PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT
FORT ORD
MARINA, MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
ATSDR has evaluated environmental routes of exposure using information collected during the remedial process. The following is a summary of the conclusions reached by ATSDR following this evaluation.
2. There are no detections of groundwater contaminants at levels of health concern in the presently "active" drinking waters well on Fort Ord. The water at Fort Ord is safe to drink. Because the drinking water wells currently in use at Fort Ord are located far from the sources of contamination, drilled to deeper aquifers that are not likely to be contaminated, and monitored regularly, Fort Ord's drinking water supply should be safe to drink in the future.
3. The water supplied by drinking water wells presently used by Marina is safe to drink. Further, because Marina's drinking water wells are drilled to deep aquifers and the quality of the water is monitored regularly, Marina's water should be safe to drink in the future.
4. Because the concentration of contamination detected in the past in Fort Ord and Marina drinking water wells was low and the duration was not over a lifetime (70-years), those exposures will not likely result in adverse health effects.
5. ATSDR reviewed the procedures used to inventory and locate UXO/OE sites and the process and procedures that have been or are being used to cleanup those areas. Those methods and actions are protective of public health and safety. However, people who trespass into areas of known or suspected UXO/OE may put themselves at risk.
6. There has been no evidence of disposal of CAIS kits at Fort Ord. If, in the future, CAIS kits are found on site, they contain such a small quantity of dilute agent that any adverse human health effects are unlikely. If remediation or construction workers were exposed to an accidental release of CAIS kit contents in an area of limited ventilation, some short-term adverse health effects might result.
7. The available data indicates that water discharged from the beach stormwater outfalls has not contained elevated contaminant levels which could pose a threat to human health.
8. There is not enough information on UXO in Monterey Bay to fully evaluate this potential physical hazard. However, it is likely that the UXO is located at depths which may only be accessed by experienced, technical divers.
9. Based upon the available data, the areas of light and moderate bullet surface-soil coverage in the Beach Ranges do not contain lead levels which will pose a threat to human health. Because sharp bullet fragments may remain in these areas, they may pose a physical hazard to trespassers that may walk or recreate in these areas. Completion of the proposed clean-up process for the areas of "heavy" bullet surface- soil coverage will assure that those areas will not pose a future threat to human health.
10.ATSDR makes the following public health category conclusions (see Appendix B):
The public health action plan (PHAP) for Fort Ord, CA contains a description of actions to be taken by ATSDR and/or other governmental agencies at and in the vicinity of the site subsequent to the completion of this public health assessment. The purpose of PHAP is to ensure that this public health assessment not only identifies public health hazards, but provides a plan of action designed to prevent adverse human health effects that would result from any exposure to hazardous substances in the environment.
Actions Planned
1. The Army will continue to collect and analyze water samples from active drinking water wells. They will also monitor for VOCs of potential concern.
2. Marina Coast Water District will continue to collect and analyze water samples from active drinking water wells. They will also monitor for VOCs of potential concern.
3. The Army will properly remove and dispose of OE and UXO found in areas zoned for reuse.
4. The Army will ensure that warning signs in a sufficient number to be intervisable are posted around the UXO/OE areas. Those signs should be written in English as well as universal symbols. A boundary fence will be maintained only around Site 15.
5. The Army will remove the "heavy" lead-contaminated soil in the Beach Ranges to a level below 1,860 ppm.
6. The Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA; also known as Superfund) as amended, requires ATSDR to conduct needed follow-up health actions in communities living near hazardous waste sites. To identify appropriate actions, ATSDR created the Health Activites Recommendation Panel (HARP). HARP has evaluated the data and information contained in the Fort Ord Public Health Assessment for appropriate public health actions. HARP supports the continued efforts to monitor drinking water quality, to identify and properly clear areas of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and ordnance and explosives (OE), and to restrict access to areas where physical hazards may exist. Based upon the information available, this site poses no apparent public health risk. If additional information becomes available that may indicate a public health risk, this information will be evaluated by the HARP. HARP determined that health education and health studies follow-up actions are not warranted. As discussed above, there do not appear to have been exposures in the past which resulted in public health problems, and there are no current exposures.
Completed Actions
1. The U.S. Army has, as of May 1996, completed time-critical removal actions for UXO/OE in those areas shown on Figure 8.
