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Spring Valley
Washington, DC

Spring Valley Project Monthly Update
October 2009

This monthly Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site project update is provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, as part of our ongoing efforts to make information regarding the Spring Valley Partnership and neighborhood investigation more accessible to community members, elected officials, Restoration Advisory Board members, and other interested stakeholders. Specifically, the monthly update is produced to provide those who follow the project with a current snapshot of our partnering, planning and field activities, and is not designed to provide historical information or an overview of the project. Those individuals interested in broader project information, or who have follow-up questions regarding this update, are invited to contact our Community Outreach Team at (410) 962-0157.

Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP)

• In support of the upcoming removal of contaminated laboratory glassware at the Pit 3 Area, the construction of two vapor containment systems was completed, one in the back yard and one in the front, both using an air filtration system. Regulatory partner work plan approvals were obtained in October, enabling the field team to be trained on site during the first week of November. The removal is expected to start in the backyard area as early as November 5th. The containment structures are designed to contain any vapor releases, if they were to occur. As a redundant precautionary measure, an additional safety zone of 96 feet is defined around each removal area. This area partially overlaps onto adjacent properties and the impacted residents have been contacted. Metropolitan Police officers will be present during operations to assist in case of an emergency, and an automated email and phone alert system will also be used in the event of a chemical emergency. The back yard removal is anticipated to take about 4-6 weeks. All work under the two containment structures is expected to be completed by January 2010, to be followed by the completion of the seven remaining low probability test pits, additional arsenic contaminated soil removal, geotechnical borings and site restoration. The site completion date is currently projected for the end of March 2010
  
  
• Geophysical surveys continued in the Dalecarlia Woods on the property of the Washington Aqueduct between Dalecarlia Parkway and the reservoir. The survey team has completed approximately 15 of the 62 acres to date. Also this month, the team completed pre-operations efforts at four more residential properties: one property on the 4700 block of Quebec Street, one property on the 4900 block of Rodman Street, one property on the 4700 block of Woodway Lane and one property on the 4800 block of Woodway Lane. Residential geophysical surveys at these four properties are scheduled to take place from November 2nd through November 13th.
  
  
• Also this past month, preparations were completed for several upcoming metallic anomaly investigations. This group of individual property investigations is scheduled to begin during the week of November 2nd. With three available field teams, anomaly removal will be underway at three properties at a time during the month of November. By the end of December a total of 10 residential anomaly investigations are expected to be completed in the neighborhood; one property on the 4900 block of Rodman Street, one property on the 4800 block of Glenbrook Road, one property on the 4700 block of Quebec Street, one property on the 4900 block of Quebec Street, one property on the 4000 block of 52nd Street, two properties on the 4700 block of Woodway Lane, two properties on the 5000 block of Sedgwick Street and one property on the 3800 block of 52nd Street.
  
  
• In October, the investigation areas behind American University’s Public Safety Building were completed. Remaining work includes: soil removal in the front of the building and investigation of the area around a drainage pipe, where WWI-era debris was found during installation of the pipe.
  
  

Groundwater Study Program

• In October, four groundwater monitoring wells were installed as part of the ongoing groundwater study. Three of the wells are located on the American University campus and one is located at a property on 52nd Court. Sampling of existing wells began in late October and will continue during the first two weeks of November. The purpose of installing and sampling new wells and sampling existing wells is to help the inter-agency Partners better understand groundwater characteristics and flow patterns in the Spring Valley project area.
  
  

Removal of Soil with Elevated Levels of Arsenic from Residential Properties

• This month the field team completed remediation efforts at one property on the 4300 block of Warren Street. This brings the total number of remediated residential properties to 108 since work began in the summer of 2002. Also, remediation efforts began at a property on the 5000 block of Loughboro Road. Site preparation activities continued at a property on the 4900 block of Quebec Street, 4300 block of Van Ness Street and another property on the 4300 block of Warren Street.
  
  

Restoration Advisory Board

• The next Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 10th at 7 p.m. The RAB meets on the second Tuesday of each month at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 5150 Macomb Street, NW. We hope to see you there!
  

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