Posted Oct. 25, 1998

INSTALLATION ASSESSMENT
OF
GERSTLE RIVER TEST SITE

RECORDS EVALUATION REPORT NO. 105
VOLUME 1


DECEMBER 1976

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
OFFICE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER
FOR
CHEMICAL DEMILITARIZATION AND INSTALLATION RESTORATION
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND 21010

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Records Research Team wishes to thank the various military and civilian agencies that have cooperated with it and provided the information contained herein. In particular, the cooperation of the present and former employees at Fort Greely is especially appreciated.

A special note of thanks is extended to Captain James Verney and Captain David Moss, of the U.S.A. Cold Regions Test Center, who served as points of contact for this assessment. They provided excellent liaison, working closely with the Team in arranging interviews and in locating the documents needed for assessment.

Appreciation is also given to Mr. Bert Johns, of Dugway Proving Ground, who accompanied the Team to Fort Greely. He was in charge of test operations for Deseret Test Center from 1962 to 1967 and had intimate knowledge of test and surveillance operations conducted at the Gerstle River Test Site during this period.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During August 1976, a Records Research (R/R) study was conducted at Fort Greely to estimate possible contamination at the Gerstle River Test Site by chemical, biological, and radiological material, and to assess the possibility of contaminants migrating beyond the boundaries of the installation

As a result of the records search survey, it was discovered that the same organization which conducted the chemical agent tests at the Gerstle River area also conducted biological agent tests at the Delta Creek area of Fort Greely, Alaska. It was decided to include the Delta Creek data in this report so that it could be permanently documented.

The approach used by the R/R Team included (1) the evaluation of available documents on the operations at the Gerstle River Test Site and a literature search conducted at other Government agencies including the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB), the U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency (AEHA), the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Defense Documentation Center (DDC), and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), and (2) interviews with key personnel including present and former employees of U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC) Fort Greely and Dugway Proving Ground.

Findings

Based on the evaluation of available information, the following findings are presented:

1. The records and personnel interviews indicate that contaminant migration at the Gerstle River Test Site is not a problem since (a) the decontamination procedures used before burial of scrap test materials were thorough and complete, and (b) the soil and moisture characteristics at the site are such that even if contaminants were present, leaching of contaminants into the groundwater is unlikely. The Test Site is located in a remote area with no adjacent home sites. The land is unsuitable for agricultural purposes.

2. Records covering incoming material for the 1953 - 1958 time frame are incomplete. An accurate accounting on all material shipped into the Gerstle River area for function and surveillance testing is not available. However, interviews with responsible personnel indicate that all munitions subjected to surveillance testing were properly demilitarized. Although all rounds drawn for functional tests were reportedly accounted for with the possible exception of one 155mm round, it is considered possible that other unexploded ordnance munitions and submunitions may be found at the Gerstle River Test Site.

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3. The records indicate that the Gerstle River Test Site is not contaminated by radiological or biological agent materials. A deep well was prepared and instrumented for use as a radiological material disposal well, but it was never used for this purpose.

4. Two fenced disposal pits are located in the Gerstle River Test Site. These pits were opened in 1970 and contain residue and removed from all known disposal pits in the Gerstle River area. The pits were closed in 1971 after receiving scrap material from pits near Blueberry Lake. Over 400 truckloads of material (dirt plus refuse) were placed in the two pits. Refuse included scrap metal, test vehicles. grid instrumentation, protective clothing, and uncontaminated garbage. The refuse was decontaminated by incineration and chemical treatment before burial.

5. The records indicate that the Delta Creek area of Fort Greely was used for biological agent testing from 1962 through 1967. Ecological studies were conducted at Delta Creek after testing was completed to assure that active biological materials did not remain at the site,

Conclusion

Based on available records, it is concluded that a preliminary survey of the Gerstle River Test Site is not required.

Recommendations

Whether or not the property is retained, consideration should be given to opening the two disposal pits at the Gerstle River Test Site, examining the decontaminated rubble, and moving it to Fort Greely for disposal in the normal manner prescribed for industrial waste. If the Gerstle River Test Site remains in Army possession, consideration should be given to the removal of the warning signs and fences around the pit areas since these only attract the attention of unauthorized curiosity seekers. The area perimeter fences should remain intact to discourage penetration of the area by unauthorized personnel.

Should it be decided to "excess" the Gerstle River Test Site property, it is recommended that the area be swept by an explosive ordnance disposal team to remove large shrapnel fragments and possible UXO’s. One 155 mm HE round was reported to have malfunctioned in this area and it is possible that other UXO’s are present since during one of the cleanup operations, three live rounds were discovered.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
VOLUME 1
				Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS				i
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY				ii
I.	GENERAL			I-1
	1. Purpose of the Assessment.			I-1
	2. Authority			I-1
	3. Introduction			I-1
	4. Summary Description of Fort Greely, Alaska, and U.S. Army     Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC)			I-3
	a. Location and Size			I-3
	b. Area Description			I-5
	c. Mission			I-8
	d. History			1-9
	(1) Organization			I-9
	(2) Land Usage			1-10
	5. Environmental Setting			1-12
	a. Water Quality			1-12
	(1) Surface Water			I-12
	(2) Groundwater			I-12
	b. Fauna and Flora			1-15
	(1) Fauna			1-15
	(2) Flora			1 15
	c. Geology			I-18
	(1) Physiography and Topography			I-18
	(2) Geologic Formations			1-20
	(3) Soils			I-21
II.	CONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT			II-1
	1. Mission and Tenant Activities			II-1
	a. Test Facilities			II-1
	b. Field Test Sites			II-1
	(1) Gerstle River			II-1
	(2) Delta Creek			II-3
	c. Storage of Chemicals			II-11
	2. Decontamination Operations			II-11
	a. Gerstle River			II-11
	b. Delta Creek			II-18
	3. Installation Land Use Factors			II-23
	a. Erosion Control			II-23
	b. Trees and Shrubs			II-24
	(1) Planting Plan			II-24
	(2) Tree and Shrub Maintenance			II-25
	c. Lawns			II-25
	(1) Mowing			II-26
	(2) Fertilizing			II-26
	d. Irrigation			II-27
	e. Weed and Brush Control			II-27
	(1) Prescribed Burning			II-27
	(2) Herbicides			II-27
	f. Environmental Impact Assessment			II-28
	g. Fish and Game Resources			II-29
	4. Legal Claims			II-29
III.	FINDINGS			III-1
IV.	CONCLUSION			IV-1
V.	RECOMMENDATIONS			V-1
DISTRIBUTION LIST

