Port of Vancouver USA - Fruit Valley Area Cleanup

Cleanup activities have been conducted at the Swan and Cadet sites, including installation of treatment systems in the nearby Fruit Valley Neighborhood. The Port acquired the Cadet property on May 29, 2006, as part of a settlement agreement and has taken over management of monitoring and cleanup activities associated with the Cadet site.

Before and After Cleanup Maps
March 2002
September 2006

Interim measures include:

Soil Vapor Extraction/Air Sparging – Cadet Site
Since 2003, an “air sparging” and “soil vapor extraction” (AS/SVE) system has been used to clean shallow groundwater at the Cadet facility. This system moves the solvent contamination dissolved in groundwater into the subsurface soil and a vacuum applied to the subsurface removes those vapors. The maximum concentrations of contamination detected in groundwater samples collected near the Cadet facility have been reduced approximately 95% since 2003.

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Residence Soil Vapor Vacuum Systems – Fruit Valley Neighborhood
Solvents can evaporate from the groundwater to become vapors in the subsurface soil. In 2003, Cadet installed soil vapor vacuum systems at six residences in the Fruit Valley Neighborhood to prevent movement of vapors into indoor air. These systems remove solvent vapors from below basement floors and from crawlspaces before they can move into residence indoor air. Indoor air sampling of residences with operating systems has shown the systems have reduced solvent vapor levels in residences to near or below outdoor air concentrations.

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Recirculating Groundwater Remediation Well - Fruit Valley Neighborhood
Between February 2004 and July 2005, Cadet installed seven recirculation groundwater remediation wells (RGRWs) to clean groundwater under the Fruit Valley Neighborhood. The cleanup of groundwater reduces VOC concentrations in the overlying soil gas and indoor air. The wells work by pumping contaminated water, which is injected with an oxidizing compound that breaks the solvent down into harmless compounds. The water and oxidant are returned to the ground where the oxidant continues to work. Testing indicates the RGRWs have successfully reduced solvent concentrations in groundwater and soil gas under the Fruit Valley Neighborhood. Based on the results of testing, several of the RGRWs are not currently needed and have therefore been turned off.

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Contaminated Soil Removal – Swan Site
In 1998, the Port excavated approximately 14,000 cubic yards of the most contaminated soil at the Swan site. The Port refilled the excavation with clean soil. The removal of this contaminated soil, which was successfully treated in 1999, has resulted in a reduction of contaminant concentrations in groundwater in the vicinity of the Swan site.

Groundwater Quality Monitoring – Cadet & Swan Sites
The extent of groundwater contamination originating from the Cadet and Swan sites is evaluated on a regular basis by collecting groundwater samples from monitoring wells. The Port has installed 59 wells to evaluate the Swan site. Cadet installed 73 monitoring wells at the Cadet property and in the Fruit Valley Neighborhood. These wells are included in the Port’s groundwater monitoring program and groundwater samples are generally collected on a quarterly or semi-annual basis.

(Click on thumbnail to download PDF version 284 kb)

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Groundwater Treatment – Swan Site
From 2002 to 2004, the Port completed treatment activities to reduce contaminant concentrations in groundwater in the vicinity of the Swan site. The treatment activities included the injection of an oxidant (hydrogen peroxide) to reduce elevated concentrations of solvents in groundwater. Seven injection events were completed. Results from groundwater monitoring indicate the treatment activities have successfully reduced concentrations in groundwater.

Sampling Activities
The Port has been actively sampling groundwater, soil, gas, and air to evaluate the extent of contamination associated with the Cadet and Swan sites, including the Fruit Valley Neighborhood. This sampling is also done to evaluate progress of interim cleanup activities and determine future cleanup needs.

Indoor air samples are collected from some residence basements, crawlspaces, and living spaces. These samples are used to evaluate if solvent vapors are moving from the ground into indoor air and to evaluate indoor air concentration levels.

Groundwater samples are collected from monitoring wells from approximately 20 feet below ground surface to 230 feet in depth.

Soil vapor samples are collected from wells installed above the groundwater but below the ground surface. These samples are used to evaluate how solvent vapor moves in the subsurface.

Sub-slab air samples are collected from below basement floors in Fruit Valley Neighborhood residences with operating soil vapor vacuum systems. These samples are used to estimate the amount of solvent vapors being removed by the soil vapor vacuum systems.

Outdoor air samples are collected in areas where groundwater contamination has been confirmed and also in areas where groundwater contamination does not exist.

Click here for definitions of environmental terms used above.


	PORT of VANCOUVER, USA 3103 Lower River Road Vancouver, WA 98660 phone: (360) 693-3611 fax: (360) 735-1565 email:

	The Vancouver Lake Watershed Partnership is an effort by the Port of Vancouver, City of Vancouver Department of Public Works, Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation, Clark County Department of Public Works, the Fruit Valley Neighborhood Association and a panel of citizens. The Partnership will research the lake's environmental health to help determine its future as a natural resource. Click here to visit their new Web site.