Holden Village Inc

The Holden Village Site is located approximately 30 miles uplake (northwest) of Chelan, Washington and approximately 7 miles west of Lake Chelan.  The Site is remote and only accessible by passenger boat, barge, or helicopter.  Holden Village consists of an old mining village with several lodges, chalets, and other buildings and an abandoned mine which was operated until the 1950s.  The "town site", which has been operated as a learning retreat community by the Lutheran Church since the early 1960s, is on the east side of Railroad Creek in a valley floor.  The Site has had two reported releases related to underground storage tanks.

1991 UST Removal and Remedial Activities
 
In June 1991, one 800-gallon and one 2,000-gallon UST and associated product piping were excavated and removed.  The 800-gallon gasoline UST was located on the west side of the old mechanic's shop in the abandoned mine area.  This tank was used for refueling some of the equipment and vehicles and was installed during the mining days in the 1940s or early 1950s.  The 2,000-gallon UST was located near one of the chalets in the "town site".  This tank was used for refueling transportation vehicles which hauled passengers and supplies up the 12-mile gravel road from Lake Chelan, and was also installed during the mining days.  Both tanks contained leaded gasoline.  There were no recorded spills or leaks from the USTs.
 
During UST and piping removal activities, approximately 50 cubic yards of soil with a hydrocarbon odor were excavated; approximately 40 cubic yards of soil were derived from the 800-gallon UST excavation and approximately 10 cubic yards from the 2,000-gallon UST excavation.  These excavated soils were placed on and covered with plastic sheeting in a flat area on the third level of the old mine tailings.  The majority of the soils from the 2,000-gallon UST excavation had no odor or visual sign of hydrocarbons and was used for backfill.  Clean backfill was transported from a nearby gravel pit to backfill the 800-gallon UST excavation and the remaining volume needed in the 2,000-gallon UST excavation.
 
Three soil samples were collected from each of the UST excavations and submitted to the laboratory for analysis.  All samples submitted were to be analyzed for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylenes (BTEX), for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and for total lead.
 
Soils containing residual hydrocarbons and emitting a strong hydrocarbon odor were encountered near the mechanic's shop above, to the sides, and beneath the 800-gallon UST near the mechanic's shop. These soils were excavated during removal of the UST with the exception of hydrocarbon-stained soils near the foundation of the mechanic's shop.  Excavation of soils near the mechanic's shop was halted because of the possibility of structural damage.  Soils at the base of the excavation were excavated down to the top of unweathered till at a depth of about 7.5 feet, the extent to which the track hoe could excavate the dense till.  The unweathered till was not stained with hydrocarbons.  Soils emitting an odor of hydrocarbons were encountered only in soils near the fill pipe of the 2,000-gallon UST.  These soils were excavated and transported to the abandoned mine site, where they were placed on and covered with plastic sheeting.  Visual signs of hydrocarbon staining were not observed, and hydrocarbon odors were not detected in the remainder of the excavation.
 
Six soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis during excavation of the USTs and associated product piping.  The results of the laboratory analysis of soil samples collected from the 800-gallon UST excavation indicate that all three samples contain concentrations of TPH above the MTCA Method A cleanup levels for soils.  Concentrations of BTEX and total lead were below MTCA Method A cleanup levels for soils.  With the exception of the area near the foundation of the mechanic's shop, the soils with hydrocarbon staining were excavated.
 
The results of laboratory analysis of soil samples collected from the 2,000-gallon UST excavation indicated that only one sample contained concentrations of TPH above MTCA Method A cleanup levels for soils.  Soils in the area of this sample were not in contact with groundwater and were excavated during UST removal.  Concentrations of BTEX and total lead were below MTCA Method A cleanup levels for soils.
 
1994 Heating Oil UST Removal and Remedial Activities
 
Twenty-seven heating oil USTs are recorded as being installed at Holden.  Actual installation dates of these tanks are estimated to be sometime during 1937, except for the 14,370 gallon tank which was installed sometime during 1971. These tanks are located on property operated by Holden Village and leased from the US Forest Service. Fourteen of these tanks were installed underneath buildings. Twelve are recorded as being installed outside the foundations of buildings.  The majority of tanks left active service immediately after Howe Sound mining operations ceased. The auxiliary fuel tank near the diesel generator and the large tank located near Lodge 4 continued in service during operation of this site as a Lutheran retreat.  Archived records indicate that these tanks last received Shell heating (fuel) oil #2 in 1985. 
 
In 1994, a total of twelve heating oil USTs were excavated and removed from the Holden Village property.  Each UST was visually inspected for signs of pitting and seam failure.  While most USTs showed little signs of product release, the associated piping revealed corroded areas as an apparent source of leakage.  These pipes were either crimped and secured, or capped in place.  Overall, most of associated piping remains in the ground, along with USTs that lie under buildings.  Prior to UST decommissioning activities, there exists no documented release from these tanks.
 
During UST removal, oversight was provided for careful segregation of clean soils from impacted soils.  Approximately 2,400 cubic yards of impacted soils were transported to a site located on the third level of the old mining operations.
 
A total of twenty-five samples for hydrocarbon analysis were taken during three rounds of sampling.  One groundwater sample was taken from a 17 foot depth within a UST excavation.  A reported concentration of 13,400 ug/l (ppb) for TPH-D as diesel compounds was found in the groundwater sample.  Reported concentrations of TPH-D as diesel compounds in soils ranged from non-detectable levels up to a maximum of 46,000 mg/kg (ppm). 

A 1996 letter states that 3 groundwater monitoring wells were installed and that laboratory analysis indicated the samples did not have diesel-range hydrocarbons above MTCA standards.