 

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VOLUME 1

Number	Title	Page
I-1	Location of Fort Greely in Alaska	I-4
1-2	Location of CRTC Test Facilities at Fort Greely	I-6
I-3	Location of Gerstle River test Site	I-7
I-4	Fort Greely Organizational Chart	I-11
I-5	General Layout of Fort Greely Proper	I-13
I-6	Gerstle River Test Site	I-14
I-7	Physiographic Provinces in Central Interior Alaska	I-19
I-8	Geologic Map of the Gerstle River Test Site	I-22
I-9	Boring Locations	I-23
II-1	Chemical Testing Facility at Gerstle River Test Site	II-2
II-2	Test Locations at Gerstle River Test Site	II-6
II-3	Area Grids 13, 14, 15, and 16 at Delta Creek	II-9
II-4	Delta Creek Test Site	II-10
II-5	Large Refuse Pit	II-12
II-6	Residue Hauled to Gerstle River Receiving Pit	II-13
II-7	Large Burial Pit at Gerstle River Test Site	II-15
II-8	Large Burial Pit East of Blueberry Lake	II-16
II-9	Blueberry Lake	II-17
II-10	Blueberry Lake Drained	II-19
II-11	Minesweeping the Blueberry Lake	II-20
II-12	Munitions Removed from Blueberry Lake and Demilitarized	II-22

 

LIST OF TABLES
VOLUME 1

Number	Title	Page
I-1	Water Level Data	I-16
I-2	Drilling Logs	I-24
II-1	Chemical Tests (Gerstle River)	II-4
II-2	Biological Tests (Delta Creek)	II-7
II-3	Items Recovered and Demilitarized from Bottom of Blueberry Lake	11-21

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I. GENERAL

1. Purpose of the Assessment

To assess the indications of actual or potential contamination by chemical, biological, and radiological material at the Gerstle River Test Site (GRTS) of Fort Greely, Alaska, by searching the available le records and interviewing present and former employees;

To determine indications of contaminants migrating from the Installation; and

To identify potential safety problems.

The Records Research Report will serve as a working document for a subsequent preliminary survey, if required. It should be noted that the purpose of a preliminary survey is to confirm the efficacy of the findings presented in the Records Research Report.

2. Authority

Department of the Army (DA) charter to Project Manager for Chemical Demilitarization and Installation Restoration (DRCPM-DR) dated 22 August 1975.

3. Introduction

In response to a letter from the Office of the Project Manager, Chemical Demilitarization and Installation Restoration (PM/CDIR), requesting the identification of potentially contaminated installations, the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM) recommended that the Gerstle River Test Site of Fort Greely be included in the program.

The Commander of U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC) at Fort Greely was briefed on the program prior to the start of the onsite records search. The purpose of this briefing was to outline the assessment scope, to provide guidelines to CRTC personnel for the records research effort, and to establish a working relationship. The Commander selected Captain James Verney and Captain David Moss as the points of contact for the Team. The Team was then briefed by CRTC personnel on past test and disposal operations at the Gerstle River Test Site.

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Before the actual onsite review of records began, various Government agencies were contacted for documentation pertinent to the records search effort. Agencies contacted included the Department of Defense Explosive Safety Board (DDESB), the U.S. Army Environmental Hygiene Agency (AEHA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the library at the U. S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES), the Library of Congress the Defense Documentation Center (DDC), and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).

The onsite search of available records at Fort Greely was initiated on 16 August 1976, and data were collected through 24 August 1976. The Team included a chemist, hydrogeologist, environmentalist, and ordnance engineers. In addition, the Team was assisted by Mr. Bert Johns, Dugway Proving Ground. Mr. Johns was in charge of test operations for the Deseret Test Center from 1962 to 1967 and the Team had to rely in large measure on his testimony and memoranda for record which were, in turn, based on his personal recollections and those of former test directors.

As a resu1t of the records search survey, it was discovered that the same organization which conducted the chemical agent tests at the Gerstle River area also conducted biological agent tests at the Delta Creek area of Fort Greely, Alaska. It was decided to include the Delta Creek data in this report so that it could be permanently documented.

In addition to the review of records, interviews were conducted with more than fifteen persons, including present and former employees (See Appendix A) . Both a helicopter r tour and a ground tour of the site were made. The photographs taken during the tours are included in Appendix B.

Although an attempt was made to obtain the latest, most complete documentation, much of the desired data was not available. More than forty documents (many of which are included in the bibliography, Appendix C) were reviewed. The following sources of information were found to be especially valuable in assessing the Installation and are included in the Appendixes of this report.

A. List of Key Personnel Interviewed

B. Photographs of the Gerstle River Test Site

C. Bibliography

D. List of Biota on Fort Greely, Alaska

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E. Terrain Study of the Army Test Area, Fort Greely, Alaska (A Contribution to Project 8-97-10-004, dated 1957)

F. Environmental Impact Assessment, Bison Habitat Development, Seeding Forage Crop in Jarvis Creek Area, Fort t Greely, 25 March 1974

G. Report on "Operation Cleanup" Alaska, 18 September 1970

H. After Action Report, Relocation of Scrap Material, Arctic Test Center, 29 September 1972 -

J. Installation Natural Resources Management Plan for Fort Greely, Alaska, June 1976

K. Pesticides, Fungicides, and Herbicides That May Have To Be Reported When Used

L. Environmental Impact Assessment, U.S. Army Arctic Test Center, Fort Greely, Alaska (First Revision 10 May 1976)

M. Cooperative Plan For Management of Fish and Game Resources on Army Installations in Alaska (Revised July 1975)

The findings, conclusion, and recommendations are based on the records made available to the Team at the time of the search. In addition, the Team cannot vouch for the accuracy of the data. Where obvious discrepancies existed within the data, attempts were made to determine the correct information by interviewing the personnel involved in preparing the original data (if they could be located).

