Final Current Conditions Report University of California, Berkeley Richmond Field Station, Richmond, California November 21, 2008 Prepared for Office of Environment, Health & Safety University of California, Berkeley 317 University Hall No. 1150 Berkeley, California 94720 Prepared by TETRA TECH EM INC. 135 Main Street, Suite 1800 San Francisco, California 94105 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................x EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................ES-1 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................1 1.1 SITE DESCRIPTION, HISTORY, AND CURRENT USES ..................................................2 1.1.1 Site Description............................................................................................2 1.1.1.1 Climate.......................................................................................3 1.1.1.2 Geology and Hydrogeology.......................................................3 1.1.1.3 Ecology ......................................................................................6 1.1.1.4 Surface Water.............................................................................6 1.1.2 Site History Overview..................................................................................7 1.1.2.1 Early Site History.......................................................................7 1.1.2.2 Formation of Western Stege Marsh ...........................................8 1.1.2.3 Surrounding Sites.....................................................................10 1.1.3 California Cap Company History ..............................................................10 1.1.4 UC Richmond Field Station History and Current Operations ...................12 1.1.4.1 Historical Academic Research and Teaching Activities..........13 1.1.4.2 Current Academic Research and Teaching Activities .............16 1.1.4.3 Facilities Operations ................................................................18 1.1.4.4 Non-UC Berkeley Tenants.......................................................21 1.1.4.5 RFS Chemical and Radioactive Materials Use........................22 1.1.5 Surrounding Off-Site Use History .............................................................32 1.1.5.1 Former Zeneca Site..................................................................32 1.1.5.2 Bio-Rad Laboratories...............................................................37 1.1.5.3 Marina Bay...............................................................................39 1.1.5.4 Liquid Gold..............................................................................40 1.1.5.5 Other Potential Off-Site Sources .............................................42 1.2 SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES ............44 1.2.1 Previous Investigations ..............................................................................44 1.2.1.1 Historic Site Investigations (1981 to 1999) .............................44 1.2.1.2 Field Sampling and Analysis Plan and Tiered Risk Evaluation ................................................................................45 1.2.1.3 Additional Soil and Groundwater Investigations, Upland Portion of Transition Area .......................................................47 1.2.1.4 Additional Soil and Groundwater Investigations, Western Stege Marsh .............................................................................48 Current Conditions Report i UC Berkeley, Richmond Field Station TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) 1.2.1.5 Human Health and Ecological Tiered Risk Evaluation ...........48 1.2.1.6 Additional Soil and Groundwater Investigations, Upland Areas ...........................................................................49 1.2.1.7 Mercury Treatability Study......................................................49 1.2.1.8 Remediation Project, Initial Study (California Environmental Quality Act) .............................................................................50 1.2.1.9 Biological Assessment.............................................................50 1.2.1.10 Groundwater, Surface Water, and Sediment Monitoring ........51 1.2.1.11 Multi-Incremental/Decision Unit Sampling ............................52 1.2.1.12 Indoor Air Monitoring .............................................................54 1.2.2 Previous Remediation Activities................................................................54 1.2.2.1 Phase 1 .....................................................................................54 1.2.2.2 Phase 2 .....................................................................................55 1.2.2.3 Phase 3 .....................................................................................57 1.2.2.4 Former FPL Wood Treatment Laboratory TCRA ...................57 1.2.2.5 Western Stege Marsh Restoration Project Monitoring ............57 1.2.2.6 Management of Remediation Effects.......................................60 1.3 SUMMARY OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA ...................................................61 1.3.1 Summary of Current Chemicals in Soil in RFS Upland Area ...................63 1.3.1.1 Metals.......................................................................................64 1.3.1.2 Pesticides..................................................................................64 1.3.1.3 Polychlorinated Biphenyls.......................................................65 1.3.1.4 Semivolatile Organic Compounds ...........................................65 1.3.1.5 Volatile Organic Compounds ..................................................65 1.3.1.6 Radionuclides...........................................................................66 1.3.2 Summary of Current Chemicals in Soil and Sediment in RFS Transition Area............................................................................................................66 1.3.2.1 Metals.......................................................................................67 1.3.2.2 Pesticides..................................................................................67 1.3.2.3 Polychlorinated Biphenyls.......................................................67 1.3.2.4 pH Values.................................................................................68 1.3.3 Summary of Current Chemicals in Off-Site Property Areas to the North and East......................................................................................................68 1.3.3.1 Off-Site Property North Area...................................................68 1.3.3.2 Off-Site Property East Area.....................................................68 1.3.4 Summary of Current Chemicals in Sediment in Western Stege Marsh.....69 1.3.4.1 Metals.......................................................................................70 Current Conditions Report ii UC Berkeley, Richmond Field Station TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) 1.3.4.2 Pesticides..................................................................................71 1.3.4.3 Polychlorinated Biphenyls.......................................................71 1.3.4.4 pH Values.................................................................................72 1.3.5 Extent of Chemicals in Backfill Soils and Sediment.................................72 1.3.5.1 Analytical Protocols.................................................................73 1.3.5.2 Screening Criteria ....................................................................73 1.3.5.3 Fill Sources and Analysis by Phase .........................................74 1.3.6 Extent of Chemicals in Surface Water.......................................................77 1.3.7 Extent of Chemicals Present in Groundwater on RFS...............................77 1.3.7.1 Extent of Chemicals in Shallow-Zone Groundwater...............78 1.3.7.2 Extent of Chemicals in Intermediate-Zone Groundwater........82 1.3.7.3 Extent of Chemicals in Deeper-Zone Groundwater.................83 2.0 CONCEPTUAL SITE MODEL ........................................................................................83 2.1 POTENTIAL SOURCES AND MIGRATION PATHWAYS ................................................84 2.1.1 Potential Sources........................................................................................84 2.1.2 Migration Pathways ...................................................................................87 2.2 FATE AND TRANSPORT OF IDENTIFIED CHEMICALS.................................................88 2.2.1 Metals.........................................................................................................88 2.2.1.1 Mercury....................................................................................90 2.2.1.2 Arsenic .....................................................................................92 2.2.1.3 Copper......................................................................................93 2.2.1.4 Lead..........................................................................................93 2.2.2 Polychlorinated Biphenyls.........................................................................94 2.2.3 Pesticides....................................................................................................94 2.2.4 Other Organic Compounds ........................................................................95