimal drying occurred, but planted particles
showed no change in mass. A grid for collecting com-
posite samples was established last fall, but no decline
in white phosphorus concentration is evident.

Ponds 258 and 256 were drained for the second
consecutive season and both showed drying and a de-
cline in the mass of planted white phosphorus particles
of 50 and 48%, respectively. An additional 17 com-

16

posite samples were taken for Pond 258, but no white
phosphorus was detected.

Pond 730 in Area C/D was newly drained by
pumping this year, based on the significant mortality
of radio-collared ducks there. No white phosphorus
was detectable within this pond, but we did locate a
hotspot to the north of the pond. This pond was
flooded frequently by flow from blasted Bread Truck
gully. Some drying and sediment consolidation oc-
curred in this pond and there was loss of white phos-
phorus from the planted particles at the monitoring
stations.

The Bread Truck Pond (Pond 109) dried signifi-
cantly on the north side, near the blasted ditch. Planted
white phosphorus particles declined by 72%, and the
white phosphorus concentration in the composite sam-
ple’ near the ditch (BT North 100 m) is only 0.0003
pig/g, declining from 0.012 g/g in June 1997. The
south side of the pond remains wetter owing to fre-
quent flooding and incomplete drainage to the ditch,
and decontamination has been minimal. Erosion of the
ditch is significant. Advancement of the ditch towards
the east exposed a white phosphorus mortar round,
which we located by smoke wisping within a gully
lobe. Serious consideration should be given to con-
trolling the erosion and flooding from this ditch.

Walsh, MR, and CM. ana s Eagle River,

liating and monitoring white phosphorus ‘contamina-
en at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C),. Fort

‘ichardson, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public
‘Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army En-
gineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 33-48.

The 1999 field season marks the beginning of the
remediation phase for the Eagle River Flats project.
This year, tidal predictions indicated a very poor year
for remediation at the Flats because of monthly inun-
dation during lunar high tides. However, owing to a
slight shift in the riverbed at the south end of the Flats
and the increased effectiveness of the tide gates in
Area C because of continuing modifications, Areas C
and A experienced a treatment season of 102 contigu-
ous days without flooding.

Deployment changes were made over last season.
Pond 290 in Area A is no longer being treated, as no
significant contamination remained at the end of the
1998 season. A sump was blown in Pond 730, Area
C/D, and a 126-L/s pump was placed there. A sump
was also blasted in the dredge channel in Pond 146 for
the large 189-L/s pump. This allows us to draw Pond
146 down significantly more than in 1998, thus ad-



a

An inventory of landcover-vegetation, flora, bird,
and sediment macroinvertebrate fauna of Eagle River
Flats (ERF), an 865-ha salt marsh on Upper Cook Inlet
near Anchorage, Alaska, was conducted between 1991
and 1995. This work was carried out as part of an
ecological risk assessment for white phosphorus
contamination at ERF, used as a U.S. Amy artillery
training range for the past 40 years.

Landcover-landform classification and mapping
was conducted using aerial photos for the entire salt
marsh at two scales to show seven physiographic
zones at a scale of 1:55,000 and more detailed water
body and vegetation types at a scale of 1:27,000.
Quantitative sampling of vegetation, avifauna, and

and 82 macroinvertebrate sediment samples obtained
in May, July, and August. Comprehensive species
inventories as well as relative abundances and habitat
relationships are presented here.

The flora of ERF includes over 65 species of vas-
cular plants, including halophytic species characteris-
tic of mud flat salt marsh, aquatic submerged, and
emergent marsh species. The avifauna of ERF in-
cludes about 68 species of birds, including dabbling
ducks, shorebirds, raptors, and granivores. Over 30
species of sediment macroinvertebrates were sampled
from the bottoms of ponds and tidal creeks. The dip-
teran larvae Chironomus salinarus is the most com-
mon and abundant species, particularly in shallow
ponds with high salinites but less common in deeper
ponds and tidal creeks.

Although small in area, ERF contains many of the
same habitats and species found in other much larger
estuarine salt marshes on Upper Cook Inlet but does
not contain extensive tidal mudflats along the coastal
edge, which likely affects the abundance of both wa-

macroinvertebrates included a daily population census terbirds and invertebrates species.
of waterfowl, 425 1-m* plot samples of vegetation,
VIDEOTAPES

L’Heureux, D.A., and MLR. Walsh (2002) Airlift
operations in support of Eagle River Flats, September

2001. USA Cold Regions Research and Engineering
Laboratory, CRREL Videotape No. T02005.

WEB SITES

Mason, J., S.I. Nam, G.M. Trachier, and MLR.
Walsh (1998) Eagle River Flats Web Site.
http://www.crrel.usace.army.miVerf .

This comprehensive Web site contains
information on and links to material related to the
Eagle River Flats, Alaska, remedial project. Included
are images of the various projects conducted at the

29

Flats, maps, aerial photographs, and the ERF
bibliography. The site is used throughout the field
season by site investigators to monitor meteorological,
hydrological, and tidal conditions at the Flats. A Web
camera with image updating of four treatment sites
five times daily is accessible through this site.



Racine, C.H., and P. Berger (1999) Database for
monitoring remediation efforts. In Interagency ex-
panded site investigation: Evaluation of white phos-
‘phorus contamination and potential treatability at
Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY 1998. USA CRREL
‘Contract Report to U.S. Army, Alaska, Directorate of
Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S.
Army Engineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 121—
124,

The Eagle River Flats database currently consists
of six libraries containing over 100 GIS coverages,
together with about 37 aerial images. The database is
useful for evaluating the success of the remediation
effort as well as for assessing change in habitat. New
additions and revisions of the database made during
1998 are described. These include several methods of
white phosphorus sampling, such as composited sam-
ples, point samples, and planted particles. Other addi-
tions include a pond remediation coverage that tracks
ponds where remediation actions are being conducted.
Monitoring sites where soil moisture and temperature
are measured during the summer are also being added.

Racine, C.H., E.F. Chacho, B. Tracy, and P. Berger
(1999) Monitoring physical and biological changes in
Eagle River Flats. In Interagency expanded site inves-
digation: Evaluation of white phosphorus contamina-
tion and potential treatability at Eagle River Flats,
Alaska—FY 1998. USA CRREL Contract Report to
U.S. Amy ‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort
Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District,
Alaska. Final Report, p: 110-120.

Methods for monitoring environmental change as-
sociated with remediation and natural erosional proc-
esses at Eagle River Flats were developed and applied.
Both remote sensing and plot monitoring techniques
were used to determine habitat change. Aquatic sub-
merged vegetation has been lost from all dewatered
(pumped or ditched) ponds. In addition, some emer-
gent species, such as four-leaved mare's tail colonies,
have died back in a pond pumped for two2 years.
Analysis of spectral data from 1995, 1997, and 1998
suggests loss of vegetation cover over a broad area
bordering pumped and ditched ponds (183 and 109).
In deeper ponds (146 and 155), pumped during sum-
mer 1998, there is evidence of vegetation expansion
onto the exposed organic sediments of the pond bot-
tom.

Headward gully erosion rates of 64 m from 1991
to 1995 and 13 m from 1995 to 1998 were measured
on a tidal creek using scanned and georeferenced ae-
tial photos. Good agreement was obtained between
remote sensing-GIS and field-measured lateral erosion

i

rates from 1995 to 1998 along the same gully section,
supporting the use of this method for future erosion
monitoring.

‘Walsh, M.E., C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey (1999)
‘Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of
‘white phosphorus contaminated sediments of drained
ponds. In Interagency expanded ‘site investigation:
Evaluation of white phosphorus contamination and
potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY
“1998. USA CRREL Contract Report to.U.S. Army.
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
Alaska, and U.S, Anny Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 57-98. s

We continued to monitor the effectiveness of
pond draining on the remediation of sediments con-
taminated with white phosphorus by recording subli-
mation/oxidation conditions and changes in white
phosphorus over time. In the drained ponds, we meas-
ured 1) sediment temperature and moisture conditions
at hourly intervals using sensors linked to a datalog-
ger, 2) white phosphorus concentrations remaining
from past training with white phosphorus munitions,
and 3) residual white phosphorus from particles we
planted in the surface sediment.

In the main pond of Area C (Pond 183), which
was drained by pumping, the sediments were not satu-
rated with water for the last half of June and most of
July of 1998 despite frequent precipitation. However,
sediment temperatures were lower than in previous
years. Nonetheless, all measurements of white phos-
phorus (concentrations in composite and discrete sam-
ples, percentage of positive samples, masses of planted
particles) show a reduction in the contamination. Ow-
ing to heterogeneity of the size of munitions-derived
white phosphorus particles and sediment moisture
conditions, a precise rate of decline in mass of white
phosphorus is impossible to determine. However,
based on data we obtained from repeated sampling in
an intermittently flooded pond, complete decontami-
nation of the surface sediment can be attained in seven
years.

Pond 290 of Area A was also drained by pumping
as part of a treatability study to demonstrate the feasi-
bility of pumping in a remote location. This pond was
identified as a “hot pond” because of the presence of
craters, permanent water, and waterfowl. While previ-
ous sampling did not indicate widespread contamina-
tion with white phosphorus (of the six samples taken,
only one sample was positive: a sample collected by
CHPPM, and the concentration was four times lower
than the reported method detection limit), the pond
was sufficiently similar to other contaminated areas to
warrant further sampling. Once it was pumped, we



AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF ERF

"

Aeromap (1998) 18 August. Color infrared. 1 in.
600 ft.

Aeromap (1999) 17 August. Color infrared. 1 in.
600 fi.

Aeromap (1999) 17 August. Color infrared obliques.

Aeromap (1999) 17 August. Digital multi-spectral
video. 1.5-m pixels. Scanned and georeferenced.

Aeromap (2000) 8 September. Color infrared. 1 in. =
600 ft.

Aeromap (2000) 8 September. Color infrared
obliques.

Aeromap (2001) 9 September. Color infrared. 1 in. =
600 ft.

Aeromap (2001) 9 September. Color infrared. 1 in.
3000 ft.

Aeromap (2001) 9 September. Digital multi-spectral
video. 1.5-m pixels. Scanned and georeferenced.

Aeromap (2002) 27 August. Color infrared. 1 in. =
600 ft.

CERCLA DOCUMENTS

{CH2M Hill (1999) Remedial action work plan and

. final design for Eagle River Flats. Contract Report to
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Army Alaska.
“April.

This remedial action work plan (RAWP) presents
the strategy for conducting post-Record of Decision
(ROD) activities at the Eagle River Flats (ERF) source
area of Operable Unit C (OUC), Fort Richardson,
Alaska. Fort Richardson was placed on the U.S. Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Priori-
ties List (NPL) in June 1994, The post was then sub-
ject to the remedial response requirements of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensa-
tion, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended by the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
(SARA) of 1986. Following inclusion of Fort Richard-
son on the NPL, the U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK),
EPA, and the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation (ADEC) negotiated the Federal Facility
Agreement (FFA) for Fort Richardson, which was
signed in December 1994.

OUC consists of two source areas: the ERF active
firing range and the adjacent former Open Bum-
ing/Open Detonation (OB/OD) Pad. The OB/OD pad
is subject to hazardous waste regulations under the
authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA). Post-ROD work at the former OB/OD
pad consists of preparation of an interim closure plan
that will address RCRA closure of the OB/OD pad
concurrently with final clearance of the operating ERF
firing range. Post-ROD work at ERF consists of the
implementation of a remedial design/remedial action
(RDRA). The RD/RA at OUC is being implemented
in accordance with the FFA and the OUC ROD devel-
oped between the United States Army (Army), the
ADEC, and the EPA. The ROD for OUC was signed
in September 1998. This document addresses RD/RA.
at ERF. The Amy is currently preparing a separate

RCRA Interim Closure Plan for the OB/OD pad for
EPA review and approval.

ERF is a 2,160-acre estuarine salt marsh at the
mouth of the Eagle River where the river flows into
the Knik Arm (Fig. 1).The U.S. Army has used ERF
for artillery training since 1949. Although ERF is an
active impact area, it remains a productive wetland,
serving as an important staging ground for migrating
waterfowl during the spring and fall migrations. In the
early 1980s, large numbers of waterfowl deaths were
observed at ERF. In 1990, the cause of the waterfowl
deaths was determined to be white phosphorus (WP)
trapped in pond sediments where waterfowl feed.
Following a remedial investigation (RI) and feasibility
study (FS) at ERF, the remedial project managers
(RPMs) selected a remedial action to remove WP in
ERF pond sediments to reduce waterfowl deaths.

Although the Fort Richardson FFA lists two sepa-
rate document submittals for the RAWP and the Final
Design, with the approval of the RPMs the two sub-
mittals have been combined into one document for
review and approval. The Prefinal (95%) Design is
incorporated into this draft RAWP in Section 4. The
design specifications and drawings and additional
documents required by the FFA for other elements of
design are included in appendices to this document.

The objective of this work plan is to present a
strategy for the implementation, operation, and main-
tenance of the selected remedy for ERF presented in
the OUC ROD. The selected remedy consists of the
following remedial action and monitoring require-
ments, beginning in 1999:

© Treat WP-contaminated sediment by draining

ponds with pumps. Pumping will allow the
sediments to dry and the WP to sublimate and
oxidize.

© Sample pond bottoms for WP at the begin-

ning of the treatment season to confirm or



effort on this unique remediation project and has been
a great public relations tool. We will continue to
maintain the site at least through the end of the project.

‘Williams, C.R. (2002) Eagle River Flats wireless re-
mote imaging system. In Remédiating and monitoring
shite phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY
'2001. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S.. Amy
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 131-134. -

The wireless remote imaging system (RIS) con-
tinued to prove its usefulness during the 2001 season.
The images retrieved with RIS enabled project manag-
ers and researchers to view the effectiveness of the
pumping operations. Images were successfully re-
trieved and posted to the ERF Web site from four
ponded areas: Ponds 5 (Area D), 109 (Bread Truck),
183 (Area C), and 226 (Area A). The wireless system
was improved from the systems deployed in 2000 by
lowering the power budget of the remote equipment. A
programmable microcontroller power management
system was designed, built, tested and installed in each
remote camera system. Power budgets were reduced
from 18 to 6 amp-hours per day for each remote sys-
tem. Future improvements include replacing the DSN
phone lines for transfer of data from the base station
with an Ethemet Radio Modem link to post and then
directly to the Corps network, allowing wireless FTP
transfer of images directly to a host computer at
CRREL in Hanover, N.H.

‘Weldin Construction, Inc. (2002) 2002 Remediation
and ‘monitoring work plan: Operable Unit C-Eagle
River Flats. Contract report to U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and U.S. Army, Alaska. May.

This is the work plan for remediation ‘and
monitoring efforts addressing the white phosphorus
contamination in Eagle River Flats, a 2,140-acre
estuarine salt marsh on Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort
Richardson is on the National Priority List, and Eagle
River Flats is designated Operable Unit C (OU-C).
The main remedy in OU-C is pond pumping, using six
semi-autonomous pumps to temporarily drain
contaminated ponds within several areas of Eagle
River Flats. The first part of the work plan describes
the remediation efforts for the 2002 field season, the
fourth year of a five-year remediation and monitoring
effort in Eagle River Flats. The second section
describes the monitoring activities to determine the
effectiveness of the remediation. These include
sediment sampling, monitoring of drying conditions
using dataloggers, and the installation of an on-site

26

meteorological station. The third section contains the
schedules for the various remediation and monitoring
activities. The fourth section contains predicted tidal
data Eagle River Flats. The fifth section is a Health
and Safety Plan.

‘Weldin Construction, Inc. (2003) Work plan: Field
swork to control flooding of the Bread Truck Pond.
‘Contract report to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
‘U.S. Amny, Alaska.

This work plan describes the need for a control
structure in the Bread Truck Pond ditch, created with
explosives in 1996 to remove the highly contaminated
Pond 109 from waterfowl use. The plan includes a
scope of work, a work plan, project organization and
responsibility, general operating procedures, and other
details pertaining to the execution of the project. A
CAD drawing of the structure is included.

‘Collins, C.M., and D.W. Cate, eds. (in press) Reme-
‘diating and monitoring white phosphorus contamina-
ition at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2002. (Collins, C.M., and
DW. Cate, eds.) USA CRREL Contract Report to
‘U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Pubic Works, Fort
‘Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District,
‘Alaska. Final Report. :

This is the thirteenth annual contract report pre-
pared by researchers from CRREL and other Federal
agencies for U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, and
U.S. Army Alaska, Public Works, describing the re-
sults of research, remediation, and monitoring efforts
addressing the white phosphorus contamination in
Eagle River Flats, an 865-ha estuarine salt marsh on
Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson is on the
National Priority List, and Eagle River Flats is desig-
nated Operable Unit C (OUC) under the Comprehen-
sive Environmental Response, Compensation and Li-
ability Act (CERCLA). «

This year was the fourth year of a planned five-
year remediation effort in Eagle River Flats. Pond
pumping, using six remote-controlled pumps to tem-
porarily drain contaminated ponds within several areas
of Eagle River Flats, was again conducted this year.
The pumps kept the ponds drained for extended peri-
ods during the summer in all but one area, allowing
the pond bottom sediments to dry and the white phos-
phorus in the sediment to sublime and oxidize. The
logistics of the pumping operations, especially the
installation of the equipment in the spring and the re-
moval of the equipment in the fall, continued to be
refined, leading to more effective and efficient opera-
tions.



on 21 April, primarily Lesser Snow Geese. Fall goose
migration was similar to other years. Duck species
using ERF in 2001 were similar to other years. The
mean number of ducks per survey during the summer
(105) was lower than the 1988-1997 mean of 190. The
mean number of ducks observed in the fall, 694, was
considerably above the average of 438 in 2000 but
lower than the 1988-1997 mean of 836. The effects of
pumping and draining on the amount of habitat and
food resources available may be influencing duck use
of ERF. Numbers of Bald Eagles were low in 2001,
similar to recent years. Numbers of shorebirds were
lower than in recent years. The mew gull colony for-
merly in Area D now consists of just a few pairs. At
least one pair of sandhill cranes nested in ERF in
2001.