4. Summary Description of Fort Greely, Alaska, and U,S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC)

a. Location and Size

Fort Greely, which contains 661,814 acres, lies in the southeastern portion of interior Alaska in an area known as the Tanana Lowlands (figure I-1). Fort Greely is located at 64^o 0’North latitude and 145^o 43’ West longitude, and is 1,277 feet above sea level. The reservation is located 14 miles along the Richardson Highway south of the confluence of the Delta and Tanana Rivers.

The city in closest proximity is Delta Junction, 5 miles north. The nearest center of major population is the city of Fairbanks, 100 miles northwest. Fairbanks is the terminus of the Richardson Highway and the Alaska Railroad.

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The Alaska Highway and the Richardson Highway pass Fort Greely and join at Delta Junction. Other than these main travel routes, there is little road network. Although much of the area surrounding Fort Greely is uninhabited, oil pipeline construction activities are temporarily doubling the local civilian population in the vicinity of Delta Junction.

b. Area Description

Only the main post of Fort Greely is considered improved. The outlying test sites — Gerstle River, Delta Creek, Bolio Lake, Beales Range, Texas Range - are considered semi - improved, with mostly temporary structures.

Although Fort Greely is not a U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (USATECOM) installation, the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center (a tenant activity at Fort Greely) has operational control of Fort Greely. Chemical, biological, and dud—producing high explosives have been used in the past; however, only conventional high—explosive munitions (and riot control munitions) have been employed in these areas in recent years. The Cold Regions Test Center also uses these ranges for environmental testing. The same area is used by the 172d Infantry Brigade (Alaska) for training. Civilian use of the area is almost entirely recreational.

(1) The USAF Bombing Range and the "Impact Area" (figure 1—2) are currently used for testing conventional high—explosives and riot controls. The requirements of the Cold Regions Test Center, 172d Brigade (Alaska), U.S. Air Force, and rotational units from CONUS for a live—fire impact area, coupled with the extreme size of the Impact Area, argue against restoration and demilitarization of this region.

(2) The Gerstle River Test Site (figure I—3) is a 19,000 acre plot of ground 4 miles south of the Alaska Highway approximately 35 road miles from HQ, Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC). The CRTC has no further requirements for the Gerstle River Test Site, but does maintain surveillance over the area by direction of TECOM.

In 1970, "Operation Cleanup Alaska" was completed at Gerstle River, the last of several cleanup operations conducted since 1967. This resulted in all known suspected contaminated material being consolidated into two burial pits. This material was decontaminated and covered. The pits are currently enclosed with barbed wire and marked with warning signs.

(3) The Delta Creek area, adjacent to the USAF Bombing Range, was used for biological agent testing from 1963 through 1967. After testing was terminated, extensive ecological field studies were conducted to assure that all biological materials were detoxified.

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c. Mission

U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command Regulation 10-1, dated 19 June 1973, with changes, assigns the following mission to the U.S₇ Army Cold Regions Test Center (CRTC):

• Plan, conduct, and report on environmental phases of development tests .
  
• Provide advice and guidance on test and evaluation matters to materiel developers material producers, other services, and private industry.

• Conduct other test and evaluations as directed by the Commander, TECOM.
  
• Provide support to Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and AMC for arctic environmental tests and evaluation services not included within the purview above, as directed by the Commander, TECOM.

• Plan, conduct, record, and report the results of development tests and evaluations.
  
• Review and comment on planning documents and provide TECOM test requirements for the coordinated test program.
  
• Plan, d direct and control a program in test methodology, test instrumentation, and test facilities needed to support current and future test requirements within assigned mission area.
  
• Support field research, studies tests, and operations of AMC Department of the Army, or Department of Defense agencies, as required and directed by Commander, TECOM. As required or directed, provide representation for Army boards, committees, symposia, panels, and conferences.

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• Recommend to Commander, TECOM, through established procedures, research and development projects designed to improve TECOM Lest and evaluation.
  
• Assist in the review of training literature and selection of training aids, as directed
  
• Participate in the conduct of combined developmental and operational testing and observe operational test when directed.

d. History

1) Organization

Fort Greely, Alaska Wing, Air Transport Command, Big Delta, Alaska, was first occupied by Army Troops in 1942. At the time, Fort Greely was known as Station No. 17. From 1942 until 1945, it served as a staging area for aircraft being ferried to Russia under the lend/lease agreement. In 1947, it was designated as the site for Exercise YUKON, which was held during the winter of 1947-48. In November 1948, it became the Arctic Training Center. On 1 July 1949, it was redesignated as the Army Arctic Training Center. In 1953, the site was redesignated as Fort Greely and a permanent post was constructed.

In 1949, the Department of the Army ordered the organization of the Arctic Test Branch at Big Delta Air Force Base (now Fort Greely), Alaska. A cadre for the organization was activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in March of 1949, and comprised personnel from each of the Army Field Force Boards. In 1957, it was renamed the U.S. Army Arctic Test Board, with the mission of conducting Arctic Service Tests of all Army Field equipment.

In 1962, as a result of the reorganization of the Army, the Arctic Test Board was established as a class II activity at Fort Greely, Alaska, and placed under the command of the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Commander. It was expanded to absorb the Research and Development Office, Alaska, and the Technical Service Test Activities, both located at Fort Wainwright, and the Chemical Corps Test Activity, Fort Greely. With the expansion came the additional mission of conducting engineering type tests, to include integrated engineering-service tests. This expansion required an organizational realignment and a greater instrumentation capability.

