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Site Report: Alyeska Happy Valley Camp West

Site Name: Alyeska Happy Valley Camp West
Address: Milepost 336 Dalton Highway , Pipeline Milepost 82 South of Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734
File Number: 330.38.049
Hazard ID: 10
Status: Active
Staff: Laura Jacobs, 9074512911 laura.jacobs@alaska.gov
Latitude: 69.149246
Longitude: -148.838230
Horizontal Datum:WGS84

We make every effort to ensure the data presented here is accurate based on the best available information currently on file with DEC. It is therefore subject to change as new information becomes available. We recommend contacting the assigned project staff prior to making decisions based on this information.

Problems/Comments

Multiple contaminants remain from spills during pipeline construction camp operations. Soil, groundwater (GW), and surface water (SW) were found to be contaminated. Freshwater and wetlands are present. Anadromous fish stream is nearby. Transferred from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to State in 1992. Multiple users have permits from the State. The camp is being considered by the Dalton Highway Planning & Advisory Board for future development. The land has been selected by the North Slope Borough. Recreational and subsistence hunting, fishing, and food gathering activities occur throughout the area. The Sagavanirktok River is an anadromous fish stream. Winter concentration area for caribou. Remedial actions at this site include multiple soil removal actions, removal of surface stains, and addition of oxygen releasing compounds (ORC) to excavation trenches between source area and downgradient flow. These took place during 1998, 2001, and 2004. The surface water and groundwater at the site was sampled from 1996 to 2017. Ground water and surface water results from 2015, 2016, and 2017 did not contain contaminant concentrations above ADEC groundwater cleanup levels or surface water quality standards. Coarse excavated material was screened and used as backfill.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
7/31/1997 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of 1996 Environmental Site Assessments at Four Construction Camps prepared by Oasis on behlaf of Alyeska. Information includes conceptual site models, data tables, photographs, and ecological assessment checklists. This document consists of 4 volumes (main report, figures, and 2 appendices). Happy Valley West (and East) are discussed in detail. At Happy Valley Camp West, three monitoring wells, two suface soil, 4 surface water, and five boring locations were sampled. This report concludes that the key area of concern is a corridor of subsurface soil contamination and melt water long the northern perimeter of the gravel pad. It further notes that surface water impacts were noted in non-flowing depressions only and not in Happy Valley Creek and that additional monitoring was warranted. Additional comments included that contamination found in MW-3 may have been a more recent, non-diesel source, the stained area centered around SB4 warranted further action, and the area around SB1 (which was in the vicinity of the former fuel storage day tank) may be acting as a source for meltwater contamination. Keather McLoone
8/22/1997 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of Site Closure Workplan - Franklin Bluffs and Happy Valley Construction-Era Camps. See file 330.38.051 Keather McLoone
4/30/1998 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of Risk-Based Corrective Action at Happy Valley Camp - 1997 Project Report prepared by Oasis. Site assessment activities included sampling of surface water, surface/near-surface soil, borehole soil, mirowells (after installation), and a soil gas survey. The conclusions included that the primary concern at Happy Valley West was the migration of contamination offsite and that impacts were noted in the active-layer at the pad margin. A separate volume of this report contains the report figures. Keather McLoone
6/30/1998 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking by staff. Donald Seagren
7/1/1998 Site Added to Database Site added by staff. Multiple contaminants. Donald Seagren
2/28/1999 Site Characterization Report Approved Date of Risk-Based Corrective Action and Annual Monitoring at Happy Valley - 1998 Project Report. Surface water and GW Monitoring and Risk Based Corrective Action - soil excavation and thermal treatment. Areas excavated at the Happy Valley West Camp were select stained areas (Stain W-A roughly 100 feet ESE of MW-14 was addressed in two separate excavations and a stain in the area of SB19). Excavation confirmation samples contained up to 3,300 mg/kg DRO and ethylbenzene up to 0.56 mg/kg. Report approved by Donald Seagren on 8/16/1999. Donald Seagren
