PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: Environmental Applications




Contamination under sediment on the bottom of the Bass River in Beverly, MA was coming to the surface potentially causing further environmental damage and health risk. A plan was devised to remove contaminated soil and replace it with a special capping media. The media had to seal-off contaminants and be similar to silt-loam that covered the bottom of the river. It had to have relatively high organic matter content. The general contractor was D.A. Collins Environmental.

Agresource manufactured capping media that had to meet strict specification requirements and pass extensive testing for contaminants. Agresource used low-nitrogen leaf compost combined with special mineral filler supplied by Aggregate Industries to manufacture the media prior to delivery. The capping media had sufficient bulk-density to hold together and stay on the bottom in tidal currents. The media was lowered onto the river bottom using a GPS-guided crane to ensure accurate placement.





The Fresh Pond Reservation consists of 162 acres of open space, surrounding and protecting the 155-acre Fresh Pond Reservoir, which is part of the drinking water supply system for the City of Cambridge. Much of the soil in the northeast sector of the reservation has been degraded over time due to changes in the local environment and from overuse. Some areas were used for dumping fill from construction projects, contributing to less-than-desirable soil characteristics and poorly functioning soils with little porosity.


(left) Shrubs in new soil under green
fiber erosion control matrix.

Soil consultants Pine & Swallow Associates were hired by landscape architects Carol Johnson Associates to design seven different soil types that would optimize water holding while maintaining adequate drainage over time in different areas of the Reservation. Recognizing the challenge of making soils to specification, Emanouil Bros., the landscape contractor on the project, subcontracted with Agresource and with Read Custom Soils to make the mixes. Together, the two companies combined their resources to mix on-site soil with sand and compost to meet strict specification requirements as well as handle the entire submittal and approval process on a tight schedule.    (right) Plantings established in new soil.

Specialty soils made on the project site included a Marsh Basin Mix, Wet Meadow Mix, Meadow Mix, Lawn Mix, Sports Field Mix, Backfill Mix, and Garden Mix. These custom made soils will provide for thriving plant material while protecting local natural resources for a long time to come.



(left) Wet meadow mix is spread.

(right) Sports field mix is ready to be spread.









A lightweight soil was made to strict specification requirements for installation on the rooftop of the new Inter-District Environmental Magnet School located in Stamford, CT. Agresource manufactured the mix and utilized AGRESOIL COMPOST made in Fairfield, CT as a key component. The compost supplied the organic matter, nutrients, and microbial life to support thriving plant material.



The rooftop garden is shown on the right side of the rendition, pictured above, with the walkway through the center.






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.






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.






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.






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.