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On 1 March 1964, the U.S. Army Arctic Test Board was redesignated the U.S. Army Arctic Test Center. During 1966, the General Equipment Test Branch located at Fort Wainwright was absorbed by the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, and Special Projects Division at Fort Greely.

Since 1966, the Center has undergone several organizational realignments, the last occurring in April 1973, which place it in its present configuration. Figure I-4 depicts the most recent Organizational Chart for Fort Greely. On 1 July 1976, the U.S. Army Arctic Test Center was redesignated the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center.

(2) Land Usage

(a) Fort Greely Reservation. The original tract of land was acquired on 30 October 1943 by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) (then known as the Civil Aviation Agency) as Air Navigation site 162. The acquisition was for 3,920 acres, known as Big Delta Army Base. The Army had use of the area except for a small portion of the northwest corner, which was utilized by the FAA as a radio station. That radio station is still in use. Subsequent to the above acquisition, 10,543 acres of adjacent land were acquired by use permit from the Department of the Interior; this area was later made a permanent addition in 1944. In 1955, 160 acres east of the above-mentioned land were added. This tract is designated as an Ammunition Storage Area. In 1961, an area of 572,000 acres was reserved for use as a maneuver area; this area is also utilized as a test site by the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center. The area between Main Post and Granite Creek (51,590 acres) was added in 1961, and an area of 640 acres adjacent to the Midas Satellite Tracking Site was added in 1963.

(b) Gerstle River Test Site. The Gerstle River Test Site, acquired by the U.S. Army in 1952 for an indefinite period, was used by Dugway Proving Ground for chemical and high-explosive testing from 1954 to 1962. Surveillance testing of chemical munitions was conducted in the area from 1962 to 1967 by the Arctic Test Center. Since 1967, no chemical munitions (except flame) have been tested in the area. An area of 78,548 acres, known as the Gerstle River Expansion Area, was granted by State of Alaska leases. This "Expansion Area" and associated acreage was relinquished to the State upon lease termination in June 1970.

(c) Black Rapids Training Site. The Black Rapids Training Site is made up of 3,807 acres, which were granted by Public Law. All of the above land is utilized for training purposes by the Northern Warfare Training Center.

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(d) Total Acreage of Fort Greely Installation. As of December 1974, the total acreage encompassed by the installation is 661,814 acres .

5. Environmental Setting

a. Water Quality

(1) Surface Water

The Tanana River and its tributaries form the major drainage system in the vicinity of Fort Greely and the Gerstle River Test Site. Tributaries to the Tanana River include the Delta River and its tributary Jarvis Creek, Delta Creek, Little Delta River, and Gerstle River. Figure I-5 shows the position of these streams except Delta Creek and Little Delta River, both of which lie west of the area shown in the figure. The tributary streams originate from glaciers in the Alaska Range and flow in a northerly direction until they empty into the Tanana River. Segments of these streams have a braided character which consists of several small interconnecting channels within their outer banks. The surface drainage from Fort Greely proper and the Gerstle River Test Site are independent of each other until the Tanana River is reached.

The surface water in the Gerstle River Test Site includes Gerstle River, Sawmill Creek, and several other creeks and lakes (figure 1-6). The creeks originate in the Granite Mountains and flow through the Test Site in a northerly direction and empty into a low lying area north of the Site where they terminate. The major stream near the Test Site is Gerstle River which originates from Gerst1e glacier in the Alaskan Range some 17 miles southwest of the Site. This river flows in a northeast direction forming the southeast border of the Site and empties into the Tanana River, 20 miles north of the Site. Only a very minor quantity of surface runoff enters the Gerstle River from the Site. Several elliptical, shallow ponds and lakes are located in the southeastern portion of the Site. The annual precipitation is between 10 and 12 inches per year. Because of the extremely cold temperatures during most of the year, the drainageways carry water only during the summer months.

(2) Groundwater

The coarse-grained glacial material that underlies Fort Greely provides an excellent source for groundwater. Fort Greely proper receives its water from wells drilled 198 to 400 feet into this material. Well No. 2, near the Allen Airfield, was drilled to 198 feet and the water table was encountered at 184 feet. Data shows that the water table at the

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Nuclear Power Plant varied from 187 to 212 feet below the surface. West of the Richardson Highway, water was encountered at 135 feet in the Beales Firing Range. Generally, the saturated zones consist of gravels and sands.

The water level in one boring at the G erst¹e River Test Site is at 453 feet below the ground surface. The producing aquifer occurs between depths of 468 to 472 feet in a sandy gravel. The total depth of this well is 549 feet. Additional water level data are presented in table I-1.

b. Fauna and Flora

(1) Fauna

The major animal species which occur at Fort Greely are moose, caribou, buffalo, black and grizzly bear, wolf, wolverine, muskrat, marten, snowshoe hare, beaver, fox, lynx, red squirrel, and ground squirrel. Fish species include lake trout, silver salmon, grayling, northern longnose suckers, and rainbow trout.

There are over 50,000 acres of lakes with the installation; most of these lakes are small (8 to 20 acres) and inhabited only by suckers. However, there are eight lakes, comprising 291 acres, that are easily accessible to civilian automobiles; these lakes are stocked every other year with lake trout, rainbow trout, silver salmon, and grayling.

Alaska is located on the Atlantic flyway. The numbers and species of birds migrating to and from Alaska are numerous.

A list of the fish, mammals, and birds of Fort Greely is provided in Appendix D.

Hunting is not allowed at Fort Greely. The entire post, with the post cantonment and areas immediately adjacent to roads and recreational lakes, is not open to general hunting and trapping.