‘Racine, CH. (2002) Disturbance and recovery of
permanent pond habitat at Eagle River Flats. In Reme-
diating and monitoring white phosphorus contamina-
tion at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 200]. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public
Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army En-
{gineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 141-144.

Over the past eight years (1994-2001), efforts to
remediate white phosphorus contamination in Eagle
River Flats have directly affected 14 permanent ponds
covering about 16 ha, or one third of the total perma-
nent pond waterfowl habitat (50 ha) on ERF. Ponds
have been temporarily drained by pumping from 80 to
120 days during one to five summers. The impact of
draining these ponds includes the loss of aquatic and
emergent vegetation as well as consolidation and
probable loss of organic matter, fish, and invertebrates
in the sediments. Once the white phosphorus has sub-
limed over a period of several summers, pumps will
no longer be deployed and the ponds will be allowed
to recover. Monitoring of these ponds should help
determine if these ponds retum to functioning
waterfowl habitat with food and cover equivalent to
that before treatment.

‘Walsh, M-E., C.M. Collins, C.H. Racine, and RN.
Bailey (2002) Composite sampling and analysis for
‘white phosphorus in untreated ponds. In Remediating
and monitoring white phosphorus contamination: at
‘Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Pubic
Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Amy
Engineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 111-120.
Mortality of waterfowl indicates that localized
areas of contamination (hotspots) may still be present

23

in Northem C, Area C/D, Coastal East, and possibly
Area A. This year we concentrated our efforts on in-
tensive sampling of the marsh in Northern C east of
Pond 155. We collected 60 grid composite samples, of
which 14 had detectable white phosphorus (0.0002-
0.26 g/g). We also collected 33 discrete samples
from small open water pools in or near our grid com-
posite samples. Of these samples, 16 had detectable
white phosphorus (0.000119 g/g). Of note were four
large craters in the northeast comer of Area C, all of
which were contaminated with white phosphorus and
used by waterfowl. Four of the "last alive signals"
from the 11 telemetry duck mortalities in 2001 were
within this part of Area C. Also, we found four duck
carcasses while sampling east of Pond 155. We col-
lected more samples in Area A (Ponds 138 and 190)
and Coastal East, but we did not find any white phos-
phorus. We also collected samples west of the
Aquablok® Pond (Pond 285) on Racine Island, but
water cover appeared to be mostly intermittent and
only in craters. We sampled five craters, one of which
had detectable white phosphorus (0.001 g/g). Evi-
dence suggests that the marsh east of Pond 155 in
Area C is the likely source of most of the current wa-
terfowl poisonings.

Walsh, M.E., CM. Coilins, and R.N. Bailey (2002)
Treatment ‘verification: Monitoring ‘the: remediation. of
‘white phosphorus contaminated sediments in treated
ponds. In Remediating and monitoring white phospho-
rus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit
oO), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001. USA CRREL
‘Contract Report to U.S. Amy Alaska, Directorate of
Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S.
Amn), Engineer Distet, Ales Final Report, p, 79-
qa .

The success of pond pumping in reducing the
concentrations of white phosphorus in Eagle River
Flats was monitored in three ways. Moisture and tem-
perature sensors linked to dataloggers indicated when
and if conditions were favorable for decontamination
by sublimation/oxidation, the mass of residual white
phosphorus from planted particles was measured, and
previously identified hot spots were resampled.

The main pond of Area C (Pond 183) has been
pumped for five consecutive summers. This year
(2001) water was pumped from the pond starting 10
May, and sediments were desaturated by 25 May. The
sediments remained unsaturated until heavy rains on
4-5 July. Thereafter, sediments intermittently dried
between frequent light rains until flooding tides on 22
July resaturated the sediments. During the time that
the sediments were unsaturated, the mean sediment
temperature at 5 cm depth was 16.5°C, and the maxi-



NOMENCLATURE

ADC
ADEC

ADFG

APHIS

ARAR

BT Pond
CER
CERCLA

COE
CSM
DMS
DMSV
DOD

DWRC

EOD
ERF

ESE

FS
FSP
GIS

IRP
LDso
LOEL

Animal Damage Control

Alaska Department of
Environmental Conservation

Alaska Department of Fish and
Game

Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service

Applicable or relevant and
appropriate requirement

Bread Truck Pond (Pond 109)
Comprehensive evaluation report
Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Conceptual site mode!
Dartmouth Medical School
Digital multispectral video
Department of Defense

Data quality objectives

Denver Wildlife Research Center

(now National Wildlife Research
Center)

Explosive ordnance disposal

Eagle River Flats (also referred to
as the Flats)

Environmental Science and
Engineering, Inc.

Federal Facilities Agreement
Feasibility study

Field sampling plan
Geographic information system
Interim remedial actions

Integrated Risk Assessment
Model I

Installation Restoration Program
Median lethal dose

Lowest observable effects level
Methyl anthranilate

MDL
MOA

NCP
NEILE

NOEL

NWRC
OB/OD
OUC

ROD
SPMA
SPME
TSCA ITC

USAEC
USAEHA

USARAK
USATHAMA,

USDA -
USEPA

USFWS
UXO
Wwcl
WP

Method detection limits

Municipality of Anchorage
National Biological Survey
National Contingency Plan

New England Institute of
Landscape Ecology

No observable effect level
National Priorities List

see DWRC

Open burning/open detonation
Operable Unit C of Fort
Richardson

White phosphorus (WP)
Quality assurance

Quality Assurance Program Plan
Quality control

Remedial action objectives

Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act

Remedial investigation; Raciné
Island

Record of Decision
Semi-permeable membranes
Solid-phase microextraction

Toxic Substance Control Act -
Interagency Testing Committee

USS. Army Environmental Center
US. Amy Environmental
Hygiene Agency

U.S. Amny, Alaska

U.S. Amy Toxic and Hazardous
Materials Agency

U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency
USS. Fish and Wildlife Service

Unexploded ordnance
Weldin Construction, Inc.
White phosphorus (P,)



PREFACE

This report was prepared by Michael R. Walsh, Mechanical Engineer, Engineering Resources
Branch, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and
Development Center. Review of the manuscript was provided by Arthur Gelvin and Dr. Thomas
Douglas of the CRREL Fairbanks office. Mark Hardenberg of CRREL was the editor.

Every attempt has been made to bring this bibliography up to date and to include all materials
relevant to the project that have been published. If any articles are known that have not been in-
cluded, contact Michael Walsh at CRREL (mwalsh@orrel.usace.army.mil) and they will be added
to the next revision of this bibliography. Any items added to the Eagle River Flats bibliography
before its next publication of will be placed on the public CRREL Web site
(www.crrel.usace.army.mil/ERF) as we receive them.

Funding for this work was provided by the U.S. Army Environmental Center, Aberdeen
Proving Ground, Maryland (Glen Boldt, Remedial Operations Manager), through the Alaska Dis-
trict, Pacific Ocean Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Joann Walls, Project Monitor), and
the Environmental Resources Department, Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Alaska (Wil-
liam A. Gossweiler, Army Remedial Project Manager).

The Commander and Executive Director of the Engineer Research and Development Center is
COL James R. Rowan, EN. The Director is Dr. James R. Houston.



sampled the surface sediments intensively. Confirming
the results of previous discrete sampling, we did not
find widespread white phosphorus contamination;
none of the samples we collected had detectable white
phosphorus from past Army training. During the
summer, the middle of the pond, nearest the pump,
dried significantly, resulting in loss of most of the
mass of white phosphorus particles we planted. Owing
to constant groundwater recharge, drying was less at
the north and south ends of the pond, leaving most of
the white phosphorus particles we planted 80 m north
and south of the sump.

Ponds 258 and 256 of Area A were drained late in
the season. We intensively sampled pond 258, and,
again confirming previous discrete sampling, we
found low concentrations of white phosphorus in just a
few samples (threee out of 44 composite samples).

We continued monitoring in Bread Truck Pond,
which is drained by ditching. The gully continues to
advance from the north into the pond, and the surface
sediment surrounding the gully has eroded several
centimeters down to an organic layer. The sediments
of the north side of the pond dried, and loss of mass of
planted white phosphorus particles was greatest adja-
cent to the gully. Discrete samples taken from loca-
tions that had very high white phosphorus concentra-
tions in 1991 were blank when sampled in August
1998. The surface topography of Bread Truck Pond
hampers draining, especially from its south side.

Racine Island Pond 297 is still severely contami-
nated with white phosphorus particles. Additional re-
medial actions, such as filling, may be needed for this
small pond.

Walsh, MLR. C.M. Collins, and D.J.- Lambert
(1999) Eagle River Flats pond pumping treatability
study: Full-scale deployment of remote pumping sys-
tems. In Interagency expanded site investigation:

Evaluation of white phosphorus contamination and
potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—
‘FY 1998. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 31-56.

The success of the first deployment of a remote
pumping system in Pond 183, Area C, of Eagle River
Flats indicated that this may be the best remediation
method for the white phosphorus contamination in
permanent ponds. To determine if this method is fea-
sible under different operating parameters, six pump
systems were deployed in 1998. Of these, four were
installed at previously prepared sites in May and two
were installed in newly prepared sites at the end of
June. In May, the pump system deployed earlier in

12

Pond 183 was returned, along with a smaller pump in
the adjacent Pond 155 and a large-capacity tandem
pump in a dredged area of Pond 146. These three
pump systems worked together to pump down Area C
after each flooding event. The system in Pond 146 is
shore-based, while the system in Pond 155 is remote
but easily accessible. An additional pump system was
placed in Pond 290 in Area A, a remote site across the
Eagle River, to help develop logistical procedures for
the deployment of additional remote systems in that
area. Four tide gates were installed in Area C to try to
extend the period between flooding tides.

In late June, sumps were blown in Ponds 256 and
258, Area A. Pump systems were installed at those
sites and all were refueled using Blackhawk helicop-
ters and double-walled fuel tanks. Logic errors in the
controls were corrected at this time, and all systems
were fully operational at the end of the month.

In August, drainage ditches were blasted using
detonation cord, a quick and safe method for enhanc-
ing drainage in the ponds. The equipment was shut
down in late August and retrograded by the end of the
first week of September, prior to the flooding tide.
Deployment and retrograde procedures have been de-
veloped to minimize the amount of helicopter time
required. A total of only 2.5 hr was required to retro-
grade five pump systems and two fuel tanks in the fall.

Results of the 1998 field season are generally
good. Poor weather inhibited drying throughout the
normally dry months of May and June. A fuel spill
near Pond 146 shut that system down for over two
weeks, Only one tide defeated the tide gates all sum-
mer, but the area was easily pumped out over the
course of a day. The remote fueling operations ran
much smoother than anticipated, and three more tanks
have been acquired for future operations. Some site
work still needs to be done before deployment next
spring, with a sump in Pond 146 being the major task.
Overall, 8.7 ha of permanent ponds and 10 ha of adja-
cent mudflats were addressed this year.

‘Collins, CM, and M.J. Hardenberg, "eds. (2000)
‘Remediating and monitoring. white’ phosphorus con-
tamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C),
Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL
‘Contract Report to U.S. Anmy, Alaska, Directorate of
Public Works, Fort. Richardson, Alaska, and U.S.
‘Amy Engineer District, Alaska. July.

This is the tenth annual contract report prepared
by researchers from CRREL and other Federal agen-
cies for U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, and U.S.
Amny Alaska, Public Works, describing the results of
research, monitoring, and remediation efforts ad-
dressing the white phosphorus contamination in Eagle



During this period, several remediation methods
were evaluated. Initial studies concentrated on break-
ing the uptake pathway by covering the contaminant.
Hazing of the waterfowl was used as a short-term so-
lution while these investigations were conducted.
Chemical bird repellents were also tried. From 1995 to
1998, more active remediation methods were investi-
gated. Small-scale dredging with a remote-controlled
“pocket” dredge was attempted with mixed results.
Two highly contaminated ponds that did not lend
themselves to other remediation alternatives being
considered at the time were permanently drained
through explosive ditching. Siphoning of a contami-
nated pond was attempted to remove the overlying
water from the contaminated sediments.

The idea of treating the contaminant in-situ by
draining and drying the ponds over the course of sev-
eral summers was investigated. Initially, intermittently
ponded mudflats adjacent to permanent ponds were
used as test beds to evaluate natural attenuation rates
of untreated areas and areas with passive enhancement
treatments. These studies were supplemented with dry
land and laboratory experiments. The conclusion de-
rived from these studies was that if the sediments are
kept unsaturated, not necessarily dry, and if the soil
temperature exceeds 15°C, untreated, drained ponded
areas will remediate through natural attenuation of the
contaminant over a period of time determined by soil
composition, temperature, and length of unsaturation.

Tn 1997, a large pump system designed to drain
ponded areas on the Flats was deployed in Pond 183,
Area C, as part of the ERF feasibility study. The first-
year results were promising, but much work remained
to be done to optimize the method. In 1998, six sys-
tems were deployed with very good results. Large
areas of ERF were drained and treated through natural
attenuation. Methods were developed to evaluate
remediation progress, both on a yearly and multi-year
basis. Remote monitoring stations were designed and
deployed to track parameters such as soil temperature
and moisture that directly affect remediation efficien-
cies.

The success of the pond pumping remediation
method led to its choice as the preferred remediation
method for white phosphorus contamination in Eagle
River Flats, as stated in the Record of Decision (ROD)
signed by the U.S. Army, the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, and the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game in September 1998. In 1999, active remediation
of the Flats officially began with the deployment of six
pump units in contaminated ponds throughout the
area.

A mortality model was developed by the Denver
Wildlife Research Center using Captured Mallards

as the indicator species for evaluating the progress
towards meeting the remediation goals stated in the
ROD. The captured birds are radio-collared and their
movements monitored to get an indication of
waterfowl use of the Flats. A mortality signal emitted
when the bird dies gives the researchers an opportu-
nity to recover the carcass, pinpointing the location
where death occurs and allowing later examination of
the tissues to determine if WP was the cause of death.
Waterfowl surveys are conducted throughout the ac-
tive season (April through October) to develop an on-
going census of bird use and dynamics for the mortal-
ity model.

This bibliography is organized in much the same
manner as its predecessor (Nam et al. 1999). There are
a few differences that will make it easier to find in-
formation. The Contract Reports section is organized
first by general publication (the contract report itself)
followed by the individual reports by author. The cov-
ering reports are listed in order of year (i.¢., 1999 is
first, 2000 second, and so forth). The Index to Ab-
stracts is ordered first by publication title followed by
a section in chronological order by year. In both sec-
tions, all abstracts from both bibliographies are listed.

Both bibliographies appear on the Eagle River
Flats Web site, available at the time of publication at
www.crrel.usace.army.miVerf. Other information
pertinent to the progress of the remediation project can
be found at this site. Hard copies of most of the listed
publications reside at the Fort Richardson Directorate
of Public Works, Environmental Resources Branch,
which is the repository for the written records per-
taining to the Flats project, or in the library at CRREL
in Hanover, N.H.

This bibliography supplements the earlier bibliog-
raphy (Nam et al. 1999) that documented the publica-
tions leading up to the Record of Decision. Over 250
citations are included in that publication, indicating
the groundbreaking effort and scope of this unique
environmental cleanup effort, the first ever conducted
in an active military impact range. Some overlap be-
tween the two publications occurs as older publica-
tions arise. Some publications dated after 1998 also
appear in the 1999 bibliography.

Every effort has been made to bring this bibliog-
raphy up to date and to include all materials relevant
to the project that have been published. If any articles
are known that have not been included, contact Mi-
chael Walsh at CRREL and they will be added to the
next revision of this bibliography. Any items added to
the bibliography before the next publication of the
Eagle River Flats bibliography will be placed on the
public CRREL Web site as we receive them
(www.crrel.usace.army.mil/erf).



‘Eldridge, W.D. (2001) Waterbird utilization of Eagle
River Flats: April-October 2000. In Remediating and
monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle
‘River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson,
Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL Contract Report to
‘U.S. Amy Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort
Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District,
‘Alaska. Final Report, p. 7-18.

Aerial surveys to monitor waterbird use of Eagle
River Flats (ERF) during the spring, summer, and fall
of 2000 were conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service as part of the ongoing waterbird mortality and
monitoring studies of ERF sponsored by the U.S.
Amny at Ft. Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska. Numbers
of waterbirds were counted or estimated, recorded by
species or species group, and classified by locations on
ERF using standardized study areas.

ERF experienced an earlier breakup in 2000 than
in 1999, which was a late year. The first half of the
summer of 2000 was generally dry, and ERF ponds
were low or dry, similar to water conditions through-
out Cook Inlet. Extensive pumping was effective in
drying large portions of ERF in 2000. After pumping
ceased in mid-August, ponds gradually refilled in most
areas. Fall high tides did not occur until early October
in 2000.

