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White phosphorus (WP) has been implicated in the deaths of thousands of waterfowl annually at Eagle River Flats (ERF), an estuarine salt marsh located on Fort Richardson near Anchorage, Alaska. The source of WP contamination at ERF was the firing of WP containing munitions into the area by the U.S. military. WP is a well-known toxicant and is lethal to a wide range of species. However, WP contamination at ERF is the first documented case of a U.S. Army munitions impact area contaminated with WP particles. This has led to the designation of ERF as a Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army must follow the guidelines of remediation set by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,...
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Control of surface and subsurface water is a critical factor in the efficiency of remediation efforts at Eagle River Flats, an active impact range on Fort Richardson, Alaska, contaminated with particulate white phosphorus from artillery and mortar rounds. The Flats is an estuarine salt marsh bordered by bluffs with water groundwater influx from the edges as well as periodic tidal and river inundation and rain events. The uneven topography and presence of numerous craters results in pooled surface water and high perched water levels, inhibiting remediation of the contaminant. Pumps are used to drain contaminated areas to enhance remediation, but ditching is required to enhance the operation of the pumps and to drain...
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