3/5/1999 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of comb bound document entitled Response Summary - Comments on Risk-Based Corrective Action Reports for Prospect, Toolik Lake, Happy Valley and Franklin Bluffs Construction Camp 1997 Project Reports. See file 330.38.051. Keather McLoone
1/24/2000 Update or Other Action Reviewed 1999 surface and GW monitoring report. Sampling was conducted at monitoring locations (at both the East and West Camps) previously sampled in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Donald Seagren
7/24/2000 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Reviewed and approved workplan for additional site assessment work to meet Method 2 cleanup levels. Donald Seagren
11/27/2000 Cleanup Level(s) Approved Reviewed and approved Alyeska request to use Method 2 soil cleanup levels for site. Donald Seagren
12/6/2000 Update or Other Action Responded to information request from JPO regarding soil and GW cleanup levels. Donald Seagren
12/18/2000 Update or Other Action Letter from DEC directing that Arctic zone cleanup levels are appropriate for this site (and Franklin Bluffs). See 330.38.051 Keather McLoone
1/17/2001 Update or Other Action Final Additional Assessment Report, Happy Valley Camp West was submitted to ADEC. IT Alaska, Inc. conducted additional site assessment of soil contamination at Happy Valley Camp in August 2000. This investigation involved sampling at depths of 2, 4, and 6 ft bgs every 20 feet along exploratory trenches advanced with a backhoe. A total of 22 soil samples collected contained GRO up to 473 mg/kg, DRO up to 7,180 mg/kg, naphthalene up to 57.9 mg/kg, benzene up to 0.223 mg/kg, ethylbenzene up to 6.780 mg/kg, and xylenes up to 3.1 mg/kg. No soil exceeding Method 2 inhalation or ingestion cleanup levels was identified. The following volumes of soil exceeding arbitrary thresh-hold limits were estimated: 500 ppm DRO = 15,000 cubic yards, 2,000 ppm DRO = 4,000 cubic yards and 4,000 ppm DRO = 1,000 cubic yards. One surface water sample exceeded water quality criteria for TAqH in 2000. Deborah Williams
1/19/2001 Update or Other Action 2000 Surface Water and Groundwater Monitoring Report, Happy Valley Camp was submitted to ADEC. According to the report, the 2000 monitoring results indicate the concentrations of most contaminants of concern are following a general decreasing trend. Only one surface water sample, WS-2, exceeded water quality criteria for TAqH at 45.14 ppb. IT recommends continued surface water monitoring at HVW to demonstrate the effectiveness of future remedial actions and to demonstrate the surface water quality is protected. Deborah Williams
12/31/2001 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of Corrective Action Report Happy Valley West Camp. Approximately 1,000 cubic yards of DRO contaminated soil was removed and thermally treated offsite and about 500 pounds of oxygen releasing compound (ORC) was applied to select trenches to treat the suprapermafrost groundwater. The upper 4 ft was removed and set aside based on previous results which indicated this material typically contained less than 2,000 mg/kg DRO. This excavation was advanced in the area around MW-14. The focus was on the interval between 4 and 11 feet bgs which had been found to typically contain DRO greater than 4,000 mg/kg. Confirmation samples collected contained DRO up to 9,340 mg/kg, benzene up to 0.535 mg/kg, ethylbenzene up to 5.67 mg/kg, xylenes up to 9.04 mg/kg, and naphthalene up to 42.2 mg/kgThe ORC was applied to two trenches located in the vicinity of the soil excavation and at a depth of 1 ft below the observed depth of the suprapermafrost groundwater. SW-2 and SW-3 were sampled before and after excavation and all samples exceeded TAH and TAqH criteria. Keather McLoone
10/14/2002 Update or Other Action Split Happy Valley Camp into two separate sites: East and West. The file will remain the same for both sites. Deborah Williams
12/9/2002 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of Surface Water Monitoring at Happy Valley West report. Two sampling events were conducted - one in August and another in September. Two of the three locations that had been sampled historically, continued to exceed water quality criteria. Keather McLoone
6/10/2003 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt of Site Assessment and Remediation Planning Workplan. Keather McLoone