Figure 4. Geologic Cross-Section
Figure 5a. Fort Ord Location Map
Figure 5b. Drinking Water Well Locations, Landfills, Streets
Figure 6. Suspected UXO, Fort Ord
Figure 7. Schematic Profile of Fort Ord Water Distribution System
Figure 8. Time Critical Removal Actions
| POPULATION DATA, MONTEREY COUNTY | |||
| Variable | 1980 |
1990 |
1995 |
| Total Population
Persons per Square Mile |
290,444
87 |
355,660
107 |
370,996
112 |
| % Male % Female |
51.2 48.8 |
51.9 48.1 |
NA NA |
| % White % Black % AIEA* % API# % Other Race |
68.9 6.5 1.0 6.8 16.9 |
63.8 6.4 0.8 7.8 21.1 |
NA NA NA NA NA |
| % Hispanic | 25.9 | 33.6 | NA |
| % Age 65+ % Age < 10 |
9.2 15.9 |
9.8 16.8 |
NA NA |
* AIEA - American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut
# API - Asian or Pacific Islander
NA - Not available
Sources: Tabulations from Tables 1, 6, 7, 8, and 10 (1980) and Tables P1, P5, P6, P9, and P11
(1990), Summary Tape File 1 (California), U.S. Bureau of the Census. Monterey County
Population and Housing Estimates (1995), Report E-5, California Department of Finance,
Demographic Research Unit.
| POPULATION DATA, MARINA AND SEASIDE | ||||||
| Variable | Marina | Seaside | ||||
| 1980 | 1990 | 1995 | 1980 | 1990 | 1995 | |
| Total Population
Persons per Square Mile |
20,647
2,360 |
26,436
3,023 |
18,356
2,098 |
36,567
4,146 |
38,901
4,408 |
30,102
3,413 |
| % Male % Female |
54.5 45.5 |
52.8 47.2 |
NA NA |
57.2 42.8 |
57.0 43.0 |
NA NA |
| % White % Black % AIEA* % API# % Other Race |
56.2 17.7 1.1 18.0 7.0 |
53.6 19.0 0.7 20.8 5.9 |
NA NA NA NA NA |
50.7 29.9 0.9 11.8 6.7 |
52.7 23.5 1.0 13.5 9.4 |
NA NA NA NA NA |
| % Hispanic | 9.9 | 10.7 | NA | 10.0 | 17.4 | NA |
| % Age 65+ % Age < 10 |
2.4 19.2 |
4.3 19.1 |
NA NA |
4.0 17.5 |
5.4 17.6 |
NA NA |
* AIEA - American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut
# API - Asian or Pacific Islander
NA - Not available
Sources: Tabulations from Tables 1, 6, 7, 8, and 10 (1980) and Tables P1, P5, P6, P9, and P11
(1990), Summary Tape File 1 (California), U.S. Bureau of the Census. Monterey County Population
and Housing Estimates (1995), Report E-5, California Department of Finance, Demographic
Research Unit.
| HOUSING DATA, MARINA AND SEASIDE | ||||||
| Variables | Marina | Seaside | ||||
| 1980 | 1990 | 1995 | 1980 | 1990 | 1995 | |
| Total Households* | 5,724 | 7,908 | 6,006 | 9,875 | 10,641 | 9,208 |
| Persons per Household | 3.20 | 3.05 | 3.06 | 3.05 | 3.10 | 3.25 |
| % Households Owner-Occupied
% Households Renter-Occupied |
41.7 58.3 |
34.5 65.5 |
NA NA |
42.4 57.6 |
38.0 62.0 |
NA NA |
| % Mobile Homes | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| % Persons in Group Quarters* | 11.3 | 8.8 | 0.1 | 17.7 | 15.2 | 0.6 |
| Median Value, Owner-Occupied Households
Median Rent, Renter-Occupied Households |
85,400
|
172,500
|
NA
|
68,300
|
150,100
|
NA
|
NA - Not available
* A household is an occupied housing unit, but does not include group quarters such as military barracks, college dormitories, and prisons.
Sources: Tabulations from Tables 1, 3, 15, 26, 39, 44, and 55 (1980) and Tables P1, P3, P28, H3,
H17A, H23B, H32B, and H43 (1990), Summary Tape File 1 (California), U.S. Bureau of the Census.
