Energetic Materials
On Jimmy Lake Range, almost all samples collected in the bombing area contained
the propellant-related compound nitroglycerin (NG) (Table VII). Concentrations
varied from 170 to 3590 ppb. These results are propellant residues deposited around
the target. TNT was detected at 70 ppb in only one sample. Compared to the results
obtained during Phase I, the situation is similar but the concentrations of
nitroglycerine are higher. Also, during Phase I TNT was found in almost all samples
collected in the bombing area; this was not observed in Phase II. The nitroglycerine
source is double or triple base propellants that were spread on site by incompletely
burned rockets. Since the concentrations of explosives were quite low, no action is
required to correct the situation with explosives at this site.
4.4 Shaver River Range
Shaver River Range is located close to the Shaver River and is remote from Jimmy
Lake. In Shaver River Range air dropping of 250-, 500-, and 1000-lbs HE bombs at
stationary target is done on a regular basis. Again, the circular strategy was applied as
performed during Phase I (Fig. 6). As for the other ranges, the surface was covered
with fine-grained sands. In Shaver River Range, 33 soil samples including 6
duplicates and 1 surface water sample in a crater close to the target were collected
(Fig 8). Three soil samples were collected as background samples. No vegetation
samples were collected, since no vegetation was present in the bombing area.
Energetic analyses were performed on all the samples collected in this range.
Furthermore, 100 discrete soil samples were collected in front of the target in a grid of
100 - 1-square meter minigrids to evaluate the statistical dispersion of the explosives.
Moreover, 4 composites were built to assess the heterogeneity by collecting soil
samples randomly in the grid. In this range efforts were concentrated mainly on the
analyses of energetic materials, since this range was used mainly for live firing. Since
the area surrounding the target position at the Shaver River Range is often tilled to
minimize the vegetation and reduce the chance of the live-fire activities initiating a
forest fire, the area was re-sampled to verify the effect of the tilling and heterogeneity
on the results.
Soils
Some metal concentrations in blue exceeded the background level value in Table II A,
B, and C. Of the 20 parameters analysed, only Cd, Cu and Pb were detected at values
higher than the BGL or the ASQG. Cadmium is again problematic at concentrations
higher than the ASQG for most of the samples collected with the circular strategy.
Even if most of the cadmium concentrations are higher than the ASQG, the levels are
lower than in the Jimmy Lake bombing area. Clearly, the effects of the activity
conducted in the Shaver River Range is different from those in Jimmy Lake Range.
Copper and lead had concentrations higher than the backgrounds, but not all samples
showed these concentrations. Curiously, soil collected in the crater 2-3 meters away
from the target showed no concentrations higher than background levels. This shows
that the metal concentrations are very localized around the target. Compared with the
results from Phase I, the situation is almost identical except that antimony, which had
been problematic during Phase I, did not exceed the ISQG during Phase II.
16
DRDC Valcartier TR 2004-204
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