Project Name: Porter Draw, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Date Project Began: June 2006
Date Project Completed: Ongoing
Project Description:
Casey Resources, Inc. (CRI) was contracted by the owner of the Porter Draw property to provide environmental consulting assistance and third party oversight with regard to a large wastewater reservoir located on the property. This wastewater reservoir associated with a local refinery was constructed in 1977 and began operations in 1978. The designed full capacity of the reservoir was 121 surface acres. Effluent discharge to the reservoir was permitted in 1981 with the listed approved discharge of approximately 475,000 gallons per day at a rate not to exceed 1.56 cubic feet per second (cfs), for the purpose of disposal by evaporation and seepage. The refinery discontinued its lease for the reservoir site in June 2006; however, wastewater remained within the reservoir. The refinery is currently involved in a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action, which includes a Phase II RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) and Risk Assessment. Under the Corrective Action, the wastewater reservoir at Porter Draw is listed as Area of Concern (AOC) 16.
On behalf of the property owner, CRI reviewed and commented on the refinery's proposed investigation work plan, investigation reports, and remediation plans. CRI represented the owner in meetings with the refinery, the refinery's consultant, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) regarding site characterization and remediation plans.
The Porter Draw wastewater reservoir was drained in early 2010 and the former reservoir footprint was remediated by removing impacted soil and sediment, with disposal at an offsite Subtitle D landfill in Colorado. During this remediation, CRI provided limited oversight and provided remediation updates to the property owner.
Since completion of the remediation in September 2010, the refinery’s consultant completed quarterly groundwater monitoring in 2011 and 2012. In early 2013, the refinery’s consultant three new downgradient monitoring wells were installed at the property based on CRI comments, and all monitoring wells sampled in April 2013. CRI will continue to monitor the environmental activities conducted at the property and report these findings to the property owner, and if necessary comment to the WDEQ.
Type of Contamination: Petroleum compounds, metals, and salts.