Monterey County Population and Housing Estimates (1995), Report E-5, California Department of
Finance, Demographic Research Unit.
| HOUSING DATA, MONTEREY COUNTY | |||
| Variables | 1980 |
1990 |
1995 |
| Total Households* | 95,734 | 112,965 | 113,007 |
| Persons per Household | 2.85 | 2.96 | 3.17 |
| % Households Owner-Occupied % Households Renter-Occupied |
53.1 46.9 |
50.6 49.4 |
NA NA |
| % Mobile Homes | 4.4 | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| % Persons in Group Quarters* | 6.2 | 5.9 | 3.4 |
| Median Value, Owner-Occupied
Households Median Rent, Renter-Occupied Households |
86,500 263 |
198,200 566 |
NA NA |
NA - Not available
* A household is an occupied housing unit, but does not include group quarters such as military barracks, college dormitories, and prisons.
Sources: Tabulations from Tables 1, 3, 15, 26, 39, 44, and 55 (1980) and Tables P1, P3, P28, H3,
H17A, H23B, H32B, and H43 (1990), Summary Tape File 1 (California), U.S. Bureau of the Census.
Monterey County Population and Housing Estimates (1995), Report E-5, California Department of
Finance, Demographic Research Unit.
TABLE 5: Historical Summary of all Contaminant Detections in Fort Ord wells; 1985-1993.
Contaminants with detections above the MCLs are shaded in the table.
| Contaminant | Min-Max (ppb) |
Number of Detections |
Duration of Detections |
Comparison Values MCL (ppb) |
Comments |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 0.50 - 9.8 |
33 | 5/21/85 - 1/23/91 |
5 * | Only 6 detections >5 ppb MCL |
| Chloroform | 0.93 - 1.8 |
5 | 11/23/87 - 10/1/88 |
100 ** | No detections above MCL |
| Dichloromethane | 1.2 | 1 | 11/25/85 | None | No detections above MCL |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) | 0.63 - 53.0 |
14 | 7/31/85 - 4/8/88 |
5 | Only 2 detections >5 ppb MCL |
| 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) | 7.7 | 1 | 6/4/86 | 200 | No detections above MCL |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | 0.62 - 25.0 |
43 | 5/14/85 - 3/16/93 |
5 | Only 18 detections > 5 ppb MCL |
| Trichlorofluoro- methane |
5.0 | 1 | 5/21/85 | 2,000 ppb - LTHA |
No detections above LTHA |
| Xylenes | 2.6 - 2.8 |
2 | 4/5/88 - 4/8/88 |
10,000 | No detections above MCL |
* The U.S. EPA MCL is 5 ppb, however, the state of California has adopted a state MCL of 0.5ppb
(CCR, Title 22, Sec. 6444a). The level of detection for carbon tetrachloride is 0.5 ppb.
** At this time there is no MCL specifically for chloroform. However, chloroform is regulated under the total trihalomethane MCL of 100 ppb.
TABLE 6 : Historical Summary of All Contaminant Detections in Marina wells: 1985-1994.
| Contaminant | Min-Max (ppb) |
Number of Detections |
Duration of Detections |
Comparison Values MCL (ppb) |
Comments |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.0 - 5.3 |
2 | 11/7/90 - 10/2/91 |
100 | No detections above MCL |
| Bromoform | 0.68 - 2.0 |
4 | 11/7/90 - 10/2/91 |
100 | No detections above MCL |
| Bromomethane | 3.2 | 1 | 7/3/91 | 10 ppb- LTHA |
No detections above LTHA |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 0.83 - 1.3 |
3 | 1/9/91 - 7/31/91 |
5 | No detections above MCL |
| Chloroform | 0.87 - 3.8 |
3 | 11/7/90 - 10/2/91 |
1002 | No detections above MCL |
| cis-1,2 Dichloroethylene | 0.56 - 2.0 |
8 | 5/24/89 - 7/6/94 |
None | No detections above MCL |
| Dibromochloromethane | 1.4 - 6.2 |
2 | 11/7/90 - 10/2/91 |
None | No detections above MCL |
| trans-1,2 Dichloroethylene |
0.59 - 2.6 |
9 | 8/27/86 - 6/29/88 |
None | No detections above MCL |
| Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) |
0.50 - 2.4 |
35 | 8/19/85 - 7/6/94 |
5 | No detections above MCL |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | 0.51 - 2.9 |
33 | 9/9/85 - 7/6/94 |
5 | No detections above MCL |
| 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) |
0.55 - 3.2 |
11 | 1/21/86 - 3/28/89 |
200 | No detections above MCL |
| Toluene | 0.60 | 1 | 4/3/91 | 1000 | No detections above MCL |
| m-p-Xylene | 0.95 | 1 | 4/3/91 | None | No detections above MCL |
2 - At this time there is no MCL specifically for chloroform. However, chloroform is regulated under
the total trihalomethane MCL of 100 ppb.