Tundra and trumpeter swans utilized ERF only in
small numbers during the spring of 2000 In fall, swan
numbers peaked in mid-September at 189 birds, lower
than in other recent years except 1999. Peak counts of
geese occurred on 27 April, primarily lesser snow
geese; fall goose migration was similar to other years
except that fewer geese used ERF. Duck species util-
izing ERF in 2000 were similar to other years. The
mean number of ducks per survey during summer,
127, was lower than the 1988-1997 mean of 190. The
mean number of ducks observed in the fall, 435, was
considerably lower than the 1988-1997 mean of 836,
and is the third year in a row of markedly lower fall
numbers. This trend is likely related to the effects of
pumping and draining on both the amount of habitat
available and the food resources. Numbers of Bald
Eagles were low in 2000, similar to recent years.
Numbers of shorebirds were lower than in recent
years. The mew gull colony, formerly in Area D, now
consists of just a few pairs. No breeding Sandhill
Cranes were observed on ERF in 2000.

Racine, C.H. (2001) Eagle River Flats database and
‘environmental change monitoring. In Remediating and
monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle
River Flats (Operable Unit C),.Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL Contract Report to
U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort

18

Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District,
‘Alaska. Final Report, p. 87-89.

We entered into the database the locations and
white phosphorus concentrations for all sediment
samples obtained during 2000 so that the database
now includes all samples analyzed for white phospho-
tus from the beginning of the project in 1991 to Sep-
tember 2000. This includes over 3000 point samples
and 300 composite samples. During the past year the
entire database was transferred to the USARAK GIS, a
large database used by the Ft. Richardson DPW envi-
ronmental branch to manage contamination and
cleanup efforts on the U.S. Army facilities in Alaska.
During 2000 we developed a CD that contains all of
the telemetry data from 1996 to 1999. (In 2000 no
telemetry took place.) We also produced maps to show
additional erosion of the ditch draining the Bread
Truck Pond.

'Waish, MLE., C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey (2001)
Composite sampling and analysis for white phospho-
‘us in untreated ponds. In Remediating and monitoring
‘white ‘phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
‘(Operable Unit C), Fort: Richardson, Alaska—FY-
'2000. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S.. Anny
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S.. Army. Engineer District, Alessia.
Final Report, p. 63-70.»

Mortality of telemetry Mallards indicates that lo-
calized areas of contamination (hotspots) may still be
present in Northern C, Area C/D, and possibly Area A.
In 2000, we continued to collect composite samples
from Areas A and C/D where previous sampling was
sparse or non-existent. We also sampled some small
open-water pools within the marsh of Area C and the
northern part of Pond 146, which is undrained. All of
the new samples in Areas A and C/D were blank. In
Area C, one composite sample from the marsh was
positive; the white phosphorus concentration was 0.03
ug/g. This concentration is high enough to be of con-
cer.

‘Walsh, ME., CM. Collins, and RN. Bailey (2001)
‘Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of
‘white phosphorus contaminated sediments of drained
ponds. In Remediating and monitoring white phospho-
‘rus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit
C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL
‘Contract Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of
Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S.
a Engineer District, Alaska. Final Repo B

The in-situ decontamination of white- -phosphorus-
contaminated sediments at ERF by pond pumping was



US Army Corps
of Engineerse

Engineer Research and
Development Center

ERDC/CRREL TR-03-15

Eagle River Flats Remediation Project
Comprehensive Bibliography—1998 to 2003

Michael R. Walsh August 2003

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Analytical method for white phosphorus in water (VE. Walsh) ...
Appendix A: Eagle River Flats map atlas (C.H. Racine, and M. Brouillette) .
Chemical hazing of free-ranging ducks in Eagle River Flats: Field evaluation of ReJex-iT

WL-05 (L. Clark and J.L. Cummings)
Climate and tides (R.K. Haugen)
Dredging as a remediation strategy for white phosphorus contaminated sediments at Eagle

River Flats, Alaska (V4.R. Walsh, E.J. Chamberlain, and D.E. Garfield)
Eagle River Flats. Final 1995 Work Plan (CH2M Hill)
Ecological inventory of Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine, and M. Brouillette) a
Effects of environmental conditions on the persistence of white phosphorus particles in Eagle

River Flats, Alaska (C.M. Collins and M.E. Walsh) .
Environmental impact of white phosphorus on avian species (S. Nam)
Evaluation of AquaBlokTM on contaminated sediment to reduce mortality of foraging waterfowl

(P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, and C.A. Yoder) we 1
Evaluation of white phosphorus effects on the aquatic ecosystem, Eagle River Flats, Fort

Richardson, Alaska (C.A. Bouwkamp)
Evaluation of white phosphorus effects on the aquatic ecosystem, Eagle River Flats, Fort

Richardson, Alaska, 8-17 May, 22 August-9 September 1994 (U.S. Army Environmental

Hygiene Agency) ... +
Factors that determine the persistence of white phosphorus particles in sediment (M.

CM. Collins, and C.R. Racine) ...
Fort Richardson multi-agency site investigation (I”.4. Gossweiler, C.M. Collins, and J.L.

Gusmano)
Hazing at Eagle River Flats (C. Rossi) soe
Initial analyses of Eagle River Flats hydrology and sedimentology, Fort Richardson, Alaska

(DE. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, JH. Bodette, and P.B. Weyrick) . on
Integrated risk assessment model for determining white phosphorus encounter rate by waterfowl

(L. Clark, J.L. Cummings, C.H. Racine, B.B. Steele, and L.R. Reitsma) ..
Investigations of natural size reduction of white phosphorus particles in Eagle River Flats

sediment (AZ.E. Walsh, and C.M. Collins) se
Method 7580: White phosphorus (P,) by solvent extraction and gas chromatography (United

States Environmental Protection Agency) ..
Movement, distribution and relative risk of waterfowl, witchers using Eagle

River Flats (J.L. Cummings, C.A. Yoder, R.E. Johnson, PA Pochop, KS. Gruver,

JE. Davis, K.L. Tope, J.B. Bourassa, and R.L. Phillips) ..
Persistence of white phosphorus in unsaturated sediments (A. Hansen)
Physical system dynamics, WP fate and transport, remediation and restoration, Eagle River

Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, L.E. Hunter, B.M. Nadeau, P.B.

Weyrick, and J.H. Bodette)....
Pond draining treatability study (C.M. Collins)
Screening study of barriers to prevent poisoning of waterfowl in Eagle River Flats, Alaska

(KS. Henry) ...
Secondary toxicity in raptors caused by white phosphorus (D.W. Sparling)
Silt fence testing for Eagle River Flats dredging (K.S. Henry, and S.T. Hunnewell) ..
Simple field screening method for white phosphorus (P,) in sediment (M.E. Walsh,

C.R. Racine, CM. Collins, C. Bouwkamp, and P.G. Thorne) .....
Tidal flooding dynamics, sedimentation, and implications to site remediation, Eagle River

Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (S.R. Bigl, D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, BM. Nadeau, P.B.

Weyrick, and J.H. Bodette) ...
Toxicological properties of white phosphorus (P,)

and SI. Nam) ...
Toxicological properties of white phosphorus: Comparison of particle sizes on acute
toxicity and the biotransfer of white phosphorus from hen to eggs

(B.D. Roebuck and SI. Nam)

Effects of particle size (B.D. Roebuck,

41



Appendix A, Design Specifications and Draw-
ings.

Appendix B, System Performance, 1998 Field
Season.

Appendix C, Health and Safety Plan.

Appendix D, Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPs).

Appendix E, Quality Assurance Program Plan.
Appendix F, Operations and Maintenance Plan.
Appendix G, Spill Prevention and Response Plan.
Appendix H, Baseline Cost Estimate for Remedial
Action.

Appendix I, Responses to Comments.

‘CH2M Hill (1999) 1999 Field work plan for Eagle
River Flats, Alaska. Contract Report to U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, Alaska District, and U.S. Army,
Alaska. April

The 1999 field work plan presents guidelines for
providing contractor field support to the Cold Regions
Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) dur-
ing remedial activities planned for summer 1999 at the
Eagle River Flats (ERF) source area of Operable Unit
C (OUC), Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson
was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) in June
1994. The post was then subject to the remedial re-
sponse requirements of the Comprehensive Environ-
mental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(CERCLA), as amended by the Superfind Amend-
ments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) of 1986. Fol-
lowing inclusion of Fort Richardson on the NPL, the
U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), EPA, and the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)
negotiated the Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) for
Fort Richardson, which was signed in December 1994.

OUC consists of ERF and the former Open
Buming/Open Detonation Pad (OB/OD pad).
CERCLA remedial activities are currently under way
at the ERF portion of OUC. The selected remedy for
ERF presented in the Record of Decision (ROD) con-
sists of treating white phosphorus (WP)-contaminated
sediment by draining permanently flooded pond areas
with pumps and capping areas that do not desaturate
through pumping. Pumping will allow the sediments
to desaturate and increase in temperature, which will
result in sublimation/oxidation of the WP. The OB/OD
pad is being addressed separately under an RCRA
closure process. Additional support activities to en-
hance the pond pumping and draining and several
monitoring activities are also included in the remedial
action for ERF. The final ROD for OUC was signed in
October 1998. CH2M Hill submitted the Draft Oper-

able Unit C Remedial Action (RA) Work Plan and Pre-
final Design for Eagle River Flats to the U.S. Army
Alaska, Directorate of Public Works (DPW), in Febru-
ary 1999.

‘USA CRREL (2002) 2002 Remediation and moni-
itoring work plan, Operable Unit C—Eagle River Flats.
Report to U.S. ‘Any, Cotps of Eogangess, and 11S.
‘Amny, Alaska. May.

This is the work plan for remediation and moni-
toring efforts addressing the white phosphorus con-
tamination in Eagle River Flats, a 2,140-acre estuarine
salt marsh on Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richard-
son is on the National Priority List, and Eagle River
Flats is designated Operable Unit C (OUC). The main
remedy in OUC is pond pumping, using six semi-
autonomous pumps to temporarily drain contaminated
ponds within several areas of Eagle River Flats. The
first part of the work plan describes the remediation
efforts for the 2002 field season, the fourth year of a
five-year remediation and monitoring effort in Eagle
River Flats. The second section describes the moni-
toring activities to determine the effectiveness of the
remediation. These include sediment sampling, moni-
toring of drying conditions using dataloggers, and the
installation of an on-site meteorological station. The
third section contains the schedules for the various
remediation and monitoring activities. The fourth sec-
tion contains predicted tidal data for Eagle River Flats.
The fifth section is a health and safety plan (HASP).

(USA CRREL (2002) 2001 remedial progress report,
‘Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats), Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska. Report to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
‘U.S. Anny, Alaska. July.

This report describes the results of remediation
and monitoring efforts addressing the white phospho-
mus contamination in Eagle River Flats, a 2140-acre
estuarine salt marsh on Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort
Richardson is on the National Priority List, and Eagle
River Flats is designated Operable Unit C (OUC). The
main remedy in OUC is pond pumping, using six
semi-autonomous pumps to temporarily drain con-
taminated ponds within several areas of Eagle River
Flats. The first part of the report is a progress report
summarizing the results of the project to date from the
remedial investigation phase through the third year of
remediation. The second part of the report describes
the 2001 field season, the third year of a five-year
remediation and monitoring effort in Eagle River
Flats. In the 2001 field season, the pumps kept the
ponds drained for extended periods during the sum-
mer, allowing the pond bottom sediments to dry and



determine that the pond or area requires
remediation, to establish a baseline for WP,
and to determine additional areas that may
require remediation.

e Sample pond bottoms for WP after treatment
to determine effectiveness of the treatment
system.

¢ Perform telemetry monitoring and aerial sur-
veys to determine bird populations, usage,
and mortality.

¢ Conduct aerial photography to monitor habi-
tat changes resulting from remedial actions
and to produce updated habitat mapping.

e Use hazing (only as a contingency) if pump-
ing operations and other fieldwork activities
have not already deterred waterfowl from
using critical areas.

¢ After RAOs are achieved and pumping is dis-
continued, apply AquaBlokTM or other cap-
and-fill material in ponded areas that did not
drain and dry sufficiently to enable the WP to
sublimate and oxidize. The cap-and-fill mate-
tial will be periodically monitored for integ-
rity and effectiveness.

¢ Incorporate WP sampling, telemetry, aerial
survey, habitat, and physical landform data
into a geographic information system (GIS)
database.

Maintain institutional controls, including the
restrictions governing site access, construc-
tion, and road maintenance and the required
training for personnel who work at OUC
source areas, as long as hazardous substances
and unexploded ordnance (UXO) hazards
exist at OUC.

The overall goal of this RAWP is to provide a
plan and present information needed to guide the suc-
cessful execution of the RA at ERF. The following are
specific objectives of the OUC RAWP:

e Describe techniques and provide guidance for
the installation, operation, and maintenance
of the selected remedial technology.

e Present the basis for the RD, how it was
evaluated and chosen among other designs,
the assumptions made during the design, and
their justifications.

e Discuss how the RD will meet the remedia-
tion goals and regulatory standards identified
in the ROD.

e Present a schedule for the implementation,
operation, and maintenance of the RD.

¢ Present a cost estimate for the implementa-
tion, operation, and maintenance of the RD,

as an update to the cost estimate presented in
the ROD.

¢ Present a health and safety plan (HASP),
Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP),
and operations and maintenance plan (O&M
plan) for the RD/RA.

The selected RA addresses only the remediation
of WP contamination and does not address the cleanup
of UXO at ERF. However, the presence of UXO at
ERF presents a safety hazard to workers during
RDIRA activities. Required procedures for conducting
UXO clearance at ERF areas before remediation and
monitoring activities are included in this RAWP and
Prefinal Design, and in the Health and Safety Plan
presented in Appendix C.

CH2M HILL is preparing the RAWP and design
documentation for the COE under Contract DACA85-
95-D0015, Delivery Order 22 (D022). The Army is
conducting RD/RA at OUC in accordance with the
Fort Richardson FFA and the OUC ROD developed
between USARAK, ADEC, and EPA. This RAWP is
organized as follows:

Section 1, Introduction. This section presents
background information on activities at
the site, the objective of the RAWP, and
the project organization and personnel
responsibilities.

Section 2, ERF Site Description. This section
summarizes results from previous site
investigations, studies conducted under
the RI and FS, and more recent treatabil-
ity studies.

Section 3, Remediation Goals and Objectives.
This section describes how the achieve-
ment of the RAOs will be monitored and
met during the RA process.

Section 4, Final Remedial Design (RD). This
section summarizes the remedial tech-
nology design, how it was chosen, and
how it will meet the RAOs.

Section 5, Remedial Action (RA). This sec-
tion presents a plan and schedule for the
implementation of the remedial technol-
ogy and provides direction and technique
for installing, operating, and monitoring
the systems.

Section 6, Data Management Plan. This sec-
tion discusses how the data collected as
part of the RAWP will be managed.

Section 7, References.

The appendices contain supporting documents:



Evaluation of a macro-encapsulated repellent to reduce risk of white phosphorous ingestion by
waterfowl foraging in a contaminated marsh (L. Clark, J.L. Cummings, J.E. Davis, P.A.
Pochop, 1998) .....

Field summary report: 2001 Work season. (Weldin Construction, Inc., 2001) ..
Interagency expanded site investigation: Evaluation of white phosphorus contamination and
potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY 1998 (CM. Collins and M.J.

Hardenberg, eds., 1999) ....

2003).
Laboratory evaluation of a met
VL. Cummings, L. Clark, PA Pochop, ed J. E. Davis Jr, 1998) ...

and CM. Collins, 2000) ..
Military pushes bird bill (L. Ruskin, 2002)
Monitoring of a salt marsh contaminated with white phosphorus (VE. Walsh, C. M. Collins,
and RM. Bailey, 2000) .....
Monitoring of remediation of a salt marsh contaminated with white phosphorus
QA4.E. Walsh, C. M. Collins, and R.M. Bailey, 1999) ......
Monitoring physical and biological changes in Eagle River Flats (C.H. Racine, E.F. Chacho,
B. Tracy, and P. Berger 1999) ...
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards using Eagle River Flats: 2001
(JL. Cummings, P.A. Pochop, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, D.L. York, Davis, J.B.
Bourassa, K. Shively, and B.S. Dorr, 2002) .
Movements, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards using Eagle River Flats: 1999
(UL. Cummings, P.A. Pochop, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B.
Bourassa, B.S. Dorr, and C.H. Racine, 2000) ........sssccssessseccseeesseesrsecsnecenneessnsessecsnneenenreeate 13
Movements, distribution, and relative risk of waterfowl using Eagle River Flats: 1998
(UL. Cummings, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Graver, P.A. Pochop, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B.
Bourassa, and C.H. Racine, 1999) ....
Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats) remediation progress report through 2001
(C.M. Collins, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, and C.H. Racine, 2002) .
Operable unit updates: OUC Eagle River Flats (M/. Prieksat, 2001)
Physical barrier to reduce WP mortalities of foraging waterfowl (P.A.
C. A. Yoder, and W. A. Gossweiler, 2000) ....
Pond pumping, ditching, and habitat change on Eagle River Flats (C.H. Racine, 2000) ..
Pond cleanup planned for Eagle River Flats (E. Manning, 1998)
Range cleanup plan due hearing (Anchorage Daily News, 1998)
Remedial action work plan and final design for Eagle River Flats (CH2M Hill, 1999)
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 1999 (CM. Collins,
and M.J. Hardenberg, eds., 2000) .....
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000 (C.M. Collins and
D.W. Cate, eds., 2001) ...
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001 (CM. Collins and
D.W. Cate, eds., 2002) ...
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit
C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—F Y 2002 (C.M. Collins and D.W. Cate, eds., In press) ..........26
Remediation method for white phosphorus-contaminated wetlands (V1.R. Walsh, M. E. Walsh, and
C. M. Collins, 2000) ......: 8
Remediation of a white phosphorus contaminated salt marsh: Eagle River Flats, Alaska
(C.M. Collins, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, J.T. Walls, and M.E. Wong 1999)

-ochop, J. L. Cummings,

37



The 2001 field season is the third year of the
remediation phase of the Eagle River Flats project.
This year, tidal predictions indicated a good possibility
of a highly successful season, especially if flooding
tides in July could be prevented. Although a record
rainfall and a high river stage contributed to sheet
flooding in July, very favorable drying conditions in
late May and through June resulted in significant dry-
ing in all treated ponds. Work continued at improving
logistics, improving equipment reliability, and ad-
dressing contaminated areas adjacent to treated areas.

