Karl Holton State Youth Facility - Hazardous Materials Investigation and Geotechnical Study

The State of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has undertaken planning and construction projects to reduce overcrowding, and improve the medical and mental health care and rehabilitation within the inmate population. As a part of these efforts, Fugro conducted Geotechnical and Hazardous Materials Investigations for the Karl Holton State Youth Facility at the Northern California Core Youth Facility (NCCYF), in Stockton, California. The CDCR Division of Juvenile Justice plans to demolish most of the buildings and construct new secure housing units, facilities for visitors, administration, gymnasiums, outdoor recreation, swimming pool, education, food services, access roads, parking, and other support facilities..

Fugro’s work included evaluating soil, groundwater, and building materials at the 72-acre site and recommending design parameters and site remediation requirements.

The geotechnical investigation included reviewing geotechnical and geologic data, drilling and sampling, constructing piezometers to determine groundwater fluctuations and collect groundwater samples, conducting seven cone penetration tests, and completing field resistivity surveys. We also conducted a wide range of physical tests in our laboratory, compiled a technical memorandum with design parameters and recommendations, and prepared a detailed geotechnical engineering report.

Environmental study of the site began by testing samples collected during the geotechnical fieldwork, and continued with drilling and sampling additional borings. Soil and groundwater samples were obtained from areas where petroleum products and pesticides were used. The testing program for soil samples included metals, pesticides, herbicides, volatile organic compounds, and total petroleum hydrocarbons. We used existing geotechnical water level piezometers to collect groundwater samples that were analyzed for metals, volatile organic compounds, and total petroleum hydrocarbons. We identified areas of impacted soil that will require remediation.

Fugro coordinated a comprehensive survey to identify hazardous building construction materials in the 19 buildings to be demolished. Bulk asbestos samples and XRF readings were obtained, and a detailed survey report with a room-by-room inventory of all materials was prepared. Materials and equipment that may contain potentially hazardous substances included transformers, capacitors, CFC-containing equipment, hazardous gasses, and stored chemicals.

Fugro will be conducting additional fieldwork in 2008 to further define the volume of hazardous materials present before abatement and construction can occur. Ninety additional acres of adjacent agricultural lands will be included in the site.