DOE Superfund Site
River Remediation, Restoration and Monitoring - Upton, NY
As part of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study process at a Department of Energy Superfund Site located in Upton, New York, Roux Associates conducted a 0.5-acre pilot study to evaluate the use of sediment removal technologies and wetland restoration to remediate contaminated areas found along the Peconic River. Roux Associates developed a Revegetation Plan and was instrumental in the procurement of the NYSDEC Equivalency Permit.
Conventional sediment excavation and wetland restoration was selected and implemented in an area of the Peconic River in which mercury had deposited and accumulated within the wetland sediment. This pilot study successfully removed 6 to 12 inches of contaminated sediment. The wetland was restored using a mixture of compost and topsoil, new plantings, and transplants of native wetland species from the adjacent areas of the Peconic River.
Roux Associates attended meetings with the various community groups to discuss the project progress, responded to the community concerns, and conducted tours of the remediated area to verify the pilot study's success. Following six months of wetland monitoring, the restoration efforts exhibited a 98 percent survival rate of the planted wetland species and 100 percent coverage by vegetation. The high survivability and overall success of the wetland restoration led to implementation of the remediation approach to remaining portions of the Peconic River.
Full-scale remediation of the Peconic River was subsequently based upon the results of the Roux Associates pilot. Approximately 10.7 onsite acres and 9.12 offsite acres of wetlands and open water were remediation over a 2.5-mile stretch of the river. Contaminated sediments were removed and impacted wetland areas were revegetated.
Roux Associates is currently evaluating the revegetation success through the installation of 64 wetland monitoring transects strategically located along the 2.5 mile stretch of restored Peconic River.