Deployment of the pump units was adjusted this
year, with one unit in a new pond in Area A (Pond
246), three units returning in Area C (Ponds 146, 155,
and 183), one unit in the C/D Area (Pond 730), and
one unit in a new pond in Coastal East (Pond 75). The
tide gates did not play a significant role this season.
The longest contiguous period for drying was 71 days,
from 12 May to 21 July. Significant drying occurred at
Ponds 155 and 730 for the first time, and Ponds 75 and
the Pond 246/226 complex also saw dying during their
first year of remediation.

Logistics continue to be refined, with an emphasis
on optimizing the utilization of helicopters when on
site. The heavy equipment aerial transfer operations
are going quite smoothly, with Weldin, CRREL,
USARAK, and the National Guard all contributing to
the effort. The lightweight fuel transfer tanks were
used for the first time this season. They worked out
well. In September, last minute cancellation of the
Guard helicopter led to the use of a USARAK CH-
4TD Chinook for retrograde operations. This aircraft
and its crew worked out quite well, with all the
equipment except the towers airlifted out of the Flats
in one afternoon. As a result of optimizing flight time
with the commercial helicopter and the use of the
USARAK CH-47D, $50,000 was saved on helicopter
expenditures. We utilized three connexes for the first
time this season, two on the EOD Pad and one at 992.
These worked out well, especially in the aftermath of
the 11 September terrorist attacks, when our access to
the EOD Pad was limited. They saved us at least two
days, probably more. They are well worth the small
investment and will help us in the spring as well.

A team from Weldin Construction, Inc., led by
Dave Mitchell and Terry Edwards, helped in the de-
ployment and retrograde operations and conducted the
field operation and maintenance work again his year.
Maintenance over the winter on all the generator sets
resulted in reduced downtime in the field. A revised
video monitoring system was deployed with very good
results and was used throughout the season to monitor
conditions in Areas A, C, BT, and D. Work done at the
end of the season indicates that a more efficient, cost-

25

effective transmission method can be employed next
season, further increasing image quality and retrieval
success. The meteorological site was once again op-
erational and accessible over the Internet at the Flats
Web site. The data retrieval rate was 100%.

Next season looks to finally be extremely favor-
able for remediation at the Flats. No flooding tides are
predicted for June or July, and flooding tides in late
May will likely be stopped by the tide gates. Mid-
August flooding tides may overrun the tide gates, de-
pending on the river stage and climatic conditions. The
equipment will be pulled out in late August.

‘Walsh, M.R., and ME. Walsh (2002) Remote
aang: of remediation parameters through a Web-

system. In Remediating and monitoring: white
Phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Op-
‘erable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001.
‘USA CRREL Contract Report to-U.S. Army Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
‘and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, Final Re-
‘port, p. 135-140.

The ERF Web site is a heavily used tool for the
researchers and project managers, providing a daily
feel for the conditions and progress of our efforts
during and after the remediation season. The site
provides a user-friendly interface to the daily and
seasonal conditions at the Flats, aiding in our running
evaluation of the remediation effort and keeping us in
touch with the physical conditions necessary for the
attenuation of the contaminant.

This year we monitored four ponds for attenuation
conditions (five sensors each), the met site (11 sensors
and 18 functions), four treatment ponds (remote im-
aging up to five times daily each), and the base station
on Bravo Bridge (two sensors). This gave us a total of
33 sensor points and four cameras over the course of
the season. The pond monitoring sensor and met sta-
tion data were updated daily, and the Web cameras
updated on a three-hour schedule throughout the day
(0800-2000 hr).

In addition to the sensor, met, and camera data,
other information is available on the ERF Web site. A
brief history and a complete bibliography from 1950
through 1999 are on the site. A short write-up on
monitoring activities and the ecology of the Flats are
there as well. Maps and photographs, although dated
and in need of updating, give the viewer a sense of the
scope of the project. We have also included a current
activities button, updated periodically, and a list of
contacts for those interested.

The ERF Web page is one of the most widely ac-
cessed Web sites at CRREL, indicative of the interest
in the project. It is a good showcase for the Army's



Use of geosynthetics to prevent white phosphorus poisoning of waterfowl in Eagle River Flats,
Alaska (K.S. Henry, CM. Collins, and C.H. Racine) ..
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April—October 1994 (W.D. Eldridge) ...
Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (L.R. Reitsma, and B.B. Steele)
White phosphorus mobilization at the Eagle River Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (L.E. Hunter,
D.E. Lawson, S.E. Bigl, B.M. Nadeau, P.B. Weyrick, and J.H. Bodette) ...
White phosphorus toxicity and bioindicators of exposure in waterfowl and raptors
(D.W. Sparling, R. Grove, E. Hill, M. Gustafson, and P. Klein) .....
Winter test of artillery firing into Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska
(CM. Collins, and D.J. Calkins)

1996

Analysis of white phosphorus in biota at Eagle River Flats, 1995 field season
(B.D. Roebuck)
Climate and tides (R.K. Haugen) .
Development of a remotely controlled drilling and sampling system for remediation program at
Eagle River Flats (M.R. Walsh) ....
Development of an analytical method for white phosphorus (P,) in water and sediment
using solid-phase microextraction (4.E. Walsh, S. Taylor, and P.G. Thorne) ...
Dredging as a remediation strategy for white phosphorus contaminated sediments at
Eagle River Flats (4.R. Walsh) ....
Dredging Eagle River Flats: Remediation study in an active impact area
(LR. Walsh) ...
Dredging in an active artillery impact area, Eagle River Flats, Alaska (V.R. Walsh,
Chamberlain, K.S. Henry, D.E. Garfield, and E. Sorenson)...
Dredging in an impact area on Eagle River Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska
(MR. Walsh) ..
Eagle River Flats spatial database (C.H. Racine, P. Robinson, and J. Mullen)
Enhancement of intrinsic remediation of WP particles by sediment warming in intermittent
ponded areas of Eagle River Flats (4. Walsh, CM. Collins, and R.N. Bailey) ...
Evaluation of AquaBlokTM on contaminated sediment to reduce mortality of foraging
waterfowl (P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, and C.A. Yoder) .
Hazing at Eagle River Flats (C. Rossi) .
Intrinsic remediation of WP particles in intermittent ponded areas of ERF (M.E. Walsh, CM.
Collins, and R.N. Bailey) so
Method for producing performance evaluation soil/sediment samples for white phosphorus
analysis (ME. Walsh) ..
Movement, distribution and relative risk of waterfowl and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flats
(UL. Cummings, C.A. Yoder, R.E. Johnson, P.A. Pochop, K.S. Graver, J.E. Davis, and K.L.
Tope) ...
Persistence of white phosphorus (P,) particles in salt marsh sediments (VE. Walsh,
CM. Collins, and C.H. Racine) .
Physical processes and natural attenuation alternatives for white phosphorus contamination,
Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, and S.R. Bigh) ....... 83
Physical system dynamics and white phosphorus fate and transport, 1994, Eagle River Flats,
Fort Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, S.R. Bigl, BM. Nadeau,
P.B. Weyrick, and J.H. Bodette) .
Physical system dynamics, WP fate and transport, and remediation (D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter,
and §.R. Bigl)
Pond draining treatabil
and M.E, Walsh) ....
Testing and performance of silt fence for dredging operation (K.S. Henry, M.R. Walsh,
and S.T. Hunnewell)

42

1995 studies (CM. Collins, E.F. Chacho, M.R. Walsh,

42



mum hourly average temperature was 29.2°C on 27
June. With these excellent sublimation/oxidation con-
ditions, there was a 95% loss of mass of the white
phosphorus particles we planted in May 2001 and re-
covered in September 2001. Prior to this year the
greatest annual loss for planted particles in this pond
was 79% in 1998. White phosphorus concentration the
middle of Area C (C 100 m grid), as determined by
composite sampling, has declined from 0.07 pg/g in
June 1997 to <0.0002 g/g in September 2001. In five
replicate core samples taken to 10-cm depth at Miller's
Hole, the crater produced when a white-phosphorus-
containing UXO was detonated on 20 May 1992, only
one core had a detectable concentration of white phos-
phorus (0.0003 1g/g). (In 1992 the concentration was
over 2000 pg/g.) In the DWRC Pen 5, a site we have
resampled since 1996 when all 48 discrete samples
were well above the detection limit (0.002-421 pg/g),
we resampled the last four remaining discrete loca-
tions within the pen that had white phosphorus con-
centration above 0.001 g/g in 2000; concentrations
were 0.0004, 0.0005, 0.0005, and 0.0006 pig/g in Sep-
tember 2001. Based on these measurements, we can
say that hazardous amounts of white phosphorus parti-
cles are no longer present in the exposed surface sedi-
ments in Pond 183. However, a piece of geotextile that
was used by DWRC in their pen studies to provide a
clean surface for penned ducks was left next to the pen
area in one of the most highly contaminated parts of
Pond 183. This year, we sampled under the geotextile
and found a high concentration of white phosphorus
(1.1 g/g) at 10- to 20-cm depth. An effort should be
made early in the summer of 2002 to remove this
geotextile and other debris that may be covering small
areas of contaminated sediments in Pond 183.

Pond 146, adjacent to Canoe Point in Area C, an
area that was dredged in 1996 but still had high white
phosphorus concentrations in 1999, has also shown
significant decontamination. During the time that the
sediments were unsaturated in 2001, the mean sedi-
ment temperature at 5 cm depth was 15.9°C, and the
maximum hourly average temperature was 26.8°C on
28 June. Particles planted in Pond 146 declined in
mass by 30%; composite samples have shown greater
loss, with one sample declining from 7.31 yig/g in June
1999 to 0.0005 g/g in September 2001. Subsurface
samples were taken down to 75 cm depth. White
phosphorus was detectable at two depths: 0.0005 pg/g
at 5-10 cm and 0.0002 g/g at 51 cm. In 1992 and
1999 white phosphorus was detectable at all depths
sampled, with a maximum concentration of 198 pg/g
at 15 cm in 1992. This year white phosphorus was
undetectable at 15 cm.

24

Pond 155, to the northeast of Pond 183 in Area C,
is located within a bulrush marsh and has been a diffi-
cult pond to remediate. This is the first year that the
sediments have showed some significant drying. Dur-
ing the time that the sediments were unsaturated, the
average temperature was 19.1°C, and the maximum
hourly average temperature was 30.5°C on 27 June.
This year planted particles showed an 80% decrease in
mass, compared to 1999, when no change was found.
A grid for collecting composite samples was estab-
lished in 1998, and this is the first year that a decline
in white phosphorus concentration was evident. This
year we took 65 disorete samples from within and par-
allel to the grid, and 75% of the samples were positive.
The highest surface sediment concentration was 0.099
pg/g. We took two cores and found white phosphorus
down to 25 cm in one core and 5] cm in the other. The
highest concentrations were in the top 20 cm. At least
two more good drying years are needed to decontami-
nate this pond.

Pond 730 in Area C/D was drained by pumping
for the third year and Pond 75 in Coastal East for the
first year. The loss of planted white phosphorus parti-
cles was 89 and 20%, respectively.

The former Bread Truck pond experienced 22
flooding tides during three series of flood events in
June, July, and August, which eroded more of the
pond and further enlarged the blasted ditch. Despite
the flooding tides, the pond dried intermittently.
Planted white phosphorus declined by 32 and 78% for
the north and south sides, respectively. White
phosphorus is no longer detectable in the composite
samples collected from the north and south sides of the

nd.
~ Pond 226 in Area A was drained for the first time
this year. Planted white phosphorus declined by 83%.

Tn summary, all ponds showed loss from planted
white phosphorus particles. The mean loss for all
ponds was 64%. Sublimation/oxidation conditions
were excellent throughout June 2001 and marginal the
rest of the season. All formerly identified hot spots are
either clean or have shown significant decontamina-
tion.

‘Walsh, MLR. (2002) Eagle | River Flats ‘pond. pumping
remediation project: Third-year deployment under the
zecord of decision. In. Remediating and monitoring
‘white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats
‘(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY
'2001. USA CRREL; Contract Report to U.S. Anny
‘Alaska, Directorate of Pubic. Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer Tastes Alaska.
Final Report, p. 53-78.



Eagle River Flats Remediation Project
Comprehensive Bibliography—1998 to 2003

MICHAEL R. WALSH

INTRODUCTION

The Eagle River Flats remediation project is a
ground-breaking environmental cleanup effort on the
U.S. Ammy’s Fort Richardson, near Anchorage, Alaska
ig. 1). The project’s roots extend back to 1982 when
various government agencies joined together to inves-
tigate high waterfowl mortality observed at the Flats.
An interagency task force was formed, comprising the
U.S. Army, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Alaska De-
partment of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S.
Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency, now
known as the Army Environmental Agency.

Initial investigations, conducted from 1983
through 1988, failed to pinpoint a specific cause for
the mortalities, which continued to occur at the Flats.
In 1989, a contractor was hired to investigate the die-
offs. Again the results were inconclusive.

a. Location of Eagle River Flats.

In 1990, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research
and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), working with
the Environmental Resources Branch, Directorate of
Public Works, U.S. Army, Alaska, uncovered the
cause of the deaths: white phosphorus (WP) poisoning
from the unreacted particulate residue of smoke
rounds used during training at the Flats.

With the contaminant finally identified, investi-
gations began into both the site and the agent. A thor-
ough characterization of the Flats was conducted, in-
cluding biological, meteorological, and physical
systems, from 1991 through 1994. A contamination
profile was conducted to determine the distribution
and concentration of WP in the Flats. Biological and
toxicological studies were performed to determine
faunal impact of the contaminant. Waterfowl surveys
were conducted from the air and on the ground to
characterize the use of the Flats and determine the
impact and specificity of the contaminant on the birds
that use the area.

® Fort|Richardson
od
r—TM, |

b. Site map showing general areas.

Figure 1. Eagle River Flats.



Racine, C.H. (2000) Tidal creek and drainage ditch
erosion at Eagle River Flats in 1999. In Remediating
and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at
Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort Richard-
ison, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL Contract Report
to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public Works,
Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer
District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 121-125.

Active tidal creek and gully erosion is a major
physical process in Eagle River Flats. The high tides
and large volume of water that are drained by these
gullies on the ebb tide result in large volumes of fast-
moving water that can erode both lateral and headward
walls of these gullies. This could result in pond drain-
age similar to that produced by blasting ditches. The
erosion represents a loss of mudflat habitat and could
also influence both the remediation success and our
ability to restore the wetland habitat once remediation
is completed. In addition, erosion can uncover buried
munitions. In 1998, we developed a remote sensing
technique for monitoring gully erosion and applied it
to one gully. This extends some of this work by com-
paring erosional change from 1998 to 1999.

There has been little new erosion of the headwalls
of the three natural gullies draining the treated ponds
on the east side of Eagle River Flats during the past
year (August 1998 to August 1999). However, two
lobes at the headwall of the constructed ditch in the
Bread Truck Pond continue to erode at an average of
about 8-10 m per year. These will eventually develop
into two separate gullies, which may uncover addi-
tional ordnance buried by sediments in the Bread
Truck Pond as they erode. An effort may be required
to stop this "runaway" erosion of the Bread Truck
ditch, either by construction of a tide gate or by other
means.

Racine, C.H., and C.M. Collins (2000) Updated spe-
‘cies list for Eagle River Flats, Alaska. In Remediating
‘and monitoring white phosphorus. contamination at
Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort Richard-
son, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL Contract Report
to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public Works,
Fort Richardson, Alaska, and °U.S. Army Engineer
District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 115-120.

We present an updated species list of birds and
vascular plants for Eagle River Flats. As monitoring
studies and remediation efforts have been carried out
over the last several years, additional species have
been added to each of the two lists that were originally
compiled as part of the extensive site investigation
studies carried out in Eagle River Flats during 1990
through 1995 to evaluate white phosphorus distribu-
tion, persistence, and ecological risk. As of 1999 there

15

have been 97 species of birds observed in or along the
border of Eagle River Flats, indicating the rich diver-
sity of this salt marsh complex and the important eco-
logical role it plays in the Upper Cook Inlet Region.
We also include the list of invertebrate species identi-
fied in sediment samples collected in Eagle River
Flats.

‘Walsh, MLE., C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey (2000)
‘Composite sampling and analysis for white phospho-
aus in untreated ponds. In Remediating: and monitoring
‘white phosphorus. contamination at Eagle River Flats
(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, ‘ Alaska—FY.
11999. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Anny.
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and'U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
‘Final Report, p. 89-96.

