Environmental monitoring and assessment of Leduc sites

The City of Leduc is looking to implement a feasibility study to assess environmental site conditions and develop a risk management or remedial action plan for its Public Services Main Shop and Public Services Storage Yard, which are located near Telford Lake and William F. Lede Park.

Previous studies identified high chloride concentration and the presence of a chloride plume originating from the proposed study area and migrating into Telford Lake. This poses a number of environmental risks to the city’s most environmentally significant area, which was identified in its Environmentally Significant Area Study.

The feasibility study will model the chloride plume’s movement through the groundwater column, delineate potential impacts, and develop a complete remedial action plan or risk management plan. Managing the plume will reduce adverse effects to human health.

The study is aligned with the city’s Strategic Plan and its Environmental Plan. Implementation of it will contribute to the city’s goal to revitalize the site and turn it into a community park, as identified in the Telford Lake Master Plan.

Innovative aspect(s):

• The City of Leduc will implement a subsoil salinity evaluation tool and a conceptual site-modelling process to delineate the extent of chloride impacts in the soil and groundwater and assess management options. These are innovative methods used to understand and communicate exposure risks and the associated liabilities at complicated brownfield sites.

Replicability:

• While the integrated plume modelling and remediation plan is unique to Leduc, lessons learned from the city’s work with the subsoil salinity tool and the development of the conceptual site model will be useful for other municipalities looking to develop soil remediation guidelines for chloride-based salt contamination
• This study will also result in lessons learned from the city’s reporting on Public Sector Accounting Standard 3280 Asset Retirement Obligations, which will come into effect on April 1, 2021