Impact | Fifth Ward and Kashmere Gardens

Photos

The maps below illustrate the extent of subterranean contamination for which Union Pacific Railroad (“UPRR”) is responsible. There are two contamination plumes of concern: a groundwater plume and a deeper Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (“DNAPL”) plume that influences the shallower groundwater plume. All the maps below show the extent of this off-site contamination over several years.

The map below, from 2014, shows the extent of off-site contamination. The area in blue is known as the Plume Concentration Level Exceedance Zone, or PCLE. The area outlined in red is what was known as the Plume Management Zone, or PMZ. UPRR was proposing at that time for institutional controls to manage the subterranean waste. Also shown are the locations of monitoring wells at that time.

The map below, from September of 2019, shows how the PCLE Zone (in blue) has altered and thus remains mobile. UPRR no longer proposes a PMZ for most of the off-site area. This image also shows the location of monitoring and DNAPL extraction wells at that time, as well as the location of proposed wells. The line in green shows the PCLE zone for arsenic in groundwater.

The map below, from September 2020, shows how the PCLE zone has remained mobile. The off-site residential properties colored in yellow are those properties that UPRR should contact to notify their owners of the groundwater contamination.

The map below, also from September 2020, shows the extent of offsite contamination on the western edge of the UPRR Site, this time near Kashmere, Courtney, and Eddie Streets.

The map below, from October 2020, shows the extent of offsite contamination as well as the location of monitoring wells and DNAPL extraction wells in the offsite residential area.

The map below, also from October 2020, shows just the offsite monitoring wells, DNAPL extraction wells, and the much reduced PMZ proposed by UPRR.