Ponds that were unambiguous sources of water
fowl poisonings are undergoing remediation at ERF.
Much of Area C has been drained by pumping, and the
Bread Truck Pond and Racine Island ponds have been
drained by ditching. These treatments remove severely
contaminated ponds as waterfowl-feeding habitat for
part of the year. Mortality of telemetry Mallards indi-
cates that localized areas of contamination (hotspots)
may still be present in Area C/D and possibly Area A.
In 1999, we collected composite samples from Areas
A, C/D, and Coastal East, where previous sampling
was sparse or non-existent. We found two small areas
of contamination: 1) Pond 75, which is on the bound-
ary of Area C/D and Coastal East, and 2) part of Pond
226 in Northern Area A. Contamination was not wide-
spread in either case; neighboring composite samples
were blank.

We also sampled two ponds where we suspected
contamination based on the pond location or previous
sampling. Pond 511 in Area C and Pond 680 on
Racine Island were both blank.

‘Treatment verification: Monitoring
‘white phosphorus contaminated sediments of drained
ponds. In Remediating and monitoring white phospho-
‘rus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit
‘C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 1999. USA CRREL
Contract Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of
Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U:S.
Amny Engineer District, Alaska Final Reports 49-
88.

The in-situ decontamination of white phosphorus
contaminated sediments at ERF by pond pumping
continued, and it was monitored with the three part
approach developed in 1997. We used dataloggers to
record sediment moisture and temperature to see if



Factors that determine the persistence of white phosphorus particles in sediment (V4.E. Walsh,
CM. Collins, and C.R. Racine, 1995)
Field behavioral response and bead formulations for methyl anthranilate encapsulated bird
repellents (L. Clark and J.L. Cummings, 1994) ....
Field evaluation: Mortality of Mallards feeding in areas treated with methyl anthranilate (J.
Cummings, L. Clark, and P.A. Pochop, 1994.
Field study of air-drying contaminated sediment (V.E. Walsh, 1994)
Food chain invertebrates and fish: Sediment bioassay (C.A. Bouwkamp, 1994) ..
Fort Richardson multi-agency site investigation (W.A. Gossweiler, CM. Collins, and J.L.
Gusmano, 1995)
FY96 Eagle River Flats GIS database (C.H. Racine, 1997)
Geosynthetic barrier to prevent wildlife access to contaminated sediments (K.S. Henry, 1997) ....:
Geosynthetic barriers to prevent poisoning of waterfowl (K.S. Henry, and J.A. Stark, 1997
Geosynthetic covering of contaminated sediment (K.S. Henry, 199+) ..
GIS remediation database for Eagle River Flats (C.H. Racine and P. Berger, 1998)
Habitat and vegetation (C.H. Racine, 1994) .
Hazing at Eagle River Flats (C. Rossi, 1995)
Hazing at Eagle River Flats (C. Rossi, 1996)
Hazing waterfowl in ERF (P. O'Neil, 1994)
Ice formation in an estuarian salt marsh, Alaska (S. Taylor, C.H. Racine, C.M. Collins, and E.
Gordon, 1994) ....
Implementation of a remote pumping system for white phosphorus remediation in Pond 183
WLR. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and D.J. Lambert, 1998)
Initial analyses of Eagle River Flats hydrology and sedimentology, Fort Ric!
(DE. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, J.H. Bodette, and P.B. Weyrick, 1995) .
In-situ remediation of white phosphorus in wetlands (AR. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, and
CM. Collins, 1998)
Integrated risk assessment model for determining white phosphorus encounter rate by waterfowl
(L. Clark, J.L. Cummings, C.H. Racine, B.B. Steele, and L.R. Reitsma, 1995) .... aoe
Intrinsic remediation of WP particles in intermittent ponded areas of ERF (VE. Walsh, CM.
Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 1996) ...
Invertebrates and fish (D.W. Sparling, 1994)
Investigations of natural size reduction of white phosphorus particles in Eagle River Flats
sediment (VE. Walsh, and C.M. Collins, 1995) ...... toe
Laboratory and field evaluation of AquaBlok® to reduce mortality of foraging waterfowl at
Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (P.A. Pochop, and J.L. Cummings, 1994) .......28
Laboratory evaluation of a methyl anthranilate bead formulation for reducing Mallard mortality
and feeding behavior (/.L. Cummings, L. Clark, P.A. Pochop, and J.E. Davis, 1994) .......+..+ 40
Mapping and classification of intermittent and permanent ponds on Eagle River Flats (C.H.
Racine, B. Tracy, and P. Berger, 1998) .....
Method 7580: White phosphorus (P,) by solvent extraction and gas chromatography (United
States Environmental Protection Agency, 1995) ...
Method for producing performance evaluation soil/sediment samples for white phosphorus
analysis (M.E. Walsh, 1996) ...
Method of identifying the avian repellent effects of a compound and methods of repelling birds
from materials susceptible to consumption by birds (Z. Clark, J. Mason, P. Shah, and R.
Dolbeer, 1997)
Monitoring of contract dredge operations at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (M.R. Walsh and CM.
Collins, 1997) ....
Movement, distribution and relative risk of waterfowl! and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flats
UL. Camamings, C.A. Yoder, RE. Johnson, P.A. Pochop, K.S. Gruver, J.E. Davis, and K.L.
Tope, 1996) ...

son, Alaska

81

32



Movement, distribution and relative risk of waterfowl, Bald Eagles, and dowitchers using Eagle
River Flats (/.L. Cummings, C.A. Yoder, R.E. Johnson, P.A. Pochop, K.S. Gruver,
JE. Davis, K.L. Tope, J.B. Bourassa, and R.L. Phillips, 1993) .....
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flat:
1996 (J.L. Cummings, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, P.A. Pochop, and JE. Davis, 1997 ........
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flats:
1997 (/.L. Cummings, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Graver, P.A. Pochop, J.F. Foley, J.E. Davis, J.
Bourassa, and C.H. Racine, 1998) ..
Operable Unit C. Final Feasibility Study Report (CH2M Hill, 1997)
Operable Unit C. Final Remedial Investigation Report (CH2M Hill, 1997)
Optimization of an analytical method for determining white phosphorus in contaminated
sediments (S. Taylor and M.E. Walsh, 1992) ....
Persistence of white phosphorus (P,) particles in salt marsh sediments (\/.E. Walsh,
C.M. Collins, and C.H. Racine, 1996) .
Persistence of white phosphorus in unsaturated sediments (7.4. Hansen, 1995) .
Physical barrier to reduce white phosphorus mortalities of foraging waterfowl (P.A. Pochop, J.L.
Cummings, C.A. Yoder, and W.A. Gossweiler, in press) . .
Physical barrier to reduce white phosphorus mortalities of foraging waterfowl (P.A. Pochop,
JL. Cummings, C.A. Yoder, and W.A. Gossweiler, in press)
Physical processes and natural attenuation alternatives for white phosphorus contamination, Eagle
River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, and S.R. Bigl, 1996)
Physical system dynamics (D.E. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, and J.H. Bodette, 1994)
Physical system dynamics and white phosphorus fate and transport, 1994, Eagle River Flats, Fort
Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, L.E. Hunter, S.R. Bigl, B.M. Nadeau, P.B. Weyrick, and
JH. Bodette, 1996.. 84
Physical system dynamics, WP fate and transport, and remediation (D.Z. Lawson, L. : Hunter,
and S.R. Bigl, 1996) . .
Physical system dynamics, WP fate and transport, remediation and restoration, Eagle River Flats,
Ft. Richardson, Alaska (D.E. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, L.E. Hunter, BM. Nadeau, P.B. Weyrick,
and JH. Bodette, 1995) ... .
Pond draining and sediment drying as a remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
in wetland, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (CM. Collins, M.E. Walsh, and M.R. Walsh, 1997) ...... 23
Pond draining to treat white phosphorus-contaminated sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska
(C.M. Collins, 1997)
Pond draining treatability study (CM. Collins, 1994) .
Pond draining treatability study (CM. Collins, 1995) .
Pond draining treatabil 1995 studies (C.M. Collins, E.F. Chacho, M.R. Walsh, and M.E. Walsh,
1996) .38
Pond draining treatabilit 6 studies—The draining of Bread Truck Pond (CM. Collins, M.T.
Meeks, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, and R.N. Bailey, 1997) ... 40
Predation of ducks poisoned by white phosphorus: Exposure and risk to predators (B.D. Roebuck,
MLE. Walsh, C.H. Racine, L.R. Reitsma, B.B. Steele, and S.I. Nam, 1994) .. 77
Preliminary assessment of sedimentation and erosion in Eagle River Flats, south-central Alaska
(D.E. Lawson and B.E. Brockett, 1993) .... . 83
Preliminary evaluation of analytical holding times for white phosphorus in surface water (ME.
Walsh, and B. Nadeau, 1994) . 87
Preliminary evaluation of encapsulated methyl! anthranilate at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson,
Alaska (L. Clark, J.L. Cummings, S.A. Bird, J.E. Davis Jr., and P.A. Pochop, 1993) . 81
Preliminary investigation on bioindicators of exposure to white phosphorus (P,) (V1. Gustafson, R.
Grove, E.F. Hill, and D.W. Sparling, 1994)
Preliminary literature list and review for salt marsh restoration as applied to Eagle River Flats,
Alaska (C.H. Racine, 1994) ...
Proposed Plan for Cleanup Action at Operable Unit C, Fort Richardson, Alaska
(CH2M Hill, 1998) ...

33



tractor is to support CRREL with its remedial and
monitoring activities. Piping, check valves, and sup-
plemental materials such as fence posting were loaded
onto helicopters at the OB/OD pad and then unloaded
at the ERF mudflats. The unexploded ordnance (UXO)
subcontractor first cleared all areas of UXOs where
piping was to be placed and where the helicopter was
going to land. Most piping was transported by heli-
copter in bundles of 8 to 10 pieces, and bundles were
dropped strategically along the proposed location of
the discharge line. The pipe was then laid out and
clamped together by hand. The piping was tied down
by using fence posting and rope to avoid large
amounts of movement during high tides.

For the 2001 season, the systems were stationed at
Ponds 183, 730, 246, 155, 146, and 75. Ponds 146,
155, and 183 are in Area C; these areas were easily
accessed from the OB/OD pad. Pond 730 is in Area
C/D. Most of WCT's activities are performed on foot,
with the exception of fueling activities that require the
use of helicopters.

WCI provided support to CRREL during the
installation and removal of the pumps and generators
to and from ERF. The pumps, generators, and fuel
tanks were transported to remote locations within ERF
by a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The pumps were
connected to the discharge lines with flexible hose to
ensure mobility during starting, pump down, and
stopping, when the pump moves about in the sumps.

All equipment had to be anchored to the ground to
decrease excessive movement during high tides and
winds and to reduce strain on the flexible hose at
startup. CRREL placed the float switches for each
generator set at the desired water height on fence
posting. Demobilization of the equipment was
accomplished through the use of a CH-47D Chinook
helicopter.

Collins, C.M., and D.W. Cate, eds. (2002) Reme-
diating and monitoring white phosphorus contamina-
tion at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit: C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Amy Alaska, Directorate of Public
Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army En-
‘gineer District, Alaska. July.

This is the twelfth annual contract report prepared
by researchers from CRREL and other Federal agen-
cies for U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, and U.S.
Army Alaska, Public Works, describing the results of
research, remediation, and monitoring efforts ad-
dressing the white phosphorus contamination in Eagle
River Flats, an 865-ha estuarine salt marsh on Fort
Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson is on the Na-
tional Priority List, and Eagle River Flats is designated

21

Operable Unit C (OUC) under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability
Act (CERCLA).

This year was the third year of a planned five-year
remediation effort in Eagle River Flats. Pond pump-
ing, using six remote-controlled pumps to temporarily
drain contaminated ponds within several areas of Ea-
gle River Flats, was again conducted this year. The
pumps kept the ponds drained for extended periods
during the summer, allowing the pond bottom sedi-
ments to dry and the white phosphorus in the sediment
to sublime and oxidize. The logistics of the pumping
operations, especially the installation of the equipment
in the spring and the removal of the equipment in the
fall, continued to be refined, leading to more effective
and efficient operations.

The combination of warm, dry weather during the
first half of the summer and the successful use of
floodgates to prevent flooding tides resulted in a long
and effective drying season. Sampling showed that
levels of contamination in the treated ponds continued
to decline. Additional areas of localized contamination
were identified that will be treated in the future.

The first section of this report is a progress report
reviewing the overall project from the initial remedial
investigations, through the treatability study phases, to
the implementation of the preferred remediation
method. It reviews the progress of the remediation
through the first three years. It also reviews the ongo-
ing monitoring efforts used to assess the effectiveness
of the remediation efforts. And finally it addresses
specific issues and procedures raised in the Proposed
Plan and the Record of Decision.

‘Collins, C.M. (2002) 2001 Weather data for Eagle
‘River Flats. In Remediating and monitoring white.
phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Op-
‘erable Unit'C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001.
‘USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army, Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
‘and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska. Final Re-
‘port, p. 121-130.

Average air temperatures in Eagle River Flats
‘were much higher than normal during June (+2°C) and
higher than normal during late May (+0.5°C) and Au-
gust (+1°C). Temperatures were slightly lower than
normal for July (-0.5°C) and early September (—1°C).
May and June are normally the driest months of the
core drying season needed for treatment of contami-
nated pond bottom sediments. Late May and June pro-
vided nearly ideal drying conditions for the pond
pumping remediation project. Precipitation was far
below normal for the last half of May and June (0.5
and 7.9 mm of precipitation, respectively.) This was 3



ABSTRACT

White phosphorus (WP) has been implicated in the deaths of thousands of waterfowl! annually at Eagle
River Flats (ERF), an estuarine salt marsh located on Fort Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska. The
source of WP contamination at ERF was the firing of WP-containing munitions into the area by the U.S.
military. WP is a well known toxicant and is lethal to a wide range of species. However, WP contamina-
tion at ERF is the first documented case of a U.S. Army munitions impact area contaminated with WP
particles. This has led to the designation of ERF as a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, and the Army must follow the guidelines of remediation set by the Comprehensive Environmen-
tal Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Numerous studies have been conducted to
better characterize the nature and the extent of WP contamination, and treatability studies for remediation
processes are currently being implemented. This comprehensive bibliography provides all publications
related to WF contamination remediation project at Eagle River Flats through 2003.

DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes.
Citation of trade names does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products.
All product names and trademarks cited are the property of their respective owners. The findings of this report are not to
be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorized documents.
DESTROY THIS REPORT WHEN IT IS NO LONGER NEEDED. DO NOT RETURN TO THE ORIGINATOR.



Eagle River Flats. Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CH2M Hill) .
Eagle River Flats. Potential ARARs Evaluation (CH2M Hill)
Eagle River Flats. Quality Assurance Program Plan (CH2M Hill)
Effect of sediment moisture and temperature on the persistence of white phosphorus particles
(ME. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and C.H. Racine)
Evaluation of Concover® and BentoBallsTM on contaminated sediments to reduce mortality of
foraging waterfowl (P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, L. Clark, and J.E. Davis).....
Field behavioral response and bead formulations for methy] anthranilate encapsulated bird
repellents (L. Clark and J.L. Cummings)
Field evaluation: Mortality of Mallards feeding in areas treated with methy] anthranilate (/.
Cummings, L. Clark, and P.A. Pochop, 1994.
Field study of air-drying contaminated sediment (A4.E. Walsh, 1994) .
Food chain invertebrates and fish: Sediment bioassay (C.A. Bouwkamp)
Geosynthetic covering of contaminated sediment (K.S. Henry)
Habitat and vegetation (C.H. Racine)
Hazing waterfowl in ERF (P. O'Neil) .
Ice formation in an estuarian salt marsh, Alaska (S. Taylor, C.H. Racine, C.M. Collins, and E.
Gordon) ......
Invertebrates and fish (D.W. Sparling)
Laboratory and field evaluation of AquaBlok® to reduce mortality of foraging waterfowl
at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (P.A. Pochop, and J.L. Cummings, 1994)...... 28
Laboratory evaluation of a methy] anthranilate bead formulation for reducing Mallard mortality
and feeding behavior (J.L. Cummings, L. Clark, P.A. Pochop, and J.E. Davis) . .
Physical system dynamics (D.E. Lawson, S.R. Bigl, and J.H. Bodette)
Pond draining treatability study (C.M. Collins) ...

MLE. Walsh, C.H. Racine, L.R. Reitsma, B.B. Steele, and S.I. Nam) .... .
Preliminary evaluation of analytical holding times for white phosphorus in surface water (M.E.
Walsh, and B. Nadeau) ..
Preliminary investigation on bioindicators of exposure to white phosphorus (P,) @f. Gusigfvon, R
Grove, E.F. Hill, and D.W. Sparling) ...
Preliminary literature list and review for salt marsh restoration as applied to Eagle River Flats,
Alaska (C.H. Racine) ..
Review of chemical and physical properties of WP (/.E. Walsh)
Toxicological studies of white phosphorus in waterfowl (D.W. Sparling, R. Grove, E. Hill, M.
Gustafson, and L. Comerci) ....
Uptake and loss of white phosphorus in American Kestrels (S.I. Nam, B.D. Roebuck, and M.E.
Walsh) ....
Water sampling (V.E. Walsh) ....
Water, sediment, macroinvertebrate, and fish sampling, Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson,
Alaska, July 12-23, 1993 (U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency) ...
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April-October 1993 (W.D. Eldridge) ..
Waterfowl distribution and movements in Eagle River Flats (J.L. Cummings, P.A. Pochop, and
JE. Davis)
Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (L.R. Reitsma, and B.B. Steele)
White phosphorus in plants at Eagle River Flats (4.E. Walsh)
WP in sediment (C.H. Racine, and M.E. Walsh) ..
WP poisoning of waterbirds in ERF (D.W. Sparling, R. Grove, and L. Comerci) ..

