Site Characterization in Support of the Ruck Pond Sediment Removal Action

Before developing a sediment removal program, collection of appropriate site data is a crucial step. Sediment characterization efforts were performed to estimate volume and chemically characterize the sediment and adjacent bank soils for disposal. These activities were performed in Ruck Pond, an urban, impounded pond that had polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the sediment. The sediment was initially probed to measure depths which were used to estimate the in-situ sediment volume. Characterization for disposal included two phases of sampling to distinguish sediment with greater and less than 50 parts per million (ppm) PCBs using the nearest-neighbor approach. Representative sediment were subjected to the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and sampled for reactive sulfide, total cyanide, and chlorine, to facilitate landfill disposal. Bulk sediment samples were collected for treatability testing to identify the most cost-effective stabilization agent and dosage that was needed to reduce the sediment water content to acceptable levels for transport and disposal. Bank soils were sampled in a phased manner to determine the extent of affected soil. Geotechnical properties of the sediment were determined and PCB field test kit results were compared with laboratory data to evaluate whether the kits would be useful during removal. Outfalls into the Pond were evaluated as potential PCB sources and soil borings were made to estimate infiltration rates.