PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: Environmental Applications
Kosciuszko Park
Stamford, CT
Kosciusko Park is a seven-acre waterfront park located in the City of Stamford, CT, on Long Island Sound. It is notable for providing public waterfront access and includes a perimeter walking path as well as ball fields and playgrounds. The peninsula park was constructed on top of the former city landfill. Prior to the reconstruction of the ball fields SRS Soil Recovery removed approximately 5,000 tons of contaminated soil and new clean soil was required.
Due to the environmental sensitivity of the site, as well as history of soil contamination, all soils to be used for the project had to meet strict limits for environmental contaminants. Particular attention was given to locating soils that would be essentially free of pesticides and herbicides including DDT, DDE, and DDD.
Agresource worked with the architect (Diversified Technology Consultants, North Haven, CT) and site contractor (Manafort Brothers, Plainville, CT) to sample on site soils, identify and test various types of compost, and devise a mixing plan to prepare a suitable manufactured soil.
About 2,000 cubic yards of on-site soil was identified and found to be suitable with regard to environmental contamination. This soil, however, was not only insufficient in quantity but also only met the minimum textural requirements for use. Agresource suggested a mixture of the on-site soil, imported clean sand to quality improve the soil texture, and compost to provide the appropriate level of organic matter. The result was a significantly improved soil that was met specification requirements and was guaranteed to perform well over time. The compost was provided from the Hoosac Water District Composting Facility located in Williamstown, MA, and after extensive testing was found to meet all environmental contamination criteria.
Agresource provided equipment and operators to mix the soil, sand, and compost to meet the specifications (five parts soil: one part sand: two parts compost) to not only increase the volume of soil but also meet the environmental, textural, and organic matter specifications of the designer. Testing was performed on representative samples of every 250 cubic yards of the soil mix to insure that all specifications were met. The project was successfully completed on schedule and the City of Stamford held a grand reopening of this beautiful waterfront park in 2006.
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Stormwater Bio-Filtration Media
Wrentham, MA
Design specifications for a storm water detention and filtration basin called for planting media that had a water infiltration rate exceeding one-inch per hour. The media also needed to support wetland plants. Agresource worked with DiPlacido Corp. to make a sand/compost mix that performed. Compost from Norwood MA was used because of its high organic matter content and minimal effect on infiltration rate. The picture above shows how subsoil was scarified before the mix was spread to allow water to percolate smoothly through the subsoil and rootzone interface.
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Vitale Fly Ash Consolidation and Habitat Restoration
Beverly, MA
Soil contamination from fly ash that was dumped years ago covered several acres in a watershed leading down to Wenham Lake. The Vitale Fly Ash Consolidation and Habitat Restoration project involved excavating all contaminated soil, placing it in an upland area, and capping it. Also included was the restoration of wetlands as well as building sports fields on the capped area. T. Ford Company was the general contractor.
Agresource supplied wetland soil that had to undergo extensive testing for contaminants and meet strict specification requirements. Agresource used its own compost made in nearby Ipswich as well as a special mineral filler selected from Aggregate Industries in Swampscott. Using these two materials ensured a clean, consistent, and high-quality wetland soil.
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Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA
Alumnae Valley Restoration Project Receives General Design Award of Excellence by American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA): Approximately 13.5 acres of campus at Wellesley College, known as Alumnae Valley, was restored from a brownfield into an ecologically functioning landscape.
Early stages of the project included removing a 175-car parking lot and significant amounts of contaminated soil from the site. Moderately contaminated soils were moved to make landforms that were later capped. A series of sedimentation basins as well as wetland vegetation now provide filtering and natural treatment for runoff and groundwater to help protect Lake Waban. The Landscape Architectural firm receiving the award was Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates of Cambridge, MA.
A range of soils were designed by soil consultants Pine & Swallow Associates that were devised to optimize hydrology and support a variety of vegetation. Agresource supplied AGRESOIL COMPOST™ made in Merrimack, NH, to Dexter and Harpell Loam, who made the different soils to specification. The soils included a Marsh Basin Mix, Wet Meadow Mix, Meadow Mix, Lawn Mix, and Backfill Mix. The landscape contractor was Valley Crest Landscaping. Civil engineering was provided by Vanasse, Hangen, Brustlin, Inc. (VHB). Geotechnical engineering was provided by Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