1995

Analytical methods for white phosphorus (M.E. Walsh, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck, and S.J. Nam) 33
Analytical methods for white phosphorus (P,) in sediment and water (VE. Walsh, S. Taylor, D.
‘Anderson, and H. McCarty) ...

40



Remote monitoring of remediation parameters through a Web-based system (A4.R. Walsh, and
M.E. Walsh, 2002) .....
Sounds like an attack, but it’s just practice (L. Campbell, 2001)
Tidal creek and drainage ditch erosion at Eagle River Flats in 1999 (C.H. Racine, 2000)
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
of drained ponds (.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 1999) .......: 11
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
of drained ponds (ME. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 2000) .......: 15
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
of drained ponds (4.E Walsh., C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 2001) 18
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
in treated ponds. (VE. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 2002)...
Updated species list for Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine, and C.M. Collins, 2000)
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April-October 2000 (W.D. Eldridge, 2001) .
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April—October 2001 (W.D. Eldridge, 2002) ..
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April to October 1998 (W.D. Eldridge and D.G.
Robertson, 1999) ....
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats
Robertson, 2000) ....
Weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins, 1999)
Weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins, 2000) .......
Work plan: Field work to control flooding of the Bread Truck Pond (Weldin Construction, Inc.,
2003)... .

CHRONOLOGICAL INDEX TO ABSTRACTS
First Edition (1950-1998: Excluding aerial photos)

1990
Eagle River Flats expanded site investigation (ESE)

1991

Elemental phosphorus as the cause of waterfow! mortality in a salt marsh at Ft. Richardson,
Alaska (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, B.D. Roebuck, and C.M. Collins) .... .
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats impact area, Anchorage, Alaska (C.H. Racine, M.E.
Walsh, C.M. Collins, B.D. Roebuck, and W. Gossweiler) .
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of ‘munition compounds (C.H. Racine,
M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, D.J. Calkins, and B.D. Roebuck) ...
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of munitions compounds and human
health risk assessment (S.T. Bird, C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, D.J. Calkins, B.D.
Roebuck, L.W. Metker, and R. Newsome) ....

1992

Biotransfer and accumulation of white phosphorus (S.J. Nam, B.D. Roebuck, M.E. Walsh, and
C.H. Racine)
Optimization of an analytical method for determining white phosphorus in contaminated
sediments (S. Taylor, and M.E. Walsh) ...
Remedial investigation report for white phosphorus contamination in an Alaskan salt marsh C H.
Racine, M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, S. Taylor, B.D. Roebuck, L. Reitsma,
and B. Steele) a
Waterfowl mortality in Eagle River Flats, Alaska: The role of munition residues (C.H. Racine,
M.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, D.J. Calkins, and B.D. Roebuck) a

38



pumps were installed in permanently ponded areas of
Eagle River Flats to temporarily drain contaminated
ponds. The complexity of the site required that we use
multiple methods to monitor effectiveness of pond
draining. In the drained ponds, we measured (a) sedi-
ment temperature and moisture conditions using sen-
sors linked to a datalogger to determine if conditions
were conducive to sublimation/oxidation, (6) white
phosphorus concentrations remaining from past firing
of white phosphorus munitions, and (c) residual white
phosphorus from particles we planted in the surface
sediment. We have used these methods for three years
and have confirmed that the chosen remediation
method is working.

‘Walsh, M.E., C.M. Collins, and R.M. Bailey (2000)
‘Monitoring of a salt marsh contaminated with white
phosphorus. In Proceedings of the 219" ACS National
‘Meeting Book of Abstracts, 26-30 March, 2000, San
Francisco, California, Part 1, Section IZEC, No.63.

Eagle River Flats, a salt marsh on Fort Richard-
son, Alaska, is contaminated with highly toxic white
phosphorus-munition residues. The anaerobic salt
marsh sediments are ideal for long-term persistence of
the grain-size particles of white phosphorus (P,) that
are ingested by waterfowl. In unsaturated sediment, P,
sublimes and oxidizes, leaving nontoxic residues. The
rate of sublimation is influenced by several factors,
including particle size and shape, exposure to the at-
mosphere, and temperature. The heterogeneity of the
sediments required that we use multiple methods to
monitor sublimation/oxidation conditions. We meas-
ured sediment temperature and moisture conditions
using sensors linked to a datalogger, Ps remaining
from past firing of white phosphorus munitions in
discrete and composite samples, and residual P, from
particles placed in the sediment.

Walsh, MLR, C.M. Collins, and D.J. Lambert
(1999) Development of a remediation method for
white-phosphorus-contaminated wetlands. In’ Pro-
ceedings, International Conference on Wetlands and
‘Remediation, 16-17 November, Salt Lake City, Utah,
p. 341-348,

The use of the military munition white phospho-
rus in wetland impact areas has resulted in several
documented cases of deposition of residual particles
from incomplete combustion. In areas of permanent

saturation, such as pond bottoms, these particles are
highly persistent. They are also extremely toxic to
dabbling waterfowl, which can ingest them through
the normal course of sieving bottom sediments during
feeding. In Eagle River Flats (ERF), an estuarine salt
marsh that serves as a munitions impact area for Fort
Richardson, Alaska, particulate white phosphorus has
been found to be the cause of large waterfowl die-offs.
After several years of investigations into the distribu-
tion and persistence of white phosphorus in the Flats, a
method of remediation was developed that incorpo-
rates a semi-autonomous floating pump system, de-
signed to temporarily drain contaminated ponds and
allow the contaminant to attenuate naturally. Prelimi-
nary results over three years of treatability studies
indicate that this remediation method is highly effec-
tive when climatic conditions are favorable to the
drying of the exposed contaminated sediment. This
remediation method was chosen by the U.S. Army, the
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation,
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the
ERF Superfund site cleanup action.

‘Walsh, MLR., M. E. Walsh, and C.M. Collins (2000)
‘Remediation. method. for white. phosphorus-
ntaminated wetlands. In Proceedings of the 219%
‘ACS ‘National ‘Meeting book of abstracts, ‘26-30.
‘March, 2000, San Francisco, California, Part 1, Sec-
ition IEC, No. 62.

White phosphorus, a man-made contaminant, is
both deadly and persistent in saturated environments.
In the 1980s, massive waterfowl die-offs were ob-
served at Eagle River Flats, an estuarine salt marsh on
Fort Richardson, Alaska. Residual white phosphorus
from smoke rounds fired into the Flats by the U.S.
Army was discovered to be the cause of mortality.
Over the last 10 years, investigations into the nature
and extent of the contaminant have led to the exami-
nation of several technologies for the remediation of
the area. The most promising method encompasses a
unique semi-autonomous pumping system for desatu-
rating contaminated sediments. This low-impact tech-
nology has proven successful over the past three sea-
sons, with field sampling indicating an 85% per year
reduction of the contaminant. The method is also the
most economic of the alternatives tested. (Poster)



‘Cummings, J.L., R.E. Johnson. K.S. Grover, P.A.
Pochop, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B. Bourassa, and
‘CHL Racine (1999) Movements, distribution, and
relative risk of waterfowl using Eagle River Flats:
1998. In Interagency expanded site investigation:
Evaluation of white phosphorus contamination and
‘potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY
‘1998. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Amny.
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 18-29. oh

We determined spatial distribution, movements,
turnover rate, and mortality of Mallards using Eagle
River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska, during fall mi-
gration, 4 August to 22 October 1998. Using a net gun
from a Bell 212 helicopter, we randomly captured 109
Mallards between 4 and 13 August on ERF. Each duck
was banded and fitted with a 9.1-g backpack trans-
mitter and released at its capture site. Of the 109
Mallards, 60 were fitted with standard transmitters and
49 were fitted with mortality transmitters. Tracking
data indicated that transmitters did not appear to
inhibit Mallard movements or activities. LOCATE I
was used to map telemetry locations.

Mallard movements and distribution indicate that
they spent about 75% of their time in Areas A, B, C,
and C/D. In addition, the Mallards spent about 65% of
their time in areas that are considered contaminated
(A, Bread Truck, C, C/D, and Racine Island). The
average daily tumover rate for waterfowl was about
1.3%. The greatest tumover of waterfowl occurred
from 12-19 August and from 13-16 October, when 24
and 54% of the Mallards, respectively, departed ERF.
Mortality of instrumented Mallards that used ERF
from 4 August to 22 October was 33. Of those, 29
were attributed to white phosphorus ingestion. The
greatest mortality occurred in Area C/D, with 12 of 29
(41%); Area A, with 5 of 29 (17%); and Area C, with
5 of 29 (17%). Overall, these areas accounted for 82%
of the Mallard mortality on ERF. No Mallard mortality
was noted from capture, handling, or the transmitter.
We recovered 13 whole duck bodies from the 29 white
phosphorus mortalities. Analysis showed 10 were
positive for WP.

A mortality model was developed for ERF to es-
timate the total individual dabblers using ERF, the
peak number of dabblers using ERF, and the total
number of duck mortalities on ERF during the fall
migration period. In 1996, 5,413 individual dabblers
used ERF from 3 August to 16 October, peaking at
2,333 between 13 and 16 September. The overall
mortality of dabblers was 655. In 1997, 6,063 individ-
ual dabblers used ERF from 2 August to 22 October,
peaking at 4398 between 9 and 10 September. The

10

overall mortality of dabblers was 240. In 1998, 3,722
individual dabblers used ERF from 4 August to 22
October, peaking at 1,583 between 27 August and 2
September. The overall mortality of dabblers was 355.
These data represent a minimum number of mortalities
on ERF during the fall migration. In conclusion, we
feel that the baseline data collected in 1996, 1997, and
1998 can be used to measure the effects of future
remediation actions.

‘Eldridge, W.D., and D.G. Robertson (1999) Water-
bird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April to October
31998. ‘In Interagency’ expanded site. investigation:
‘Evaluation of white. phosphorus contamination. and
potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY
1998. USA CRREL Contract Report.to U.S. Amy,
‘Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska.
Final Report, p. 7-17.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted 36
aerial surveys of waterbirds at Eagle River Flats (ERF)
from April-October 1998 as part of the on-going wa-
terbird mortality and monitoring program sponsored
by the U.S. Amy at Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fixed-
wing airplanes obtained complete coverage of ERF
during all surveys. Waterbirds were counted by spe-
cies or species groups and classified in standardized
study areas and individual ponds, when possible.

ERF experienced an early spring breakup, a wet
summer, and a normal fall, with a final freezeup in late
October. Migration phenology was within the normal
range, and species composition of waterbirds was
similar to previous years. Mean spring and fall use by
swans was below the long-term average. Areas A and
B were important to swans in the spring, but Areas B
and D were most important in fall. Ponds of Areas B,
CD, and D were important to ducks in spring and fall,
and the tide flats of Coastal East and West also were
important to ducks in the fall. Fall use by ducks was
28% below the long-term average. Areas CD and B
had the highest densities of ducks on ponded areas in
the fall.

There were important changes in fall use of ERF
between 1997 and 1998. A 62% reduction in use of
Area A occurred in 1998, with a 100% reduction in
use of Pond 290, which was drained by pumping this
year. Area C also saw decreased use. Area CD experi-
enced a 34% increase in use, and Coastal East and
West also experienced more use, primarily from ducks
loafing on the tideline. It appears that the goal of
moving ducks from Areas A and C to other areas of
ERF is succeeding. What is not dear is the white phos-
phorus contamination levels of some of the areas
where increased duck use is occurring.



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41. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To)
‘August 2003 Technical Report

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER
Eagle River Flats Remediation Project 5b. GRANT NUMBER

Comprehensive Bibliography—1998 to 2003

Sc. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER

6. AUTHOR(S) Sd. PROJECT NUMBER

Michael R. Walsh Se. TASK NUMBER

‘5. WORK UNIT NUMBER

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

72 Lyme Road ERDC/CRREL TR-03-15
Hanover, NH 03755-1290

9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR / MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S)

U.S. Army Alaska -
Fort Richardson, Alaska 11. FONGOR  WONTTOR’S REFORT

42. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Available from NTIS, Springfield, Virginia 22161.

43. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

44. ABSTRACT

White phosphorus (WP) has been implicated in the deaths of thousands of waterfowl annually at Eagle River Flats (ERF), an estuarine salt
marsh located on Fort Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska. The source of WP contamination at ERF was the firing of WP-containing
munitions into the area by the U.S. military. WP is a well known toxicant and is lethal to a wide range of species. However, WP contamina-
tion at ERF is the first documented case of a U.S. Army munitions impact area contaminated with WP particles. This has led to the
designation of ERF as a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army must follow the guidelines ofremediation
set by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Numerous studies have been conducted
to better characterize the nature and the extent of WP contamination, and treatability studies for remediation processes are currently being
implemented. This comprehensive bibliography provides all publications related to WF contamination remediation project at Eagle River
Flats through 2003.

15. SUBJECT TERMS == Abstracts Eagle River Flats Superfund
Bibliography White phosphorus Wetlands
Contamination Remediation
46. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF 78. NUMBER | 19a, NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON
OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES
fa. REPORT lb. ABSTRACT ©. THIS PAGE 49b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (include area code)
U U U U 55

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98
Seanad Fm 8 er 50



Draining of Racine Island Pond by explosive demolition of a drainage ditch
(C.M. Collins, M.T. Meeks, and M.E. Walsh, 1998)

Dredge removal of phosphorus-contaminated sediments at Eagle
(QR. Walsh, 1997) .

Dredging as a remediation strategy for white phosphorus contaminated sediments at Eagle River
Flats (MLR. Walsh, 1996) ... 72

iver Flats, Alaska

Dredging as a remediation strategy for white phosphorus contaminated sediments at Eagle River
73

Flats, Alaska (A/4.R. Walsh, E.J. Chamberlain, and D.E. Garfield, 1995)
Dredging as remediation for white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats, Alaska
(MR. Walsh, and CM. Collins, 1998) ..
Dredging Eagle River Flats: Remediation study in an active impact area (V/.R. Walsh, 1996) .
Dredging in an active artillery impact area, Eagle River Flats, Alaska (M.R. Walsh, E.J.
Chamberlain, K.S. Henry, D.E. Garfield, and E. Sorenson, 1996) ..... .
Dredging in an impact area on Eagle River Flats, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (MR. Walsh, 1996) 33
Eagle River Flats. Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CH2A/ Hill, 199-4)
Eagle River Flats. Final 1995 Work Plan (CH2M Hill, 1995)......
Eagle River Flats. Potential ARARs Evaluation (CH2M Hill, 1994)
Eagle River Flats. Quality Assurance Program Plan (CH2M Hill, 1994) . ae
Eagle River Flats: A potential repellent for reducing waterfowl ingestion of white Phosphorus
(U.L. Cummings, L. Clark, P.A. Pochop, and J.E. Davis, 1994) wn 2!
Eagle River Flats—An Amny environmental rescue operation (W.A. Gossweiler, 1994)
Eagle River Flats expanded site investigation (ESE, 1990) .....
Eagle River Flats spatial database (C.H. Racine, P. Robinson, and J. Mullen, 1996) .
Ecological inventory of Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine and M. Brouillette, 1995) ........ 54
Ecology of salt marsh ponds at Eagle River Flats, Upper Cook Ink jaska (C.H. Racine and L.E.
Hunter, 1997) 28
Effect of sediment moisture and temperature on the persistence of white phosphorus particles
(LE. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and C.H. Racine, 1994).....
Effects of methyl anthranilate bead formulations on Mallard feeding behavior in an aqueous
environment (J.L. Cummings, L. Clark, S.A. Bird, J.E. Davis Jr., H.W. Krupa, and PA.
Pochop, 1993) .
Effects of environmental conditions on the persistence of white phosphorus particles in Eagle
River Flats, Alaska (C.M. Collins and M.E. Walsh, 1995) .
Environmental impact of white phosphorus on avian species (S.J. Nam, 1995)
Elemental phosphorus as the cause of waterfowl mortality in a salt marsh at Ft. Richardson,
Alaska (C.H. Racine, M.E. Walsh, B.D. Roebuck, and CM. Collins, 1991) .....
Enhancement of intrinsic remediation of WP particles by sediment warming in intermittent
ponded areas of Eagle River Flats (/.E. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 1996) ........ 68
Evaluating a new in-situ capping technology for mitigating contaminated sediments
(LH. Hull, J. M. Jersak, P. A. Pochop, and J.L. Cummings, 1998) ...
Evaluation of AquaBlokTM on contaminated sediment to reduce mortality of foraging waterfowl
(P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, and C.A. Yoder, 1995) ...
Evaluation of AquaBlokTM on contaminated sediment to reduce mortality of foraging waterfowl
(P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, and C.A. Yoder, 1996) ....
Evaluation of Concover® and BentoBallsTM on contaminated sediments to reduce mortality of
foraging waterfowl (P.A. Pochop, J.L. Cummings, L. Clark, and JE. Davis, 1994) 1.000000»
Evaluation of white phosphorus effects on the aquatic ecosystem, Eagle River Flat
Richardson, Alaska (C.A. Bouwkamp, 1995) ....
Evaluation of white phosphorus effects on the aquatic ecosystem, Eagle River Flats, Fort
Richardson, Alaska, 8-17 May, 22 August-9 September 1994 (U.S. Army Environmental
Hygiene Agency, 1995) ...
Factors that determine persistence of white phosphorus residues in a wetland impact area (©.
Walsh, C.H. Racine, CM. Collins, and B. Nadeau, 1993) ......