(2) Flora

(a) Native Vegetation. Fort Greely lies wholly within the boreal forest, which is one of the three broad classifications of vegetation (tundra flora, boreal forest, and coastal forest) covering the state. The boreal forest of Fort Greely is a thin forest, predominately white and black spruce trees (Picea glauca and Picea mariana). Intermixed with the spruce are birch (Betula papyrifera), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera), and tamarack (Larix

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Table I-1. Water Level Data
WELL NO.	LOCATION	TOTAL DEPTH (FEET)	WATER LEVEL (FEET)	REMARKS
1	Fort Greely Building 131	235	186
2	137	198	184
3	G 153	200	132
4	117	215	178	Permafrost at 24-88; 96-108 feet
5	329	220	198
6	300	218	182	Permafrost at 40-118 feet
7	370	200	-
8	625	400	215
9	606	270	197
10 SM-lA	Fort Greely Nuclear Plant	*329	199
11 SM-lA	Fort Greely Nuclear Plant	*332	201
12 SM-lA	Fort Greely Nuclear Plant	*304	198
13	Dilution Building	248	187
14	Contractors Well	252	212
15	Beales Range	*165	135
16	Bolio Lake	300	242
17	Gerstle River Test Site	549	453
18	Tank Range	320	242
*Casing depth

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laricina). Generally, aspen grows on well-drained sandy or gravelly soils; white birch is most conspicuous on well-drained south-facing slopes; and spruce, often with an intermixture of birch and tamarack, grows on poorly-drained areas.

Dwarf heath shrubs especially in e birch family, are the dominant understory in the boreal forest. Mosses and lichens form the ground cover, along with cranberry and snowberry bushes. In places, sphagnum moss and horsetail are dense. Willow and alder shrubs are dominant in poorly drained areas.

(b) Agricultural Crops. The agricultural crops of the area include grasses, legumes, small grains, fruits, and vegetable, as follows:

Grasses	Legumes	Vegetables
Brome grass Timothy Bluegrass Red fescue Meadow foxtail Ryegrass Orchardgrass Reed canarygrass	Clover	Potatoes Carrots Cabbage Lettuce Radishes Cauliflower Broccoli Brussel sprouts Peas Spinach Rutabagas	Turnips Endive Green onions Squash Beets Green beans
	Small Grains
	Barley Oats Wheat
	Small Fruits
	Raspberries Strawberries Currants

(c) Planted Areas. There are no cemeteries or maintained golf courses on Fort Greely. However, the lawns, parade grounds, and athletic fields have been planted with Kentucky Bluegrass, Nugget Bluegrass, and Artca Red Fescue. These areas are maintained with scheduled fertilizing, irrigation; and mowing throughout the summer months and have become attractive, well-established lawns.

Earth-covered ammunition storage magazines are overgrown with natural grasses, Kentucky Bluegrass, Nugget Bluegrass, and Artca Red Fescue. The goal is to camouflage the nature of the facility from aerial observation and four or five more years of undisturbed growth will complete the program.

About 90 acres of the Buffalo Drop Zone were planted two years ago with barley, oats, brome, and fescue to provide a feeding ground for the Delta bison herd, which resided predominately on Fort Greely. The drop zone itself is over 1,000 acres in extent, but the seeded area

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served to attract many buffalo and thus keep them out of local farmers’ fields. Some brome and fescue still grow there, but a new planting of all four varieties is anticipated for 1976 or 1977, depending upon budget limitations .

Trees planted as a part of the landscape Planting Program are restricted to local indigenous species and include paper birch, white spruce, quaking aspen, and a variety of willows. Shrubs include Siberian pea shrub, wild rose, American red currant, and western dogwood.

No ground cover plants or vines are planned, although family housing occupants are encouraged to plant snowberry, cranberries, and blueberries on their own initiative. These and other edible ground cover species are locally available in the forest and hills.

The Landscape Planting Program is about 12 percent complete, with 75 of a scheduled 600 trees planted. The target date for completion is 22 October 1978. The program involves all of the main post cantonment, including family housing office and industrial buildings, troop areas, school grounds, and public use areas. Initial construction of the cantonment left no vegetation whatsoever so that the combination of the Landscape Planting Program and the plants established by families and troop units has made a great improvement.

The major portion of the post is classed as virgin taiga and no improvements are anticipated outside of erosion control plantings. Over 600,000 acres are involved, most of it being utilized for troop maneuvers and artillery ranges.

Appendixes E and F provide more information on the flora of the area.

c. Geology

(1) Physiography and Topography

Physiographic units in the region are the Alaskan Range, Tanana Lowlands, and the Yukon-Tanana Uplands (figure I-7). Fort Greely and the Gerstle River Test Site lie in the Tanana Lowlands except for a small area of the Test Site that falls in the Granite Mountain which is a part of the Alaskan Range. The lowlands are an elongated province that trends in a northwest-southeast direction and lies between the Alaskan Range to the south and the Yukon Uplands to the north. The lowlands in the vicinity of Fort Greely are characterized by flat to undulating glacial and alluvial landforms .

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Glacial landforms include outwash plains and moraines; the alluvial landforms are flood plains, terraces, and aprons. The elevation at Allen Airfield in the northern portion of Fort Greely is approximately 1200 feet above mean sea level (msl), while some 13 miles to the south the elevation reaches 1600 to 1800 feet in the vicinity of Donnelly Dome.

The Gerstle River Test Site, approximately 25 miles southeast of Allen Airfield, parallels the Alaskan Highway and consists predominately of alluvial aprons, moraines, and stream deposits. The overall slope is to the northwest ad varies in elevation between 1260 and 2000 feet. The western portion of the Site lies in the Granite Mountains. These mountains exhibit steep slopes with elevations r aching 3500 feet.

(2) Geologic Formations

Geologic units within Fort Greely include (from oldest to youngest) the Birch Creek schist (Precambrian), granodiorite (late Mesozoic), Jarvis coal beds (Tertiary), till outwash and loess (Pleistocene), and recent alluvium, terraces, and fans.

