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Lower Duwamish Waterway
Source Control Investigation

Early Action Area 2:   River Mile 2.2

Site Description

Early Action Area 2 was identified as an area requiring sediment cleanup based on work conducted for the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW) Superfund site. This area is located on the western bank of the Lower Duwamish Waterway, just south of the First Avenue S. bridge in King County, Washington (see map). Early Action Area 2 consists of a small inlet, approximately 80 feet wide at its mouth and tapering to a narrow stream at its head.

Based on the results of sediment sampling conducted between 1991 and 2005, the following chemicals are potential contaminants of concern:

• PCBs
• Mercury
• Phthalates
• Lead
• Zinc

Source Control

Ecology is the lead for source control for the LDW Superfund site. Source control is the process of finding and then stopping or reducing releases of pollution to the river. The routes for contaminants to enter Early Action Area 2 sediments include direct discharges via piped outfalls, bank erosion from adjacent properties, surface runoff from adjacent properties, groundwater discharge, air deposition, and spills directly to the inlet. 
 
Ecology identified potential sources in the Early Action Area 2 drainage basin that could recontaminate sediments to develop a Source Control Action Plan.  The Plan describes the source control actions that are necessary to prevent sediment recontamination.  Ecology hired a contractor to research potential sources of contamination in Early Action Area 2 and prepare Summary of Existing Information and Data Gaps Reports.

Ecology performed sampling to address some of the data gaps identified in the Summary of Existing Information Data Gaps report.  In 2007, site characterization activities were conducted at the Trotsky Property (Industrial Container Services –WA, LLC), and in 2008 at the Douglas Management Company Property.  Investigation activities included sampling and analysis of subsurface soil, groundwater, seep water, stormwater outfall sediment and water, and intertidal sediment. 
 
Sampling results are available in the Summary of Additional Site Characterization Activities: Trotsky and Douglas Management Company Properties.

Cleanup Sites in Early Action Area 2

• Industrial Container Services – WA, LLC
• Douglas Management Dock

Related Information

• Watershed Information for WRIA 9
• More Information about the Lower Duwamish Waterway

Additional Resources

• Acronyms used by the Toxic Cleanup Program
• Cleanup Process: Major Steps & Definitions
• Data Submittal Requirements for All Cleanup Sites
• Facility/Site Atlas
• Toxics Cleanup publications