Projects › Small Bore Range
Project Background
The Charles Derby Small Bore Range is an approximately 1-acre area located in the southeastern corner of DeLaveaga Park. The range is located on a flat area within a ravine; surface topography in the vicinity of the range is sloped toward the north, the south, and the west. An intermittent creek, located to the south of the range, provides surface drainage that flows into a larger tributary, eventually into the upper Santa Cruz Municipal Harbor, and finally into the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary. The range is divided into three shooting areas from east to west; a 50-yard range, a 25-yard range, and a 1,000-inch range. The range has operated since the early 1950s and has been used by law enforcement agencies and private gun owners for rifle and pistol target practice. It is estimated that approximately 200,000 rounds per year are fired at the range and until approximately 1990, all ammunition used was lead. More recently, many of the bullets used at the range have been jacketed bullets, which are comprised of a brass exterior casing filled with lead.
Client Requirements
The City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department had the following project requirements:
- Perform Phase II soil/groundwater/surface water assessments in order to determine lead, copper, and zinc concentrations in site media including soil, groundwater, and surface water.
- Perform preliminary human health and ecological risk assessments.
- Develop removal action goals, and evaluate alternative removal measures.
- Select the optimum remedial action for this site, and develop soils management and site health and safety plans.
Solutions Provided
RRM was retained by the City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation to assess the aforementioned gun range and develop site assessment and remedial action plans acceptable to the Department of Toxics Substance Control (DTSC), Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and County of Santa Cruz Environmental Health Department. RRM staff drilled over one hundred soil borings and collected numerous grab-groundwater and surface water samples during several Phase II site assessment programs. From the data collected, RRM prepared health and ecological risk assessments, developed remedial action cleanup goals, and prepared a Remedial Action Workplan (RAW) for site cleanup. The RAW document also included a soils management plan and site health and safety plan. The RAW and other associated plans are presently awaiting DTSC approval.