The Birch Creek schist is predominately a quartz-sericitic schist, locally containing layers of quartzite and black carbonaceous schist. The schist is exposed along the southern edge of West Donnelly and on Donnelly Dome, 15 miles south of Allen Airfield. The gray granodiorite outcrops extensively in the Granite Mountains and is a coarse-grained igneous rock consisting of quartz, feldspar, biotite, and hornblende. The Tertiary sediments include clay, sand, shale, coal, conglomerate, and outcrops on the west slope of West Donnelly. Quaternary deposits cover the remaining area of Fort Greely. These deposits consist of Donnelly and Delta till and outwash which were deposited during Pleistocene time. A discontinuous mantle of loess covers the glacial deposits. Recent alluvial deposits occur in the flood plains and Pleistocene terraces, along some of the streams and fans that join the mountains and hills.

Geologic units within the Gerstle River Test Site include a small area of Mesozoic granitic intrusives; the remaining area consists of Quaternary sands, silts, and gravels (figure I-8). The granitic intrusives include quartz, feldspar, biotite, and hornblende as described above. The Quaternary deposits are divided into two units based on origin and method of deposition. The smaller of the two units in a real

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extent consists of small moraines resulting from the relatively short advance of the ice streams from the mountains. Moraine and till deposits are characteristic of these areas. The larger unit consists of recent alluvial unconsolidated material and gravel.

(3) Soils

No published soils data are available for the Gerstle River Test Site; however, from the reconnaissance and the published soils data west of the Test Site, the soils are believed to be similar over the Test Site. Sand, silt, and gravel constitute the major soil type. A thin cover of organic silt occurs in the area with the silt increasing in depth around the lakes and bogs. Sands, gravels, and silts (unit 1, figure I-8) are old stream and lake deposits that have been reworked by the action of younger streams. Included in these areas (unit 1) are the sands, gravels, and angular rock fragments from the till and outwash from the mountains. The morainal areas (unit 2, figure I-8) consist of moderately weathered yellow-gray sandy clays and silts with angular to rounded rock fragments. The percentage and size of rock fragments tend to increase toward the mountains. The granitic intrusive areas (unit 3, figure I-8) occur in the Granite Mountains where a thin veneer of soil is disrupted by rock outcrops.

Driller’s logs indicate that the subsurface materials under the main post of Fort Greely and just west of the Richardson Highway are layers of sands, silts, and gravels and various mixtures of these soils. Layer thicknesses and soil types are variable. Only one well log (boring 17) was obtained for the Gerstle River Test Site. This log indicates that the zone between 145 and 160 feet consists of silty sand and sand while the remainder of the hole (549 feet) consists of gravel with varying amounts of silt and sand. Boring locations are shown in figure I-9 and the available logs for Fort Greely and the Gerstle River Test Site are presented in table 1-2.

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Table I-2 Drilling Logs

Boring N0.	Depth (FT)	Description	Boring N0.	Depth (FT)	Description
4	0-10	Sand and Gravel	8 cont.	310-315	No Data
	10-40	Sand, Gravel and boulders		315-330	Silt, sand, and gravel, dirty w/few large boulders
	40-88	Sand and Gravel		330-335	No Data
	88-96	Red sand, very soft, unfrozen		335-350	Silt sand and gravel, compact
	96-122	Sand and Gravel		350-390	Sand and Gravel (355-385 semi water-bearing)
	122-128	Red sand and small gravel		390-395	Gravel, sand, and silt, compact
	128-143	Grey sand and gravel, soft		395	Coarse gravel and sand, good flow of water
	145-175	Red sand and gravel	9	0-15	Gravel
	175-185	Fine sand and gravel,water bearing		15-25	No Data
	185-195	Coarse sand and gravel		25-40	Gravel, sand, and sandy silt
	195-203	Sand and small gravel		40-50	No Data
	203-214	Coarse sand and gravel		50-60	Sand and gravel
6	0-110	Sand and Gravel		60-70	No Data
	110-125	Sand and Gravel - air pocket at 118 ft		70-90	Dirty gravel and sand
	125-145	Sand and Gravel		90-99	Clay, silty gravel
	145-175	Sand and Gravel - water at 158 ft		99-140	Clay gravel
	175-218	Sand and Gravel		140-150	Clay gravel, compact
8	0-5	Topsoil		150-170	Clay gravel, gravel and silt
	5-150	Gravel and silt		170-180	Clay gravel, compact
	150-160	Gravel and silt, permafrost gas		180-190	Clay gravel, gravel and silt
	160-280	Gravel and silt		190-200	Clay gravel, gravel, silt, and sand
	280-299	Gravel, very high silt content		200-210	Clay gravel, gravel, silt, sand, compact
	299-300	Gravel, dirty		210-213	Silt, sand and gravel
	300-305	No Data
	305-310	Silt, sand, and gravel, dirty

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Boring N0.	Depth (FT)	Description	Boring N0.	Depth (FT)	Description
9 cont	213-224	Medium coarse sand and gravel, low silt content (water-bearing), cemented	17 cont	80-104	Silty sandy gravel, few boulders
	224-229	Sand and gravel silt, water-bearing water level 197 ft		104-145	Silty sandy gravel w/few boulders, small amount of water below permafrost at 122 ft
	229-234	Clay, gravel, sand and silt		145-156	Silty sand
	234-239	Gravel, sand, and silt, cemented		156-160	Sand
	239-244	Sand, silt and gravel		160-468	Silty sandy gravel w/cobbles and boulders
	244-250	Cemented gravel and sand		468-472	Sandy gravel, water-bearing
	250-255	Cemented gravel and sand, coarse		472-549	Silty sandy gravel grading into sandy gravel
	255-260	Cemented silt, sand, little gravel	18	0-25	Sandy gravel and boulders
	260-270	Gravel and sand	(Drilled	25-35	Gravelly sand
15	0-2.5	Silt	4 May	35-45	Gravelly  sand with boulders
	2.5-6	Silty gravelly sand, scattered cobbles	to	45-50	Sand and gravel, saturated
	6-34	Sandy gravel to gravelly sand to sand	30 June	50-85	Grey till
	34-48	Silty gravelly sand, compact	1962)	85-100	Tan and Grey tills
	48-53	Sand, with fine pebbles		100-110	Tills
	53-69	Sandy gravel to gravelly sand, max 5 inch		110-115	Show of water, 5 ft hd, dirty formations
	69-100	Silty gravelly sand to gravelly sandy silt		115-150	Tan and Grey tills with gravel
	Remainder of depths not legible on driller's log, Total depth 300 ft. Material is generally the same as above.			150-165	Olive-Drab till
16	Data not legible above 200 ft.			165-200	Light brown silty
	246-272	Silty sand, some gravel		200-225	Sand with some fine gravel in streaks
	272-300	Gravelly sand		225-255	Light brown silty sand with streaks of coarser gravel
17	0-2	Silt		255-280	Light brown silty sand, water-saturated, occasional streaks of gravel
	2-68	Silty sandy gravel, few cobbles		280-300	As above, more gravel and more water
	68-80	Sandy gravel		300-322	Sand and gravel, aquifer Gravel 2-inch maximum size