1/7/2004 Site Characterization Report Approved Alyeska's Final Site Assessment Report for Happy Valley West pad was submitted to ADEC. Further site characterization was conducted on the pad including testpitting (19) of areas to the west of the 2001 excavation that were off-pad. High levels of DRO contamination were found between the 2001 excavation area and the stream bank. Alyeska proposes to excavate impacted soil adjacent to the stream bank where there have been water quality exceedances to the 2001 excavation area. They estimate as much as 4000 cubic yards will be excavated and long-term stockpiled on-site. The final disposition of the soil may be encapsulation into the Dalton Highway (2007). A 100 foot buffer area should be in place that would eliminate an future water quality exceedances. Report also discussess surface water and groundwater sampling and soil gas respiration testing. Deborah Williams
1/7/2004 Meeting or Teleconference Held ADEC met with Alyeska and DNR to discuss the results of the site assessment work that was conducted in 2003 and the proposed remediation work for HVW pad. Deborah Williams
5/12/2004 Update or Other Action A Corrective Action Plan was approved for the excavation of a buffer zone at Happy Valley West pad. Deborah Williams
3/10/2005 Update or Other Action ADEC received SLR's 2004 Corrective Action Report on the Happy Valley West site. The remedial action at Happy Valley West removed approximately 3,000 cubic yards of diesel-contaminated soil from the area above Happy Valley Creek. The entire volume of contaminated soil within the 100-foot buffer area was not removed. A narrow strip of material adjacent to the Happy Valley Creek and the material at the base of the lower part of the excavation, below the permafrost level were not removed. The post-excavation surface water sampling from the replacement surface water sample points WS-2R and WS-10R, in addition to the pre-excavation surface water sampling from sample points WS-3 and WS-10, indicate that TAH and TAqH concentrations at these locations are below ADEC surface water quality standards. Three sentry wells were installed and the sample analytical results indicate that petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the ground water at the wells have not yet attenuated to below ADEC ground water cleanup levels. SLR recommends that surface water sampling at monitoring point WS-3 and replacement points WS-2R and WS-10R be conducted during the early summer and late fall in 2005. Also, they recommend that the groundwater samples be collected concurrently from sentry wells to establish if natural attenuation of hydrocarbons migrating in groundwater from upgradient areas is sufficient to decrease concentrations to below ADEC groundwater and surface water cleanup levels. Deborah Williams
2/6/2006 Update or Other Action ADEC received the Final Happy Valley West 2005 Groundwater Monitoring and Soil Disposal Report. During 2005, 1,390 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the long-term soil stockpile and 100 cubic yards from the stockpile berm material were brought to AIC in Deadhorse for thermal remediation. Samples collected fromt he surface water points WS-2R, WS-3 and WS-10R indicated that TAH concentrations were below ADEC surface water cleanup levels. A single exceedance occurred during 2005 for TAqH at an alternate location for sample point WS-3. The groundwater sentry well sample analytical results indicated that DRO concentrations in groundwater have not yet attenuated to below ADEC groundwater cleanup levels. Deborah Williams
2/16/2007 Update or Other Action ADEC received SLR's report on Happy Valley West, 2006 Surface and Ground Water Monitoring Report. According to the report, exceedances occurred during the early 2006 sampling event at sampling point WS-3 for TAH and TAqH. WS-3 is in a depression on the Happy Valley Creek bank is not connected by surface water to the creek. SLR proposes filling in the depression. In addition, Sentry wells 1,2, and 3 did not show any decrease in contaminant levels. Since they were located in the former 2001 excavation area which contained contaminated backfill, SLR recommends that they relocate the sentry wells to the edge of the former intercept trench excavation east of Happy Valley Creek. Deborah Williams
3/2/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed for source area id: 70990 name: Diesel releases from fuel bladders and tanks Deborah Williams
6/6/2007 Update or Other Action Date 2007 surface water and groundwater monitoring workplan received and subsequently approved. Deborah Williams
