There are nine sites included within the Contaminated Sites Management Program:  

• Ardrossan decommissioned landfill
• Cooking Lake decommissioned nuisance ground
• High Ridge Place decommissioned nuisance ground
• Josephburg decommissioned nuisance ground
• Highway 21 decommissioned landfill
• Josephburg public services yard (JPSY)
• Josephburg salt storage
• Strathcona public services yard (SPSY)
• Bethel snow dump

Strathcona County requires a contractor to monitor the above sites for potential environmental impacts on groundwater and surface water. Each of the above sites are monitored throughout the year and reported on annually. Remediation was completed as per current County guidelines on all five former landfill and nuisance ground sites. A great example of remediation at a previous landfill site is the Highway 21 site which is also known as the Deermound Off-leash Dog Park. 

Routine work completed each year includes: 

• Conducting an inventory of the existing monitoring wells and identifying the condition of each monitoring well; 
• Measuring the depth to groundwater and free product (if present) at all monitoring wells; 
• Purging and sampling monitoring wells according to the sampling schedule following industry standards for sampling parameters; 
• Sampling surface water locations according to the sampling schedule following industry standards for sampling parameters; 
• Submitting water samples to an accredited laboratory for laboratory analysis; 
• Comparing results with applicable Alberta Tier 1 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines, Environmental Quality Guidelines for Alberta Surface Waters and the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines; 
• Preparing a report for each site to summarize the monitoring program results and provide any necessary recommendations for future environmental work; and 
• Providing recommendations, which can include items such as necessary well repairs, replacements, and installations; investigation of emerging concerns; and surveying the monitoring well networks.  

The Ardrossan decommissioned landfill consists of approximately 50 acres and is approximately 8 kilometres east of the Hamlet of Ardrossan. The land uses surrounding the landfill are primary country residential and agriculture. Groundwater monitoring is conducted annually.   

The Cooking Lake decommissioned nuisance ground consists of approximately ten acres east of the Hamlet of North Cooking Lake. The land use surrounding the nuisance ground is primarily agriculture. Groundwater and surface water monitoring is conducted annually.  

The High Ridge Place decommissioned nuisance ground consists of approximately four acres southeast of the Hamlet of Ardrossan. The land use areas surrounding the nuisance ground include roadways and residential to the north and east; natural area and residential areas to the south and a natural area to the west. A creek is located in the vicinity of the nuisance ground. Groundwater and surface water monitoring is conducted annually.  

The Josephburg decommissioned nuisance ground consists of approximately six acres north of the Hamlet of Josephburg. The land use areas surrounding the nuisance ground are agriculture and the Warren Thomas (Josephburg) Aerodrome. A sump pumping program was initiated in 2020 to determine the effectiveness or need for the system moving forward. Groundwater and surface water monitoring is conducted semi-annually.  

The Highway 21 decommissioned landfill consists of approximately six acres west of Highway 21. The property is currently used as a public off-leash dog park. The land uses surrounding the landfill are residential subdivisions, natural areas and highways. Groundwater and surface water monitoring is conducted semi-annually.  

The JPSY has been in use since the early 1970s. The site was used primarily for salt and sand storage, fuel storage, and equipment parking and storage. In 1988, two underground fuel storage tanks were removed due to leakage concerns into the groundwater. Monitoring wells were drilled and delineation of the plume was started. In 2002, a groundwater monitoring program was begun and in 2007 a Soil Vapour Extraction Unit (SVE) was installed. This unit has recovered approximately 22,613 litres of hydrocarbons from the groundwater to date. In 2007, chloride impacts relating to salt storage activities on JPSY were identified in the groundwater during hydrocarbon sampling. In 2008, additional monitoring wells were installed and samples taken to determine the extent of the groundwater contamination. In 2012, the County excavated the higher chloride impacted soils and backfilled with clean material. More monitoring of the site is required. The SVE system has been removed. Groundwater monitoring with focus on hydrocarbons and salts is conducted semi-annually.  

Construction of the Josephburg salt storage site was completed in 2012 and a limited quantity of road salt was stored during this period. When the JPSY salt storage facility was decommissioned, this new site became fully operational in the fall of 2013. Groundwater monitoring with focus on salts is conducted annually.  

The SPSY was opened in 1996. This site is the main hub for frontline services to residents involving the maintenance of County infrastructure. The majority of the salt and sand used for winter maintenance is stored at SPSY. In 2002, a salt contamination assessment was completed and groundwater monitoring wells and a catch basin manhole with a deep sump were installed. To date, the salt plume is monitored and no further remediation work is required. Groundwater monitoring with focus on salts is conducted semi-annually.  

The Bethel site was used as a snow dump from winter 2002/2003 to 2014/2015 where it received primarily residential snow from street clearing. Initial clearing and sampling occurred in 2015. A risk management plan has been submitted to the province for approval. Groundwater and surface water monitoring is conducted semi-annually.