Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Wolf Creek Pass Tanker
South Fork, CO - EPA Region VIII
POLREP #2
Progress POLREP

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U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Wolf Creek Pass Tanker - Removal Polrep
Initial Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VIII

Subject:

POLREP #2
Progress POLREP
Wolf Creek Pass Tanker
Z8D7
South Fork, CO
Latitude: 37.4748581 Longitude: -106.7816162

To:

From:

Pete Stevenson, OSC

Date:

2/10/2010

Reporting Period:

since 11/14/09

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:	Z8	Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	OPA	Response Type:	PRP Oversight
Response Lead:	PRP	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:		Start Date:	12/4/2009
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:	E10802	Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category

1.1.2 Site Description

The tanker accident occurred 11/14/09 at milepost 179, US Hwy 160, Rio Grande County, (approximately 4 ½ miles south of South Fork), Colorado. An estimated 3,800 gallons of gasoline drained from the overturned tanker across and under the highway into wetlands between the highway and the South Fork Rio Grande River.

1.1.2.1 Location

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat

Groundwater contamination and at a minimum dissolved BTEX in river. Due to ice no sheen or product can be observed in the river. The river is thought to be habitat for the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout. There are many water users downstream. The wetlands is on property administered by the US Forest Service, Rio Grande National Forest.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative
11/18: PRP-contracted clean-up contractor arrived on Site for initial recon, followed by crew mobilization.
11/19: Clean-up contractor initiated detailed surface and sub-surface survey(s) in the wetlands beween the highway and the river, and along riverbanks downstream of the accident site.
12/01: Clean-up contractor initiated installation of monitoring / recovery / extraction wells and trenches.
12/03: Clean-up contractor initiated recovery of free-product from various wells and tranches via bailing, pumping, and sorbents.
12/21: Contractors temporarily ceased on-site activities due to inclement weather and holiday road restrictions.
Clean-up contractor notified down-stream water users of activities via posted flyers.
01/08/10: Interceptor trench completed, including liner installation and insulating blanket coverage.
01/11: START collected co-located water samples with PRP clean-up contractor. Analytical results are reasonably consistent with PRP sample data.
01/14: Additional monitoring trenches installed. One additional recovery hole dug.
02/01: 3-4' of additional snow on-site; many monitoring wells iced up.
02/02: PRP contractor recovered approximately 1500 gals of product/water mixture into a vac truck. Another recovery hole was excavated, which by mid-day was producing gas/water with a very strong gas odor. Downstream boom frozen in.

PRP clean-up contractor(s) continue to recover free product from the various wells and trenches, constructed in the wetlands, between the spill site and the river channel. The clean-up contractor reports measuring up to five inches (5”) of free product in various monitoring wells as well as elevated PID readings at various monitoring stations. Dissolved phase product continues to be detected in the river. Due to ice cover it cannot be determined if a sheen or product is present.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)

2.1.4 Progress Metrics

Waste Stream Medium Quantity Manifest # Treatment Disposal

gas/water 500 gal 001334768 Arvada TreatmentCtr LLC

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
• PRP will continue coordinating plans and activities with representatives of CDOT, CSP, USFS, BLM, and EPA/8 OSC.
• Clean-up contractor will continue recovery of product from constructed recovery wells and trenches.
• Clean-up contractor(s) will perform maintenance on downstream boom. Upper boom completely under >1 foot of ice, but may still be functional.
• Survey crew(s) will continue monitoring downstream environs, addressing any downstream product release, if such release occurs.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
EPA/8 OSC will continue oversight of PRP-lead clean-up activities.
2.2.2 Issues
PRP contractor initiated inquiry regarding bioremediation. OSC provided information regarding NCP and NCP product schedule.

Monitoring wells are icing up. The river has 2-4' of ice on it. We can expect continuing issues with lots of snow, with temperatures below zero overnight. The location in a canyon does not get sun except for about 1000 hrs to 1500 hours. Working conditions are difficult at best. The site is 4-5 hours from Denver over mountain passes, and the less than ideal responsiveness of the PRP contractor all lead toward an increase in oversight costs. The site is on land administered by the US Forest Service, and the river is thought to be habitat for the Rio Grande Cutthroat trout. There are many water users downstream. Groundwater within 40' of the river is significantly impacted, with dissolved BTEX in the river at a minimum. Peak flow in the river will occur during the months of May and June. Mean flow (80-82 years of data) for February 10 is 39 cfs, with a peak flow on June 8 of 980 cfs. Though I don't expect the site to flood with river water, I do expect the groundwater to rise signifcantly, possibly overtopping the interceptor trench. Gas may also move around either end of the trench and thus enter the river.

2.3 Logistics Section