ESTCP Pilot Project Wide Area Assessment for Munitions Response

The objective of wide area assessment WAA is to quickly and cost effectively assess 100 of a potentially contaminated site. Beginning with historical records, a conceptual site model CSM is used to record the best understanding of the site. WAA is a means to gather a preponderance of evidence that improves the understanding of the site and builds confidence in the conclusions. A suite of commercially available technologies provides data to Identify areas of concentrated munitions use. Collect information that will support decisions on areas with no indication of munitions presence. Collect data to support planning, prioritization, and contracting when a site must ultimately be cleaned up. WAA can provide information needed to support decisions at various stages of the munitions response process. Throughout the process, there is a need to identify munitions response sites MRSs, characterize the nature and extent of the munitions contamination, and collect sufficient information to let a cleanup contract. On areas that do not contain concentrations of munitions, sufficient information is needed to support decisions about whether any additional action is needed and ultimately to manage areas that will likely never be subject to intensive cleanup.