Location and Description: Pueblo
Chemical Depot is located in southeastern
Colorado in Pueblo County. It encompasses more
than 23,000 acres of rolling prairie and includes a
variety of buildings and other structures. The
installation stores chemical munitions that are
scheduled to be destroyed. The installation was
listed on the Base Realignment and Closure list in
1988. The installation was to realign the mission
to include only munitions storage. Once the
munitions were destroyed, the installation would
close.
Problems and Response: The depot has 60
sites in various stages of investigation, remediation, and closure. The installation has two
plumes of groundwater contamination that have traveled off post. One plume is primarily
solvents. This plume does not involve a drinking water source. The other groundwater plume
contains low-level explosives (TNT and RDX). This contaminated groundwater plume has
traveled south to various homes and to a municipal water source (town of Avondale).
The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers has installed treatment systems in all affected off-site locations.
Activities for 2015: Compliance monitoring, operation and
maintenance of groundwater treatment systems, contaminated source excavation, and
groundwater treatment are also planned. The investigation and remediation of several
areas are also planned.
Proposed Activities for 2015: Proceed with the remediation of the two plumes of
contamination that have migrated offsite, as well as the operation of the on-site and off-site
treatment systems.
Issues and Others Information: This site is regulated under the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act environmental regulations. These regulations give the state the authority to
select the method of clean-up used at the site.