7/27/2007 Update or Other Action Letter from State Pipeline Coordinator's Office inquiring about landfill 1.5 miles from this site and used as the disposal site for the construction camp which appears to contain unpermitted material. States it is unclear whether the site requires a solid waste disposal permit or if it contains contaminated or potentially hazardous material. Subsequent conversations with JPO and Alyeska suggest that they are working thru the issues and have coordinated with the Solid Waste Program. Keather McLoone
2/4/2008 GIS Position Updated Updated using Arc GIS SPAR_StatewideLocator (ArcReader) Grant Lidren
3/14/2008 Update or Other Action Received Trans Alaska Pipeline System: 2007 Monitoring Well Decommissioning Report. Seven of the eight targeted monitoring wells were succesfully located and decommissioned. MW-12 was not located using a metal locator within the reasonable search time limit and was likely destroyed by grading activities. Three sentry wells remain on-site. Keather McLoone
3/18/2008 Update or Other Action Review of Happy Valley West: 2007 Surface and Ground Water Monitoring Report received 3/7/08. Conducted QA/QC review. In addition to the groundwater monitoring activities, the sentry wells were relocated and developed. Also, sampling point WS-03 in a former intercept trench was backfilled because it had TAH and TAQH concentrations above ADEC water quality standards and was not connected overland to any other water body. No surface water samples collected in 2007 because of the elimination of this sampling point and Happy Creek was dry. All three sentry wells contained DRO, GRO, and BTEX concentrations below Table C levels with the exception of DRO in Sentry 1-R at 2.06 mg/L. These wells will be sampled again in 2008. Keather McLoone
6/10/2008 Update or Other Action Approved Happy Valley West Camp 2008 Surface Water and Groundwater Monitoring Work Plan received May 30 2008. Keather McLoone
2/13/2009 Update or Other Action Receipt of Happy Valley West: 2008 Surface and Ground Water Monitoring Report by SLR. Three sentry wells were sampled again in 2008, each with DRO above Table C criteria and concentrations greater than 2007 results. Only one of these wells exceeded Table C in 2007. Two surface water locations were also sampled with no exceedances of DEC water quality criteria. Report review included laboratory review checklist. Keather McLoone
2/26/2009 Update or Other Action Date of DEC report approval letter to state "ADEC concurs with the recommendation for continued monitoring of sentry wells in 2008 at this site. However, as we agreed during our February 19, 2009 meeting, the frequency of this monitoring should be increased to twice annual for 2009 in order to better evaluate trends in these wells." Keather McLoone
5/18/2009 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review and approval of Happy Valley West Camp 2009 Water Monitoring Work Plan received May 1, 2009. Plan includes two event, one early summer (June) an done in late summer or early September. Senty wells will be sampled and surface water samples collected. Keather McLoone
3/16/2010 Meeting or Teleconference Held ADEC met with Mike Mitchell of ADNR to discuss regarding the upcoming Interagency Land Management Assignment of lands in the area of Happy Valley Camp. Keather McLoone
3/17/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt of Happy Valley West 2009 Ground Water and Surface Water Monitoring Report (electronic, hardcopy received 4/1/2010). Groundwater and surface water sampling conducted in July and September. Groundwater results in July generally similar to those in 2008, in September below Table C. . A small sheen was noted in Happy Valley Creek during the July sampling event near the sampling location WS-10R but no exceedances of TAH or TAqH. SLR recommends two sampling events in 2010. Review on 4/15/2010 included laboratory review checklist. Keather McLoone
5/26/2010 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review of Happy Valley West Camp 2010 Water Monitoring Workplan. Two water monitoring events are planned for 2010 - one in early summer (later June or early July) and one in later summer (August or early September). Three groundwater wells and two surface water sample locations will be sampled, if possible, during each of these events. Keather McLoone
4/11/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt of Happy Valley West 2010 Water Monitoring Report. Two sampling events were conducted in 2010 - July and September. Review included laboratory data review checklist. Results were similar to past year's results. Keather McLoone
