Case Histories - Data Management

Project: Smithville Phase IV Bedrock Remediation Program

Client: MOE / Smithville Phase IV Bedrock Remediation Program

Objectives:

Design database structure based on site data and current and foreseeable needs, populate database with historical data and maintain database with forthcoming data to support on-going research and remediation activities.

Outcomes:

Investigation and data collection programs are designed based on cumulative available data, thus leading to focused investigations and an effective use of resources
Readily available data supports remedial recommendations

Key Aspects:

Database design based on borehole – monitor relationship
Scanned and digitized over 100,000 records of historical data and developed an automated 27 step QA process to ensure data integrity
Over 1 gigabyte of data now compiled, including maps, air photos, borehole geophysics, water level and water quality data, geological descriptions, surface water information, atmospheric conditions, private water well records.

Project Description:

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, wastes and solvents, including PCBs were stored at the Chemical Waste Management Ltd. (CWML) site in Smithville Ontario. The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) assumed management of the site and undertook a four-phase program to remediate both the site and underlying soil, bedrock and groundwater systems. EarthFx was retained to design and populate the site database, and serve as data bankers for the project, keeping the database current, and managing data distribution requests.

Conclusion:

From an efficiency perspective, it is recommended that the data management system be in place prior to the collection of the data. Populating databases with historical data, especially if only in hard copy, can be a source of error.