SEPA REGION 10 DIVE TEAM www.epa.gov/region10/dive EPA Region 10 Dive Team McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site Transition Zone Water Sampling and Solid Phase Microextraction Device Placement What: The Region 10 dive team was asked to conduct sampling of transition zone water at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site (M&B) in Portland, Oregon. The sampling is conducted by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ) for EPA to determine the effectiveness of the cleanup at this former wood treating/creosote site. Why: This information is used by ODEQ and EPA to measure capping effectiveness in protecting benthic fauna as well as human consumption of living organisms in the benthos. Where: The M&B site is located on the north side of the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, near river mile 7 from the Columbia River. When: April and October 2010. How: Divers were given priority sampling locations by ODEQ. Divers worked with ODEQ contractors to collect both piezometer samples ten inches into the bottom, as well as placing a seepage meter which is actively pumped to gather transition zone groundwater impacting life in the shallow bottom (benthos). EPA divers also placed solid phase microextraction devices (SPMD/SPME) which act as a surrogate for biological uptake. Equipment: EPA vessel Monitor was used as the dive platform, with the vessel Wooldive providing support for contracted sampling personnel. Results: Photos and narrative descriptions were conveyed to the EPA and ODEQ project managers. Samples were successfully collected despite several winter storms that occurred during dive operations. More Details: McCormick and Baxter website Contact Info: Sean Sheldrake (206) 553-1220, Sheldrake.sean@eDa.gov ------- Photos: Diver being prepped to go in directly off the McCormick and Baxter site. Railroad bridge in the background, ------- Tender/standby diver Chad Schulze sorting out piezometer lines/piezometers in his right hand to hand to the diver in the water, while tending the diver tether line in his left hand. ------- Divemaster viewing helmet camera feed on a diver laptop/recording output directly to the hard drive. ------- Tethered SCUBA diver preparing to descend to obtain a sample. Return to EPA Region 10 Dive Team homepage. ------- |