6/27/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt of Happy Valley West 2011 Water Monitoring Work Plan. Alyeska plans to conduct two water monitoring events in 2011. Approval contigent upon the addition of PAH analyses for groundwater samples. Wells can represent another point of compliance for surface water quality criteria. Keather McLoone
1/23/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt of 2011 Water Monitoring Report. Groundwater samples did not get analyzed for PAHs as per conditional approval of workplan and this was not specifically noted in the report. Email on 2/27/12 indicated that this was an oversight and it would be included in next year's (2012) effort. Dataloggers are also planned for monitoring wells along with a creek staff gage in order to attempt to determine if groundwater flow reverses during high water events. 2011 results for groundwater (Sentry 1-R and Sentry 2-R) again showed exceedances for DRO in July but not in September. No surface water exceedances for either sampling event. Review included laboratory data review checklist. Keather McLoone
5/11/2012 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Reviewed and approved the 2012 work plan to include conducting water surveys and sampling surface and groundwater. Requested that Alyeska prioritize this site for further plume characterization prior to active remediation to ensure that human health and the environment will be protected in the event that this site is developed in future years. Richard Bernhardt
11/13/2012 Meeting or Teleconference Held Met with Alyeska (Jan Shifflett) and SLR International (Scott Rose) about characterization at this site. Site needs additional analysis before an adequate characterization strategy is developed. A line of well points perpendicular to Happy Valley Creek would reveal whether concentration gradients increase toward the creek (suggesting the creek substrate is a source area) or whether they're higher upgradient (suggesting contaminated backfill is the source). Richard Bernhardt
4/5/2013 Update or Other Action On this date, ADEC received the Happy Valley West 2012 Water Monitoring Report submitted by SLR dated March 2013. In 2012, three data loggers were installed in the sentry wells and one in Happy valley Creek and monitored from June through September. The loggers show a hydrologic connection between the GW and the Creek’s SW. Furthermore, in early summer, the Creek’s SW is lower than the GW and in early fall the Creek’s SW is higher than the GW. This data suggest the Creek is gaining in early summer and losing in the fall. Surface water from the Creek and groundwater from the three sentry wells were analyzed in July and again in September. The surface water samples, analyzed for TAH and TAqH, were ND for both sampling events. DRO was detected above the method 2 cleanup levels during the July sampling event in all there MWs up to 4.68 mg/L. During the September sampling event, contaminants were not detected above cleanup levels in any of the MWs. Grant Lidren
5/23/2013 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Received and approved the 2013 work plan to collect a single groundwater and surface water sampling event and to survey groundwater levels. Richard Bernhardt
2/24/2014 Site Characterization Report Approved On this date, ADEC received the Happy Valley West 2013 Water Monitoring Report submitted by SLR dated February 2014. A single groundwater and surface water monitoring event was conducted on July 2, 2013. The surface water samples, analyzed for TAH and TAqH, were ND. DRO was detected above the method 2 cleanup levels in all three sentry monitoring wells (Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R) up to 7.19 mg/L. Note: this is the highest concentration of DRO ever recorded in the monitoring wells Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R since they were installed in 2007. Grant Lidren
6/18/2014 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) has received and reviewed the 2014 Water Monitoring Work Plan Happy Valley West submitted by SLR and dated June 2014. ADEC has no objections to the Work Plan and Alyeska may proceed. Grant Lidren
6/30/2014 Site Visit Site visit on this date and photos collected. There was no visually/olfactory presence of petroleum contamination. Grant Lidren