TABLE 7: Fort Ord Closed Wells (after Geotechnical Consultants, 1986; HLA, 1994)
| Well Name | Year Drilled |
Year Closed/ Destroyed | Comments |
| 8 | 1940 | 1952 | Pumped sand and had high chloride content |
| 9 | 1940 | 1952 | Pumped sand and had high chloride content |
| 10 | 1940 | 1952 | Pumped sand and had high chloride content |
| 11 | 1940 | 1983-closed; 1989 | Pumped sand and had high chloride content |
| 12 | 1942 | 1952 | Pumped sand and had high chloride content |
| 14 | 1941 | 1989 | High chloride content since 1975 * |
| 16 | 1942 | 1962-closed; 1989 | High chloride content |
| 17 | 1946 | 1971-closed; 1989 | High chloride content |
| 18 | 1952 | 1989 | High chloride content since 1975 * |
| 19 | 1952 | 1986-standby;1989 | High chloride content |
| 21 | 1952 | 1986-standby;1989 | High chloride content |
| 22 | 1952 | 1969-closed; 1989 | High chloride content |
| 23 | 1952 | 1989 | High chloride content since 1975 * |
| 24 | 1963 | 1986-Inactive backup well; 1989 | High chloride content since 1978 |
| 25 | 1963 | 1989 | High chloride content since 1977 * |
| 26 | 1962 | 1986- inactive 1990-destroyed | High chloride content since 1977. Pump failed |
| 27 | 1968 | 1986 | High chloride content since 1981. Water samples indicated undesirable water source |
| 28 | 1968 | 1986-standby;1988 | Sporadic detection of volatile organic chemicals |
* After chloride levels became too high, Wells 14, 18, 23, and 25 were used only as occasional
backup wells until destroyed.
Table 8 - Potential cancer risk associated with human ingestion of Fort Ord drinking water
assuming "worst-case" (maximum-case) (2) and "possible-case"(3) conditions.
| Chemical | Max. (ppm) |
Dose (mg/kg/day) |
Slope Factor (1/[mg/kg/day]) |
Duration "Max." (years) |
Risk "Max." |
Duration "Possible" (years) |
Risk "Possible" |
| TCE | |||||||
| Well 14 | 0.0140 | 0.0004 | 0.011 | 19 | 1.19E-06 | 0 | 0.00E+00 |
| Well 18 | 0.0250 | 0.0007 | 0.011 | 19 | 2.13E-06 | 0 | 0.00E+00 |
| Well 19 | 0.0050 | 0.0001 | 0.011 | 33 | 7.14E-07 | 1 | 2.25E-08 |
| Well 23 | 0.0090 | 0.0003 | 0.011 | 19 | 7.68E-07 | 0 | 0.00E+00 |
| Well 24 | 0.0020 | 0.0010 | 0.011 | 26 | 2.33E-07 | 1 | 8.98E-09 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | |||||||
| Well 26 | 0.0005 | 0.0000 | 0.13 | 24 | 6.37E-07 | 1 | 2.65E-08 |
| Well 27 | 0.0020 | 0.0001 | 0.13 | 18 | 1.91E-06 | 1 | 1.06E-07 |
| Well 28 | 0.0090 | 0.0003 | 0.13 | 21 | 1.00E-05 | 1 | 5.00E-07 |
Table 9 - Potential non-cancer risk associated with human ingestion of Fort Ord drinking
water assuming "worst-case"(4) conditions.