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II. CONTAMINATION ASSESSMENT

1. Mission and Tenant Activities

a. Test Facilities

In 1954, Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) initiated a comprehensive program for the surveillance testing of chemical and biological materials in the five major environments. The Gerstle River Test Site, located approximately 30 miles south of Fort Greely, Alaska, was established as the Arctic Test Site. A chemical testing facility was constructed at Gerstle River Test Site (figure II-1) to accommodate the environmental surveillance testing and dissemination testing of chemical munitions. This structure was also utilized as a command post and security post and has had at least one guard posted around the clock since its construction. A chemical Arctic Test Activity was established at Fort Greely in 1956 as a class II activity which reported directly to DPG. This activity consisted of two officers and twenty-five enlisted personnel. In 1964, this activity was designated the U.S. Army Arctic Test Center. In July 1976, the Arctic Test Center was redesignated the U.S. Army Cold Regions Test Center.

b. Field Test Sites

(1) Gerstle River

From 1954 to 1962, a comprehensive Arctic Environmental! Surveillance Program on Chemical Corps material was conducted at the Gerstle River Army Test Site. Limited cold weather dissemination testing of GB and VX was conducted in this area. Single round, statically fired GB-filled munitions were tested in the winters of 1955-56 and 1956-57. Six trials of VX-filled M23 mines were conducted in the winter of 1960-61; each trial consisted of statically functioning one VX-filled mine and one simulant filled mine to test dispersion characteristics in an Arctic environment.

When the U.S. Army was reorganized in 1962, USATECOM was assigned the responsibility for the conduct of the CB Long Term Environmental/Surveillance Program. The Chemical Arctic Test Activity at. Fort Greely then become a division of the Arctic Test Center; DPG was designated by USATECOM as the monitoring agency for the conduct of this program.

In 1962, the Deseret Test Center (DTC) was established with headquarters in Fort Douglas, Utah; DTC initiated field testing at the Gerstle River Army Test Site in December 1962. Liaison was achieved and maintained with Commander in Chief, Alaska, United States Army, Alaska, Fort Greely. Arctic Test Center; and the state of Alaska Fish and Game Department.

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Testing was conducted by DTC in three general areas at Fort Greely: (1) the Gerstle River Army Test Site, (2) the expanded Gerstle River Test Site, and (3) the Delta Creek area. Table II-1 lists the tests that were performed by DTC at the Gerstle River areas and figure II-2 depicts the test locations.

The majority of testing at the Gerstle River Army Test Site was with single round, statically fired, chemical munitions. However, GB-filled 155mm howitzer shells were dynamically fired into spruce forests (depicted as grid location 8, figure II-2). Simulant-filled and HE 155mm howitzer shells were also fired to spruce and aspen forests (grid locations 8A, SB, and 9A, figure II-2) to determine height of burst information for planning for Devil Hole I and II. The only dud/malfunctioned munition that was reported in all of the DTC testing conducted at Gerstle River test areas was on this program; the unlocated dud was a dynamically fired M107 155mm HE shell fired 28 August 1964. This was on the high angle height of burst test in an aspen forest at grid location 9A vicinity. Significantly, all of the test grids at the Gerstle River Test Site have been sampled and declared free of residual agent hazard. Residual test munitions have been disposed of and the munitions holding areas have been completely cleared.

Several large scale trials were conducted in the expanded Gerstle River Test Site at grid locations 9, 10 (aspen grid location), and 11 (spruce grid location).

Statically and dynamically fired agent GB munition dissemination trials were conducted in the large aspen forest at grid location 9; included were some trials using dynamically fired GB-filled 155mm howitzer shells. Agent VX trials were conducted (July 1966) at grid locations 10 and 11; also included were dynamically fired 155mm howitzer trials at grid location 10.

(2) Delta Creek

Although not located within the Gerstle River test area, the Delta Creek area was utilized by DTC during the 1963-67 period to conduct biological testing (table II-2).

The Delta Creek area (grid locations 13, 14, 15, and 16, figure II-3) was carefully selected for the biological dissemination trial outlined in table II-2. Extensive meteorological and ecological field studies and surveys were conducted in order to prove that the program could be conducted safely. The test site was the actual river bed of Delta Creek (figure 11-4) in the most physically isolated and inaccessible part of the

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Table II-1. Chemical Tests (Gerstle River)