51

. 86

31



monitored again with the three part approach we de-
veloped in 1997. To see if pond pumping produced
conditions favorable for sublimation/oxidation of
white phosphorus particles, we used dataloggers to
record sediment moisture and temperature, and we
measured residual white phosphorus from particles we
planted in the surface sediment. Also, we resampled
previously identified hot spots to see if the white
phosphorus concentrations had declined.

The main pond of Area C (Pond 183) has been
pumped for four consecutive seasons. This year
(2000), the pond was dewatered by pumping in early
May and the sediments dried significantly until a se-
ries of flooding tides July 2 to 4. Sediments remained
wet through July and August due to frequent precipi-
tation and tidal flooding in August. Despite cool sur-
face sediment temperatures (mean of 14.8°C) during
the time that the sediment was unsaturated, we meas-
ured a 56% loss of mass of the white phosphorus par-
ticles we planted in May 2000 and recovered in Au-
gust 2000. White phosphorus concentration the middle
of Area C (C100 m grid), as determined by composite
sampling, has declined from 0.07 g/g in June 1997 to
0.00055 ug/g in August 2000. A milestone was
reached at Miller's Hole, the crater produced when a
white phosphorus-containing UXO was detonated on
20 May 1992. In samples of the surface sediment col-
lected from the bottom of the crater in August 2000,
white phosphorus was undetectable for the first time
since we began sampling the crater when the concen-
tration was over 2000 pg/g. However, Pond 183 is not
completely decontaminated. White phosphorus is still
detectable in discrete samples collected from the
DWRC Pen 5, although only four samples have con-
centrations greater than 0.001 ug/g (in 1996 all 48
samples were greater than 0.001 pg/g). A few more
favorable drying seasons should complete the decon-
tamination of Pond 183.

We installed a datalogger and resampled Pond
146, adjacent to Canoe Point in Area C, in an area that
was dredged in 1996 but still had high white phospho-
tus concentrations in 1999. Particles planted in Pond
146 declined in mass by 27%; composite samples
showed a greater loss, with one sample declining from
7.31 pg/g in June 1999 to 0.001 g/g in August 2000.

Pond 155, to the northeast of Pond 183 in Area C,
is located within a bulrush marsh, and the sediments
do not dry significantly. This year, planted particles
did show a 32% decrease in mass, as compared to last
year when no change was found. A grid for collecting
composite samples was established in 1998, but no
decline in white phosphorus concentration is evident.

Ponds 258 and 256 in Area A were drained for the
third consecutive season and both showed drying and

19

a decline in the mass of planted white phosphorus par-
ticles of 89 and 92%, respectively.

Pond 730 in Area C/D was drained by pumping
for the second year, but minimal drying occurred be-
cause of frequent flooding from the Bread Truck ditch.
Pond 75 in Coastal East was drained this year because
we found white phosphorus in a composite sample
collected in 1999. This pond also floods from the
Bread Truck ditch and minimal drying occurred.

The former Bread Truck pond experienced 20
flooding tides between June and August, which eroded
more of the pond and further enlarged the blasted
ditch. After the flooding tides at the beginning of June,
both the north and south sides of the pond dried.
Planted white phosphorus declined by 79 and 32% for
the north and south sides, respectively. White
phosphorus is barely detectable in the composite sam-
ples collected from the north and south sides of the
pond.

Because of the death of telemetry birds in the
Aquablok®-treated pond (285) on Racine Island, we
were asked to take composite samples of the surface
sediment for white phosphorus analysis. We collected
five composites, all of which were positive with white
phosphorus concentrations ranging from 0.023 to 6.90
ug/g. We also collected eight discrete samples, two of
which were blank, and the remaining six ranged from
0.00014 to 6.38 g/g. This pond needs further reme-
diation.

‘Walsh, MLR, and C.M. Collins (2001) Eagle River
Flats pond pumping remediation project: Second-year
deployment under the record. of decision. In Reme-
diating and monitoring white phosphorus. contamina-
at Eagle River Flats. (Operable Unit C), Fort
‘Richardson, Alaska—FY 2000. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Amy Alaska, Directorate of Public
(Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U’S.. Army En-
‘gineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 19-36.

The 2000 field season is the second year of the
remediation phase of the Eagle River Flats project.
This year, tidal predictions indicated a very poor at-
tenuation year at the Flats due to monthly inundation
during lunar high tides. However, due to the effective-
ness of the tide gates, a successful treatment season
occurred in Areas C and A. Work continued at im-
proving logistics, improving equipment reliability, and
addressing contaminated areas adjacent to treated ar-
eas,

Deployment of the pump units was the same this
year as last, with two units in Area A (Ponds 256 and
258), three units in Area C (Ponds 146, 155, and 183),
and one unit in the C/D Area (Pond 730). The tide
gates prevented flooding during a critical tidal cycle in



ERDC/CRREL TR-03-15

Eagle River Flats Remediation Project
Comprehensive Bibliography—1998 to 2003

Michael R. Walsh
Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory

72 Lyme Road
Hanover, New Hampshire 03755

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Prepared for U.S. ARMY ALASKA
Fort Richardson, Alaska

August 2003



Translocation of white phosphorus from hen (Gallus domesticus) to eggs (S.J. Nam, D.
MacMillan, and B.D. Roebuck) see

Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Cook Inlet: April-~October 1995 (W.D.
Eldridge, and D.G. Robertson) ...

Waterfowl use and mortality at Eagle River Flats (B.B. Steele, and L.R. Reitsma)

1997

Composite sampling of sediments contaminated with white phosphorus (ME. Walsh, CM.
Collins, R.N. Bailey, and C.L. Grant) ..
Composite sampling of white phosphorus contaminated sediments (VM.E. Walsh, CM. Collins,
RN. Bailey, and C.L. Grant) 31
Demonstration of sample compositing methods to detect white phosphorus particles (M.E. Walsh,
C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey) 70
Dredge removal of phosphorus-contaminated sediments at Eagle River
QALR. Walsh) .
Different susceptibilities to white phosphorus poisoning among five species of ducks
(B.B. Steele, L.R. Reitsma, C.H. Racine, S.L. Burson, R. Stuart, and R. Theberge) ... soo
Ecology of salt marsh ponds at Eagle River Flats, Upper Cook Inlet, Alaska (C.H. Racine, and
LE. Hunter) ses
FY96 Eagle River Flats GIS database .
Geosynthetic barriers to prevent poisoning of waterfowl (K.S. Henry and J.A. Stark)
Geosynthetic barrier to prevent wildlife access to contaminated sediments
(K.S. Henry) 81
Method of identifying the avian repellent effects of a compound and methods of repelling birds
from materials susceptible to consumption by birds (L. Clark, J. Mason, P. Shah, and R.
Dolbeer) soe
Monitoring of contract dredge operations at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (MR. Walsh and CM.
Collins)
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of ards and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flats:
1996 (.L. Cummings, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, P.A. Pochop, and J.E. Davis)
Operable Unit C. Final Feasibility Study Report (CH2M Hill) .
Operable Unit C. Final Remedial Investigation Report (CH2M Hill)
Pond draining and sediment drying as a remediation of white phosphorus contaminated
sediments in wetland, Ft. Richardson, Alaska (C.M. Collins, M.E. Walsh,
and M.R. Walsh) ....
Pond draining to treat white phosphorus-contaminated sediments at Eagle River Flats, Alaska
(CM. Collins) ...
Pond draining treatability: 1996 studies—The draining of Bread Truck Pond (C.M. Collins,
M.T. Meeks, M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, and R.N. Bailey) ....
Recession of tidal creeks at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, Alaska (L.E. Hunter, D.E.
Lawson, and S.R. Bigh ....
Remediation of white phosphorus contamination in wetlands using small scale dredging
QAR. Walsh, CM. Collins, and ME. Walsh) ...
Report of USDA-APHIS-Animal damage control for the U.S. Army at Eagle River Flats,
April-October 1996 (C. Rossi) ....
Secondary poisoning of kestrels by white phosphorus (D.W. Sparling and
ME. Federfoff) ..
Sediment accumulation at Eagle River Flats, Fort Richardson, “Alaska (SR. Bigl, D.E. Lawson,
and L.E. Hunter) ...
Toxicity of white phosphorus to waterfowl: Acute exposure to Mallards (D.I. Sparling, M.
Gustafson, P. Klein, and N. Karouna-Renier) ..
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Cook Inlet: April-October 1996 (W.D.
Eldridge) ....

we 87

lats, Alaska

78

43



The combination of warm, dry weather during
July resulted in a long and effective drying season.
Sampling showed that levels of contamination in the
treated ponds continued to decline. Additional areas of
localized contamination were identified that will be
treated in the future.

The first section of this report is a progress report
reviewing the overall project from the initial remedial

investigations, through the treatability study phases, to
the implementation of the preferred remediation
method. It reviews the progress of the remediation
through the first four years. It also reviews the ongo-
ing monitoring efforts used to assess the effectiveness
of the remediation efforts. And finally it addresses
specific issues and procedures raised in the Proposed
Plan and the Record of Decision.

JOURNAL ARTICLES

‘Clark, L., J. L. Cummings, J. E. Davis, P. A.
Pochop (1998) Evaluation of a macro-encapsulated
repellent to reduce risk of white phosphorous ingestion
‘by waterfowl foraging in a contaminated marsh. Inter-
ational ' Biodeterioration «and Piodegradaton,
42(1998): 135-145.

White phosphorous contamination of a mara ata
U.S. Army artillery training range in Alaska is a
causative agent for waterfowl mortality. We developed
an encapsulated bird repellent containing the active
ingredient methyl anthranilate and evaluated the for-
mulation’s efficacy in reducing feeding activity by
ducks, reducing mortality of ducks feeding in con-
taminated sediments, and the repellent's ability to
move ducks from contaminated areas. The formulation
has a limited life span of about four days. However, in
pen trials, feeding activity of Mallards can be reduced
by up to 80%. Long-term exposure to treated sedi-
ments confers a survival advantage to Mallards tested
in pens, and free-ranging Mallards can be moved off
of treated sections of marsh. This prototype formula-
tion may have utility in the short-term remediation of
contaminated sediments for the protection of water-
fowl.

‘Cummings, J.L., L. Clark, P.A Pochop, and J.E.
Davis, Jr. (1998) Laboratory evaluation of a methyl!
anthranilate bead formulation on Mallard feeding be-
‘havior. Journal of Wildlife Management, 62(2): 581-
584.

We applied methyl] anthranilate bead formulation
coded JR930413 to bottom sediment in a simulated
pond setting to evaluate its repellency to captive Mal-
lards (Anas plathyrhynchos). We applied JR930413 at
a rate of 21.7 kg/ha or 7 beads/em’ to bottom sedi-
ment. Methyl anthranilate bead formulation JR930413
was effective in reducing time Mallards spent in pools
@ < 0.01). Application of JR930413 to the contami-
nated waterfowl feeding areas at 21.7 kg/ha could re-
duce feeding and mortality and warrants further testing
in the field.

Pochop, P.A., JL. Cummings, C.A. Yoder, and

* \W.A. Gossweiler (2000) Physical barrier to. reduce

27

(WP mortalities of foraging waterfowl. Journal of En-
‘vironmental Engineering, 126(2): 182187.

White phosphorus (WP) has been identified as the
cause of mortality to certain species of waterfowl at
Eagle River Flats, a tidal marsh in Alaska used as an
ordnance impact area by the U.S. Army. A blend of
calcium bentonite/organo clays, gravel, and binding
polymers was tested for effectiveness as a barrier to
reduce duck foraging and mortality. Following the
application of the barrier to one of two contaminated
ponds, we observed greater duck foraging and higher
mortality in the untreated pond and no mortality in the
treated pond after a year of tidal inundations and ice
effects. Emergent vegetation recovered within a year
of treatment. WP levels in the barrier were less than
the method limit of detection, indicating no migration
of WP into the material. Barrier thickness remained
relatively stable over a period of 4 years, and vegeta-
tion was found to be important in stabilizing the bar-
tier material.

‘Vann Stephanie, L., 'D.W. Sparling, and MA.
rtmeer (2000) Effects of. white phosphorus on
tion. Environmental Toxicology. and

Pneaisin 19(10): 2525-2531.:
Extensive waterfowl mortality involving ‘thou-
sands of ducks, geese, and swans has occurred annu-
ally at Eagle River Flats, Alaska, USA, since at least
1982. The primary agent for this mortality has been
identified as white phosphorus. Although acute and
subacute lethality have been described, sublethal ef-
fects are less well known. This study reports on the
effects of white phosphorus on reproductive function
in the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) in captivity. Fer-
tility, hatching success, teratogenicity, and egg laying
frequency were examined in 70 adult female Mallards
who received up to seven daily doses of 0, 0.5, 1.0,
and 2.0 mg/kg of white phosphorus. Measurements of
fertility and hatchability were reduced by the white



Second Edition (1998-2003)
1999 field work plan for Eagle River Flat, Alaska (CH2M Hill, 1999) ..
2000 weather data for Eagle River Flats (C.M. Collins, 2001)
2001 remedial progress report, Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats), Fort Richardson, Alaska
(USA CRREL, 2002)...
2001 weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins,2002)
2002 remediation and monitoring work plan, Operable Unit C —Eagle River Flats
(USA CRREL, 2002)
2002 remedial progress report, Operable Unit
(USA CRREL, In press) ......
2003 remediation and monitoring work plan, Operable Unit C—Eagle River Flats
(USA CRREL, In press)
2002 Remediation and monitoring work plan: Operable Unit C-Eagle
Construction, 2002). 2
Airlift operations in support of Eagle River Flats, September 2001 (D.A. L’Heureux and M.R.
Walsh, 2002) ...
Ammy sued over range cleanup (E. Manning, 2002)
Amny to drain pond with three blasts (Anchorage Daily News, 1997)
Amny to set off explosions as part of phosphorus cleanup (Anchorage Daily News, 2000)
Army torpedoes bird-killing ponds (E. Manning, 2000)...
Artillery range bill could stymie suits (44. Chambers, 2002) .
Biodiversity inventory of Eagle River Flats, Upper Cook Inlet Alaska
(CH Racine, B.B. Steele, L. Reitsma, and C. Bouwkamp, In press)
“Biofriendly" remediation of impacted wetlands (J.P. Hull, J.M. Jersak,
and H.F. Crowell, 1999) ....
Composite sampling and analysis for white phosphorus in untreated ponds. (M/E. Walsh, CM.
Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 2000) ..
Composite sampling and analysis for white phosphorus in untreated ponds. (/.E Walsh. CM.
Collins, and R.N. Bailey, 2001) .. 1
Composite sampling and analysis for white phosphorus in untreated ponds (M.E. Walsh, CM.
Collins, C.H. Racine, and R.N. Bailey, 2002)
Corps cleans up Alaska saltwater marsh (. Darling,
CRREL, Army clean up contaminated Alaskan marsh (V. Darling, 2001)
Database for monitoring remediation efforts (C.H. Racine and P. Berger, 1999)
Development of a remediation method for white-phosphorus-contaminated wetlands
Q@A4R. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and D.J. Lambert, 1999) .....
Disturbance and recovery of permanent pond habitat at Eagle River Flats (C.H. Racine, 200.
Eagle River Flats database and environmental change monitoring (C.H. Racine, 2001)
Eagle River Flats pond pumping remediation project: First-year deployment under the record of

decision (M4.R. Walsh and C.M. Collins, 2000) sos]
Eagle River Flats pond pumping remediation project: Second-year deployment under the record of
decision (V4.R. Walsh and C.M. Collins, 2001) 19

Eagle River Flats pond pumping treatability study: Full-scale deployment of remote pumping
systems (V/.R. Walsh, CM. Collins, and D.J. Lambert, 1999) ..
Eagle River Flats remediation project: Comprehensive bibliography_1998 to 2002 (Sae-Im Nam,
M.R. Walsh, CM. Collins, and L. Thomas, 1989) ....

Eagle River Flats wireless remote imaging system (C.R. Williams, 2002)
Effects of white phosphorus on Mallard reproduction (L. Vann Stephanie,
M.A. Ottinger, 2000)

36



and 27% of normal for these time periods. On 3 July,
however, things changed as we began a four-week
period of almost daily rain. The total rainfall for July
in Eagle River Flats was 72.6 mm, some 67% higher
than the normal July rainfall for Anchorage.
Conversely, August tuned out to be drier than normal,
with a total rainfall of 27.7 mm, more than 55% below
the normal August rainfall for Anchorage.

Collins, C.M., M.R. Walsh, MLE. Walsh, and C.H.
‘Racine (2002) Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats)
remediation progress report through 2001. In Reme-
diating and monitoring white phosphorus contamina-
‘tion at Eagle River Flats (Operable Unit C), Fort
Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001. USA CRREL Contract
Report to U.S. Army Alaska, Directorate of Public
Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska, and U.S. Army En-
gineer District, Alaska. Final Report, p. 9-24. :
This report gives a brief overview of the Eagle
River Flats remediation from the discovery of water-
fowl dieoffs in 1982 through the conclusion of the
2001 field season. Treatment alternatives and the final
choice of a treatment method that will comply with the
ARARs are discussed. The Flats are described, with
the pond groups thought to be contributing most to the
die-offs covered in more detail. The mortality model,
upon which the RA endpoint success is determined, is
described, and the results to date illustrated. The pre-
and post-ROD remediation efforts at ERF are briefly
described up through the 2001 season. A discussion
follows on compliance with RAOs. Current remedial
activities and unresolved issues are also discussed.