1/9/2015 Site Characterization Report Approved On this date, ADEC received the 2014 Water Monitoring Report Happy Valley West submitted by SLR dated December 2014. A single groundwater and surface water monitoring event was conducted on August 20, 2014 (this is a deviation from the work plan. Sampling was supposed to occur during early summer when historical DRO concentrations have been the highest). The surface water samples, analyzed for TAqH, were ND. Surface water samples analyzed for TAH exceeded the ADEC surface WQS due to toluene. Toluene was also detected in the trip blank above WQS. Petroleum constituents were not detected above Table C Groundwater Cleanup levels in the three sentry monitoring wells (Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R). A shovel sheen test conducted on 160 feet of the stream bank, in 4 foot increments, did not contain a sheen except for one location located downgradient of Sentry-1R at surface water sample location WS-10R. A hydrocarbon sheen was created at this location by disturbing the sediments. Grant Lidren
5/27/2015 Site Characterization Workplan Approved On this date, ADEC received the 2015 Water Monitoring Work Plan Happy Valley West submitted by SLR dated May 2015 Grant Lidren
3/29/2016 Site Characterization Report Approved On this date, ADEC received the 2015 Water Monitoring Report Happy Valley West submitted by SLR dated March 2016. A single groundwater and surface water monitoring event was conducted on July 24, 2015. The surface water samples, analyzed for TAH and TAqH, were ND. Petroleum constituents were not detected above Table C Groundwater Cleanup levels in the three sentry monitoring wells (Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R). Groundwater levels were 8.27 to 9.02 feet below the top of the stick up well casings. These levels are the deepest recorded since 2007. A shovel sheen test was conducted at the surface water sample location WS-10R where a sheen was observed 2014. A hydrocarbon sheen was observed again in 2015 at this location by disturbing the sediments. Grant Lidren
5/31/2016 Site Characterization Workplan Approved The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) has received and reviewed the 2016 Water Monitoring Work Plan Happy Valley West submitted by SLR and dated May 2016. ADEC has no objections to the Work Plan and SLR may proceed. Grant Lidren
2/15/2017 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC received the 2016 Water Monitoring Report Happy Valley West submitted by SLR dated January 2017. A single groundwater and surface water monitoring event was conducted on June 20, 2016. The surface water samples, analyzed for TAH and TAqH, were ND. Petroleum constituents were not detected above Table C Groundwater Cleanup levels in the three sentry monitoring wells (Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R). Groundwater levels were 5.99 to 7.28 feet below the top of the stick up well casings. These levels are the shallowest recorded since 2008. Grant Lidren
6/5/2017 Site Characterization Report Approved The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) Contaminated Sites Program (CSP) has received and reviewed the 2017 Water Monitoring Work Plan Happy Valley West submitted by SLR and dated May 2017. In addition to GW sampling, a shovel sheen test will be performed. Samples at Sentry-1R must be analyzed for petroleum VOCS by 8260. Grant Lidren
2/7/2018 Site Characterization Report Approved ADEC received the 2017 Water Monitoring Report Happy Valley West submitted by SLR dated January 2018. A single groundwater and surface water monitoring event was conducted on August 1, 2017. The surface water samples, analyzed for TAH and TAqH, were ND. Petroleum constituents were not detected above Table C Groundwater Cleanup levels in the three sentry monitoring wells (Sentry-1R, Sentry-2R, and Sentry-3R). Groundwater levels were 7.35 to 8.31 feet below the top of the stick up well casings. These levels are the deepest recorded since 2007. A shovel sheen test was conducted stream bank including the surface water sample location WS-10R where a sheen was observed 2014 and 2015. A hydrocarbon sheen was not observed in 2017 along the stream bank. Grant Lidren
7/31/2018 Site Visit Visited site on this date with Alyeska and SLR. Grant Lidren
6/4/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other On this date, ADEC approved the decommissioning of the three sentry monitoring wells. Grant Lidren
10/25/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other ADEC received the Happy Valley West Monitoring Well Decommissioning Report submitted by SLR dated October 25, 2019. All three Sentry monitoring wells were decommissioned in accordance with ADEC guidance. Grant Lidren

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