Number and Test	Date	Munition	Number of Trials	Total Agent	Location on Maps
63-3 Whistle Down	6 Dec 62- 5 Feb 63	M23 Land Mine VX M121A-1 155mm How GB M55 Rocket GB M55 Rocket GB	5 5 5 1	5 Mines, 26 kg 5 Projectiles, 14.5 kg 5 Rockets, 26 kg 1 Rocket, 5.2 kg	1 2 2 1
65-14 Elk Hunt I	3 Jul- 15 Aug 64	M23 Land Mine VX M23 Land Mine VX M23 Land Mine VX modified M23 Land Mine VX M23 Land Mine std & mod VX	2 5 5 5 3	16 mines, 83.2 kg 40 mines, 208 kg 40 mines, 194 kg 40 mines, 208 kg 6 mines mod 29 kg 6 mines std 31 kg	3 grass 4 shrub 4 shrub 5 wooded 6 water (temporary water hole)
Devil Hole Prelim HOB	24 Aug- 28 Aug 64	M121A-1 155mm How Simulant M107 155mm How HE M107 155mm How HE M107 155mm How HE M121A-1 155mm How Simulant M107 155mm How HE M107 155mm How HE M107 155mm How HE	10 39 23 28 9 25 25 25		8B, 911-740 8B, 911-740 8A, 907-723 8A, 907-723 9A, 890-796 9A, 890-796 9A, 890-797 9A, 893-795
65-14 Elk Hunt II	7 Jun- 29 Jul 65	M23 Land Mine, VX (various combinations of bangalore torpedos and line charges) M23 Land Mine, VX (various combinations of bangalore torpedos and line charges) M23 Land Mine, VX (various combinations of bangalore torpedos and line charges)	13 10 12	64 mines, 333 kg 80 Mines, 416 kg 14 Mines, 73 kg	3 dead grass 4 Shrub 7 vehicles, 2 on cleared ground
63-12 Devil Hole I	2 Jul- 8 Sep 65	M121-1 Shell, 155 How GB M121-1 Shell, 155 How GB M55 Rocket, GB	35 27 16	24 dynamic and 26 static shells (50 kg) 23 dynamic and 18 static shells (123  kg) 16 Shells, 83 kg	9 Aspen 9 Aspen

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Table II-1. Chemical Tests (Gerstle River) - Continued

Number and Test	Date	Munition	Number of Trials	Total Agent	Location on Maps
65-11 Sundown	21 Jan- Apr 66	BLU 19/B23 GB	20	20 Bombs, 40 kg	8
66-3 Swamp Oak	21 Jan- 8 Apr 66	M121A-1 Shell, GB	34	34 Shells, 102 kg	8
66-1 Devil Hole II	28 Jul- 12 Sep 66	M426 8" How VX M121A-1, 155mm How VX M121A-1, 155mm How VX	10 46 22	10 Shells, 65 kg 24 Dynamic and 22 static shells, 138 kg 22 Shells, 66 kg	10 Aspen 10 11 Spruce
67-2 Dew Point	14 Jul- 14 Sep 67	BLU 19/B23 Bomblet, GB M139 Bomblet, GB	30 30	30 bombs, 59 kg 30 bombs, 18 kg	9 9

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Biological Tests (Delta Creek)

Number and Test	Date	Munition	Number of Trials	Total Agent	Location on Maps
64-5 Night Train	1 Dec 63- 8 Jan 64	A/B 45Y-1 Spray Tank, BG-1,  F100 and F105, simulant	18 4	1188 kg 21 kg	12 12
65-3 West Side 1	8 Jan- 23 Feb 65	A/B 45Y Spray Tank, BG-2, F105, simulant A/B 45Y-1 Spray Tank, BG-1, F105, simulant	22 8	236 kg 653 kg	13 13 tower fly by
Special Study Alaska	1 Oct- 10 Dec 65	E26 Dispenser, LVS, simulant *E26 Dispenser, SM *E26 Dispenser, EC *E26 Dispenser, SM (BG-1 intimately mixed on all trials)	6 6 6 6	42 liters 42 liters 42 liters 42 liters 96 liters	14 forest 14 forest 14 forest 15 river bed
67-7 Rev.Cloud	7 Dec 66 19 Feb 67	M32 Disseminator, ZZ, BG-2 M143 Bomblet, TT E26 Dispenser, TT                              BG *E26 Dispenser, EC                                BG *E26 Dispenser, SM                              BG	8 12 16 6 11	22 kg 22 kg 3 liters 256 liters 96 liters 96 liters 196 liters 196 liters	16 16 16 16 16

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Biological Tests (Delta Creek) - Continued

Number and Test	Date	Munition	Number of Trials	Total Agent	Location on Maps
67-8 Watch Dog	19 Jun- 25 Aug 67	E26 Dispenser, TT                              BG-1 E32 Disseminator, ZZ                                    BG-2 *E26 Dispenser, EC                                BG-1 *E26 Dispenser, SM                                BG-1 E26 Dispenser, TT                              BG-1 *E26 Dispenser, EC                                BG-1	11 8 8 10 6 4	77 liters 11 liters 37 kg 37 kg 48 liters 16 liters 48 liters 16 liters 12 liters 4 liters 24 liters   8 liters	16 16 16 16 14 forest 14 forest
* Classically these are considered simulants, but recent information from Center for Disease Control Atlanta, GA has implicated SM and EG as potential infectious agents. These agents can cause secondary infections among hospitalized personnel.

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Fort Greely Military Reservation. A specially constructed high floatation D-8 caterpillar was used to build a runway on a long gravel bar near the Command Post and all transportation for the activity in the Delta Creek area was by fixed wing and helicopter support.

c. Storage of Chemicals

There. are no chemical or biological materials stored at U.S. Army Gerstle River Test Site or on Fort Greely property . All materials were removed from Alaska by 1969/1970, the last major cleanup being Blueberry Lake on the Gerstle River Test Site.

2. Decontamination Operations

a. Gerstle River

At the conclusion of the VX trials in the Gerstle River test area, selected test equipment was decontaminated and returned to stock; however, most of the contaminated equipment was left on the grids for two years for decontamination weathering. A cleanup operation was conducted in September 1968 to remove the material from the grids and bury it in a large refuse pit (figure II—5). This pit was located in the Command Post area near the test refuse pit. For collection of the debris associated with large - scale test operations in each remote location, a refuse pit was normally dug in the Command Post (CP) area. Both daily refuse (e.g., uncontaminated garbage) and test refuse were collected in this pit, burned regularly and then covered. Contaminated material was decontaminated as thoroughly as possible before it was placed In the pit. On VX trials, the debris included housekeeping trash, used gas mask canisters, defective or damaged protective clothing, defective or damaged field/laborato