| Chemical | Max. (ppm) |
Child Adult (mg/kg/day) |
Dose (mg/kg/day) |
MRL (mg/kg/day) | |
| TCE | |||||
| Well 14 | 0.0140 | 0.0009 | 0.0004 | 0.0060 (5) | 0.0020 |
| Well 18 | 0.0250 | 0.0016 | 0.0007 | 0.0060 | 0.0020 |
| Well 19 | 0.0050 | 0.0003 | 0.0001 | 0.0060 | 0.0020 |
| Well 23 | 0.0090 | 0.0006 | 0.0003 | 0.0060 | 0.0020 |
| Well 24 | 0.0020 | 0.0010 | 0.0010 | 0.0060 | 0.0020 |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | |||||
| Well 26 | 0.0005 | 0.0000 | 0.0000 | 0.0007 | 0.0007 |
| Well 27 | 0.0020 | 0.0001 | 0.0001 | 0.0007 | 0.0007 |
| Well 28 | 0.0090 | 0.0006 | 0.0003 | 0.0007 | 0.0007 |
Amanda K. Dunnick, M.P.H.
Health Assessor
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Edward Gregory, Ph.D.
Demographer
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
W. Mark Weber, Ph.D.
Geologist
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
D&M. 1993a. Dames and Moore. Baseline Risk Assessment: Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. June 7, 1993.
D&M. 1993b. Dames and Moore. Final Remedial Investigation Report: Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. June 8, 1993.
D&M. 1993c. Dames and Moore. Final Feasibility Study Report: Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. October 1, 1993.
DOD. 1993. U.S. Department of Defense. Base Realignment and Closure, Ordnance and Explosive Waste Archives Search Report. December 1993.
FORA. 1994. Fort Ord Reuse Authority. Fort Ord Base Reuse Plan. December 12, 1994.
Geotechnical Consultants. 1986. Hydrogeologic update: Fort Ord Military Reservation and Vicinity. July 1986.
HFA. 1994. Human Factors Applications, Inc. OEW Sampling and OEW Removal Action, Ft. Ord Final Report. Volume I. December 1, 1994.
HLA. 1994a. Harding Lawson Associates. Fort Ord Site Map. 1994.
HLA. 1994b. Harding Lawson Associates. Basewide Hydrogeologic Characterization. Draft Final. June 10, 1994.
HLA. 1994c. Harding Lawson Associates. Volume II - Remedial Investigation. Basewide Storm Drain and Sanitary Sewer Investigation. Draft Final. November 16, 1994.
HLA. 1994d. Harding Lawson Associates. Volume II - Remedial Investigation. Site 3. Draft. August 1994.
HLA. 1994e. Harding Lawson Associates. Volume II - Remedial Investigation. Site 3. Draft Final. December 1994.
HLA. 1994f. Harding Lawson Associates. Volume III - Baseline Human Health Risk Assessment. Draft Final. December 1994.
HLA. 1994g. Harding Lawson Associates. Volume IV - Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment Appendixes. Draft Final. November 16, 1994.
HLA. 1995. Harding Lawson Associates. Enhanced Preliminary Assessment of Monterey Bay, Fort Ord, California. Draft Final. October 6, 1995.
MCWD. 1995. Marina Coast Water District, CA. Communication with Malcolm Crawford. October 11, 1995.
MCHD. 1995. Monterey County Health Department, CA. Communication with Marianne Dennis. July 25, 1995.
MCHD. 1996. Monterey County Health Department, CA. Communication with Walter Wong. April 5, 1996.
NSCMP. 1995. Non-Stockpile Chemical Material Program. Survey and Analysis Report, Second Edition. Draft. April 3, 1995.
POM. 1991. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Communication with Dann Stein-Freer. April 19, 1991.
POM. 1995a. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Communication with Melissa Hlebasko. 1995.
POM. 1995b. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Fort Ord Restoration Advisory Board Minutes, September 28, 1995.
POM. 1996a. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Communication with Linda Temple. April 15, 1996.
POM. 1996b. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Communication with Gail Youngblood. June 27, 1996.
POM. 1996c. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Communication with Bill Collins. September 10, 1996.
POM. 1996d. Presidio of Monterey, CA. Superfund Proposed Plan: U.S. Army Proposes Cleanup Plan to Address Human Health at the Site 3 Beach Trainfire Ranges, Fort Ord, California. May 3, 1996.
TCASS. 1995. Toxic Chemical Agent Safety Standards. 1995.
USACHPPM. 1994. U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine. Industrial Radiation Historical Data Review. 1994.
UXB. 1994. UXB International, Inc. Work Plan for OEW Phase II Removal Action. Chantilly, Virginia. June 1994.
Next Section Table of Contents
