Site Photos
Upland and Wetland Restoration Plan
Mr. Toohill was selected to design and implement modifications to an upland and wetland restoration plan for the Baird & McGuire Superfund Site in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) remediation activities. From 1912 to 1983, Baird & McGuire, Inc. (B&M) operated a chemical manufacturing and batching facility that produced disinfectants, soaps, floor wax and pesticides. In 1983 the site was scored on the EPA Hazardous Ranking System and proposed on the National Priorities List.
Consultants for the USACE had evaluated the vegetative communities, habitat, and hydrology of the site. They then prepared design plans and specifications for the restoration of those features following site remediation. Remediation of the site involved the complete destruction of all features on the site, the on-site incineration of all materials, construction of a groundwater and surface water interception and remediation system, and isolation of the Cachato River from the site.
During remediation significant changes were made to the original remediation plan, some of the proposed restoration designs proved to be untenable, and consequently the newly restored areas were failing. Mr. Toohill was called in to modify the original restoration designs "on-the-fly". New habitat areas were designed, a new pool and riffle sequenced stream was engineered, and modifications to recently planted wetland systems were made to make the restoration viable.
Mr. Toohill then followed up with several years of monitoring the success of the modified restoration plan. Both wetland and upland test plots were statistically analyzed to gauge the success of the plantings and recruitment from adjacent, undisturbed, vegetative communities. The results showed that the modifications made to the original design were effective and that the restoration was a success.