‘Cummings, J.L., P.A Pochop, RE. Johnson, K.S.
‘Gruver, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B. Bourassa, K:
Shively, and B.S. Dorr (2002) Movement, distribu-
‘tion, and relative risk of Mallards‘using Eagle River
Flats: 2001. In Remediating and monitoring white
phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats (Op-
‘erable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001.
‘USA CRREL Contract Report to'U.S. Amy Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska. Final Re-
port, p. 39-52.

We determined the spatial distribution, move-
ments, turnover rate, and mortality of Mallards using
Eagle River Flats during fall migration, 2 August to 17
October 2001. One hundred twelve Mallards were
randomly captured between 2 and 10 August on ERF
using a net gun from a Bell 212 helicopter. Each
Mallard was banded and fitted with a 9.1-g backpack
transmitter and released at its capture site. All 112
Mallards were fitted with standard/mortality transmit-
ters that emit about 60 pulses per minute when the

22

duck is alive. If the duck dies, the transmitter will emit
about 120 pulses per minute. Tracking data indicated
that transmitters did not appear to inhibit Mallard
movements or activities. LOCATE II was used to map
telemetry locations.

Mallard movements and distribution indicate that
they spent about 40% of their time in Area C/D and
about 24% of their time in Area A. Overall, Mallards
spent about 86% of their time in Areas A, B, C, and
C/D. The average daily turnover rate for waterfowl
was about 3.8%. The greatest tumover of waterfowl
occurred 17 to 24 from August and 26 to 27 Septem-
ber, when 42 (38%) of the Mallards departed ERF.
Mortality of instrumented Mallards that used ERF
from 2 August to 17 October was 17. Of those, 11
were attributed to ingestion of white phosphorus.
Mortality occurred in Areas A, 1 of 11 (9%); B, 1 of
11 (9%); C, 3 of 11 (27%); and C/D, 6 of 11 (55%).
Seven whole duck bodies from 11 white phosphorus
mortalities were recovered. Analysis showed that all
seven were positive for white phosphorus.

A mortality model was developed for ERF to es-
timate the total individual dabblers using ERF, the
peak number of dabblers using ERF, and the total
number of duck mortalities on ERF during the fall
migration period. In 2001, 3628 individual dabblers
used ERF from 2 August to 17 October. Dabblers
peaked at 1842 dabblers between 22 and 25 Septem-
ber. The overall mortality that occurred on ERF was
87 dabblers. Overall waterfowl mortality in the fall has
decreased about 87% from 1996 to 2001. The use of
radio telemetry to collect data on Mallard distribution
and mortality on ERF since 1996 has been an effective
and safe method to measure the effects of remediation
actions such as pumping, draining, and AquaBlok®.

‘Eldridge, W.D. (2002) Waterbird utilization of Eagle
Rivet Flats: April-October 2001. In Remediating and

‘Alaska. Final Report, p. 25-38.

Aerial surveys to monitor waterbird use of Eagle
River Flats (ERF) during the spring, summer, and fall
of 2001 were conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Numbers of waterbirds were counted or esti-
mated during aerial survey flights, recorded by species
or species group, and classified by locations on ERF
using standardized study areas. Tundra and trumpeter
swans used ERF only in small numbers during the
spring of 2001; in fall, swan numbers peaked in late
September at 258 birds. Peak counts of geese occurred



the white phosphorus in the sediment to sublime and
oxidize. The combination of warm, dry weather during
the first half of the summer and the successful use of
the pumps along with small tide gates to prevent
flooding tides resulted in a long and effective drying
season. Sampling indicated that levels of white phos-
phorus contamination in the treated ponds continued to
decline.

USA CRREL (2003) 2003 remediation and
monitoring work plan, Operable Unit C—Eagle River
Flats. Report to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
U.S. Army, Alaska. March.

This is the work plan for remediation and
monitoring efforts addressing the white phosphorus
contamination in Eagle River Flats, a 2,140-acre estua-
rine salt marsh on Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort
Richardson is on the National Priority List, and Eagle
River Flats is designated Operable Unit C (OUC). The
main remedy in OUC is pond pumping, using six
semi-autonomous pumps to temporarily drain con-
taminated ponds within several areas of Eagle River
Flats. The first part of the work plan describes the
remediation efforts for the 2003 field season, the last
year of the five-year remediation and monitoring effort
in Eagle River Flats. The second section describes the
monitoring activities to determine the effectiveness of
the remediation. These include sediment sampling,
monitoring of drying conditions using dataloggers, and
the installation of an on-site meteorological station.
The third section contains the schedules for the vari-
ous remediation and monitoring activities. The fourth
section contains predicted tidal data for Eagle River
Flats. The fifth section is a health and safety plan
CHASP).

USA COE, Alaska District (2003) Interim remedial
action Report: Operable Unit C-Eagle River Flats.
Prepared for Eagle River Flats Remediation Project
‘Managers (USARAK, USEPA, and ADEC). May.
This document presents the Interim Remedial Ac-
tion Report (RAR) for the U.S. Army at Eagle River
Flats (ERF), Operable Unit C (OU-C), Fort Richard-
son, Alaska. Eagle River Flats is one of two OU-C
source areas. The objectives of the remedial action at
ERF are designed to ensure the protection of human
health and the environment by:
* Reducing the white phosphorus present in ponds
that are utilized by waterfowl for feeding.
+ Reducing waterfowl mortality due to the ingestion
of white phosphorus.

The major components of the remedy are:
* Pumping permanent ponds dry to allow for the

sublimation and oxidation of the white phosphorus
present in the pond.

¢ Sampling of ponds under treatment to determine
that white phosphorus concentrations are being
reduced.

* Conducting waterfowl mortality studies to deter-
mine quantity and location of ducks that are dying
due to white phosphorus.

This remedy, as outlined in the Comprehensive
Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Li-
ability Act (CERCLA) Record of Decision (ROD)
(dated September 1998), was chosen to reduce the
concentration of white phosphorus and thereby reduce
the waterfowl mortality.

The remedial action began during the summer of
1999 and pond pumping is intended to continue
through summer 2003. At that time, monitoring
activities and waterfowl mortality studies will
continue as outlined in the ROD to determine if the
remedial objectives have been met. The plan will be
reevaluated during the 5-year review.

progress report,
‘Operable Unit C Eagle River Flats), Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska. Report to U.S, Anny Corps of Engineers and
U.S. Amy, Alaska. May.

This report describes the results of remediation
and monitoring efforts addressing the white phospho-
Tus contamination in Eagle River Flats, a 2,140-acre
estuarine salt marsh on Fort Richardson, Alaska. Fort
Richardson is on the National Priority List, and Eagle
River Flats is designated Operable Unit C (OUC). The
main remedy in OUC is pond pumping, using six
semi-autonomous pumps to temporarily drain con-
taminated ponds within several areas of Eagle River
Flats. The first part of the report is a progress report
summarizing the results of the project to date from the
remedial investigation phase through the third year of
remediation. The second part of the report describes
the 2002 field season, the fourth year of a five-year
remediation and monitoring effort in Eagle River
Flats. In the 2002 field season, the pumps kept all but
one of the ponds drained for extended periods during
the summer, allowing the pond bottom sediments to
dry and the white phosphorus in the sediment to sub-
lime and oxidize. Warm, dry weather during July re-
sulted in a long and effective drying season. The
remediation of two pond areas was completed this
season, and preparations were started for the deploy-
ment of the pumping units used in those ponds in the
highly contaminated marsh of Area C. Sampling indi-
cated that levels of white phosphorus contamination in
the remaining treated ponds continued to decline.



Waterfowl mortality on Eagle River Flats (B.B. Steele, L.R. Reitsma, and S.L. Burson) .............. 67

1998

Debris exclusion device for an augerhead-type hydraulic dredge system (/.R. Walsh, and D.
Lambert) .
Draining of Racine Island Pond by explosive demolition of a drainage
Meeks, and M.E. Walsh)
Dredging as remediation for white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats, Alaska (4. R
Walsh, and C.M. Collins) ...
Evaluating a new in-situ capping technology for mitigating contaminated sediments (/.H. Hull,
M. Jersak, P. A. Pochop, and J.L. Cummings) .....
GIS remediation database for Eagle River Flats (C.H. Racine, and P. Berger)
Implementation of a remote pumping system for white phosphorus remediation in Pond 183 (AR.
Walsh, CM. Collins, and D.J. Lambert) .. 74
In-situ remediation of white phosphorus in wetlands (M.
and CM. Collins) a
Mapping and classification of intermittent and permanent ponds on Eagle River Flats (C.H.
Racine, B. Tracy, and P. Berger) .....
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards and Bald Eagles using Eagle River Flat
1997 (J.L. Cummings, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, P.A. Pochop, J.F. Foley, JE. Davis, J.B.
Bourassa, and C.H. Racine) -
Proposed Plan for Cleanup Action at Operable Unit C, Fort Richardson, Alaska (CH2M Hill) ... 17
Record of Decision for Operable Unit C, Fort Richardson, Alaska (CH2M Hill .....
Report of USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services for the U.S. Army at Eagle River Flats, April-
October 1997 (C. Rossi) ..
Toxicology of white phosphorus (P,) to ducks and risk for their predators: Effects of particle siz size
(B.D. Roebuck, S.I. Nam, D.L. MacMillan, K.J. Baumgartner, and M.E. Walsh) ...
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white-phosphorus-contaminated ‘sediments
of drained ponds (M.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, and RN. Bailey) ..s.vecvsvscssnecssscessessesess 10
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats and Upper Cook Inlet: April~October 1997 (1V.D.
Eldridge, and D.G. Robertson) vee

Walsh, ME. Walsh,

1999

Remediation methods for white phosphorus contamination in a coastal salt marsh (M/.R. Walsh,
M.E. Walsh, and CM. Collins) .... a

Selection of silt fence to retain suspended toxic particles (K.S. Henry, M.R. Walsh, and S.H.
Morin) .... te

Second Edition (1998-2003: Excluding aerial photos)

1997

Amny to drain pond with three blasts (Anchorage Daily News) 2128

1998
Eagle River Flats remediation project: Comprehensive bibliography —1950 to 1998
(Sae-Im Nam, M.R. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and L. Thomas) .....
Eagle River Flats Web site (J. Mason, S.J. Nam, G.M. Trachier, and M.R. Walsh) ..
Evaluation of a macro-encapsulated repellent to reduce risk of white phosphorous ingestion by
waterfowl foraging in a contaminated marsh (L. Clark, J. L. Cummings, J. E. Davis, P. A.
Pochop) aoe
Laboratory evaluation of a methyl anthranilate bead formulation on Mallard feeding behavior
(U.L. Cummings, L. Clark, P.A Pochop, and J.E. Davis Jr.)
Pond cleanup planned for Eagle River Flats (E. Manning) ...

44



Remediation method for white phosphorus-contaminated wetlands (VR. Walsh, M. E. Walsh, and
CM. Collins) ...
Tidal creek and drainage ditch erosion at Eagle River Flats in 1999 (C.H. Racine)
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of white phosphorus contaminated sediments
of drained ponds (AE. Walsh, C.M. Collins, and R.N. Bailey)
Updated species list for Eagle River Flats, Alaska (C.H. Racine and CM. Collins) ....
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April to October 1999 (W.D. Eldridge and D.
Robertson) ......
Weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins) ..

2001

2000 Weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins) ..
Composite sampling and analysis for white phosphorus in untreated ponds (M.E. Walsh,

Collins, and R.N. Bailey) ....
Eagle River Flats database and environmental change monitoring (C.H. Racine)
Eagle River Flats pond pumping remediation project: Second-year deployment under

the record of decision (VR. Walsh and CM. Collins)
Eagle River Flats wireless remote imaging system (C.R. Williams, and GM. Trachier) ..
Field summary report: 2001 Work season (Weldin Construction, Inc.) .

©), Fort Richardson, Alaska—F Y 2000 (CM. Collins and D.W. Cate, eds.)
Sounds like an attack, but it’s just practice (L. Campbell)
Treatment verification: Monitoring the remediation of w1

of drained ponds (V.E. Walsh, CM. Collins, and R.N. Bailey) -
Waterbird utilization of Eagle River Flats: April-October 2000 (W.D. Eldridge)

2002

2001 remedial progress report, Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats), Fort Richardson, Alaska
(USA CRREL) ..... soe
2001 weather data for Eagle River Flats (CM. Collins) .
2002 remediation and monitoring work plan, Operable Unit C—Eagle River Flats
(USA CRREL) ..... sass
Airlift operations in support of Eagle River Flats, September 2001 (D.A. L’Heureux and M.R.
Walsh) ....
Anmy sued over range cleanup (E. Manning)
Artillery range bill could stymie suits (. Chambers) .
Composite sampling and analysis for white Phosphores in untreated ponds (V.E. Walsh, CM.
Collins, CH. Racine, and RN. Bailey) ...

decision (.R. Walsh)......
Eagle River Flats wireless remote imaging system (C.R. Williams)
Movement, distribution, and relative risk of Mallards using Eagle River Flats: 2

Cummings, P.A. Pochop, R.E. Johnson, K.S. Gruver, D.L. York, J.E. Davis, J.B. ‘Bourassa, K.

Shively, and B.S. Dorr) .. 22
Operable Unit C (Eagle River Flats) remediation progress report through 2001 (C.M. Collins,

M.R. Walsh, M.E. Walsh, and C.H. Racine) .... vel
Remediating and monitoring white phosphorus contamination at Eagle River Flats

(Operable Unit C), Fort Richardson, Alaska—FY 2001 (C.M. Collins and

D.W. Cate, eds.) .....
Remote monitoring of remediation parameters through a Web-based system (4.R. Walsh

ME. Walsh)

46



CONTRACT REPORTS

Collins, C.M,, and M.J. Hardenberg, eds. (1999)
Interagency expanded site investigation: Evaluation of
‘white phosphorus contamination and potential
treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY 1998.
USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Army Alaska,
Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson, Alaska,
and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska. July.

This is the ninth annual contract report prepared
by researchers from CRREL and other Federal agen-
cies for U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, and U.S.
Army Alaska—Public Works, describing the results of
white phosphorus contamination studies in Eagle
River Flats, an 865-ha estuarine salt marsh on Fort
Richardson, Alaska. Fort Richardson is on the Na-
tional Priority List and Eagle River Flats is designated
as part of Operable Unit C (OUC) under the Compre-
hensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act (CERCLA). Documents produced under
CERCLA, such as the ecological risk assessment, re-
medial investigation report, feasibility study report,
the proposed plan, and the Record of Decision, have
used the research results first published in this series
of annual contract reports.

Of special interest in this year’s report is the full-
scale treatability study using six remote-controlled
pumps to temporarily drain contaminated ponds within
several areas of Eagle River Flats. The pumps keep the
ponds drained for an extended period during the sum-
mer, thus allowing the pond bottom sediments to dry
and the white phosphorus to sublime and oxidize. This
treatability study expanded on the study conducted last
year, when we first used a 2000-gpm pump in Pond
183 in Area C. That study was highly successful, ex-
ceeding our most optimistic expectation. This year we
deployed five additional pumps and generators to sev-
eral pond locations. As part of the treatability study,
we had to work out the logistics of deploying, refuel-
ing, monitoring, and recovering these systems from
remote sites within Eagle River Flats. The success of
the pumping treatability studies resulted in pond
pumping being chosen as the preferred alternative in
the Record of Decision for OUC, signed in October
1998.

Despite a very cool and rainy summer, the pond
pumping resulted in significant sediment drying and
loss of white phosphorus in treated ponds. Composite
sampling of the pond bottom sediments before and
after treatment showed a reduction of over 50% in the
average white phosphorus concentration levels in
Pond 183 and lesser levels in other locations. Other

studies reported on this year are the waterfowl use and
mortality studies, the monitoring of reduction of white
phosphorus contamination in the various treatability
study areas, monitoring of drained pond habitats and
associated vegetation and erosional changes, and the
management of all the data collected for Eagle River
Flats in the ERF GIS database.

Collins, C.M. (1999) Weather data for Eagle River
Flats. In Interagency expanded. site investigation:
Evaluation of white phosphorus. contamination and
‘potential treatability at Eagle River Flats, Alaska—FY.
+1998. USA CRREL Contract Report to U.S. Amny,
Alaska, Directorate of Public Works, Fort Richardson,
‘Alaska, and U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska,
Final Report, p. 99-108.

The meteorological station located on the edge of
the EOD pad in Eagle River Flats, originally installed
in 1994, was removed, recalibrated, and reinstalled in
May 1998. The station ran the entire summer without
a problem. It also served as the base station for the
relay of data from the remote dataloggers in ERF.
Data from those dataloggers were relayed through the
base station via radio and mobile phone to a computer
server at CRREL in New Hampshire. Both the weather
data and the soil moisture and temperature data from
four remote sites were made available daily on the
CRREL Web site, allowing researchers to monitor
conditions in the Flats regularly even when no one was
in the field.

The summer of 1998 was one of the wetter sum-
mers on record, with especially heavy rainfall events
in late May, June, and August. May and June are nor-
mally the driest months of the core drying season
needed for treatment of contaminated sediments from
the pond bottoms. The late flooding tides of May
eliminated any effective drying that month, and June
was one of the wettest on record, with over twice the
normal rainfall. Precipitation in August was also well
above normal. Air temperatures were normal for the
last week of May and for June but were below normal
for July and August. There were only 18 days during
the entire summer when the maximum air temperature
exceeded 20°C. The radiation record indicates that the
skies were cloudy for almost the entire three months
from mid-May through August. Rain fell regularly
throughout late May and June. During early August, a
Jarge rainfall event occurred on the Sth and 6th, total-
ing 44 mm (1.74 in). There was another large rain
event on the 21st with 10.2 mm (0.41 in).