Back To:
Groundwater Contamination
Former Schilling Air Force Base – Groundwater and Soil Contamination
Ref: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/918/Schilling-Air-Force-Base
The former Schilling Air Force Base is a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) located in southwest Salina, Kansas. The base was originally built as the Smoky Hill Army Airfield in 1942 and was used during World War II as a processing and staging area for heavy bombardment units going overseas. In 1946 the name was changed to the Smoky Hill Air Force Base, and it served during the 1950's Korean conflict as a base for the Strategic Air Command and the 310th and 40th Bombardment Wings. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the air force base underwent significant renovations resulting in modifications to prepare for the next generation of aerial bombers and tankers, and another name change, the Schilling Air Force Base (SAFB). The base was deactivated between 1965 and 1967 and the property transferred to the Salina Public Entities.
The former Schilling Air Force Base (the Site) now contains the Salina Municipal Airport, industrial and commercial businesses, vocational and college programs, and limited residential areas. Soils and groundwater at several locations at the site have been impacted from releases of volatile organic compounds, metals, and perfluorinated chemicals (PFOs and PFOAs). The Salina Airport Authority (SAA), Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have conducted numerous environmental investigations and some limited remedial actions at the Site since the mid-1990s.
Activities between 1999 and 2012 were performed by USACE with KDHE oversight and included: removal of numerous underground storage tanks, installation of an air stripper at the Salina Vo-Tech School sump pump, vapor intrusion evaluation at select locations, a Remedial Investigation (RI), and Baseline Risk Assessment for a portion of the site, and long-term groundwater monitoring. At the conclusion of the USACE's RI, it was determined additional assessment was warranted in addition to completing a Feasibility Study (FS) to evaluate appropriate cleanup alternatives.
Throughout 2004 to cira 2008, investigations were performed by USACE with KDHE oversight. Multiple contaminants have been detected at the Site, at levels in excess of their respective EPA maximum contaminant levels and KDHE Risk-based Standards for Kansas. In 2012, the Salina Public Entities (City of Salina, SAA, USD 305, Kansas State University) negotiated a settlement agreement with the USACE to take over the responsibility of completing the RI/FS for the Site. Subsequently, the Salina Public Entities entered into a Consent Agreement and Final Order with the KDHE to complete the RI/FS scope of work (scope that characterizes the full nature and extent of contamination followed by selection, design, and implementation of appropriate remedies).
The Final RI Report was approved in June 2018.
The Final FS was approved in November 2018.
The KDHE Final Corrective Action Decision (CAD) was issued on July 29, 2019.
The Remedial Design/Remedial Action phase is currently in progress. This phase of work includes the design of the remedy selected in the final decision document for the Site. Implementation of the remedy, including construction and maintenance following the startup of the remedial systems.
Estimated Project Cost
Cost | Remedial Action |
$ 3,300,000 | Remediation of Source Areas, Excavation Plume B |
$ 3,900,000 | Remediation of Source Areas, In-situ Thermal Desorption Plume A |
| $ 4,800,000 | Remediation of Source Areas, In-situ Thermal Desorption Plume C |
| $ 4,400,000 | Control of Migration From Source Areas, Emplaced Permeable Reactive Barrier Plume F+G |
| $37,400,000 | Remediation of Groundwater Plumes, Directed Groundwater Recirculation System |
| $ 3,500,000 | Prevention of Plume Migration, Injected Permeable Reactive Barrier Plumes D, E, F, G |
| $ 5,400,000 | Groundwater Monitoring |
| $ 800,000 | Monitoring Well Maintenance and Repair |
| $ 1,500,000 | Indoor Air Monitoring |
| $ 1,600,000 | Database Management |
| $ 2,300,000 | Reporting |
| $ 600,000 | KDHE Oversight |
| $ 900,000 | Monitoring Well Abandonment |
| $ 1,300,000 | Community Involvement, Administration, Legal, and Insurance |
| $71,700,000 | Total |
Source of Funding
65.9 Million From the United States
2.0 Million From Existing Funds from Previous Work
67.9 Million Total
Estimated Project Schedule
Documents Available
Former Schilling Air Force Base – Groundwater and Soil Contamination
Ref: https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/918/Schilling-Air-Force-Base
The former Schilling Air Force Base is a Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) located in southwest Salina, Kansas. The base was originally built as the Smoky Hill Army Airfield in 1942 and was used during World War II as a processing and staging area for heavy bombardment units going overseas. In 1946 the name was changed to the Smoky Hill Air Force Base, and it served during the 1950's Korean conflict as a base for the Strategic Air Command and the 310th and 40th Bombardment Wings. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the air force base underwent significant renovations resulting in modifications to prepare for the next generation of aerial bombers and tankers, and another name change, the Schilling Air Force Base (SAFB). The base was deactivated between 1965 and 1967 and the property transferred to the Salina Public Entities.
The former Schilling Air Force Base (the Site) now contains the Salina Municipal Airport, industrial and commercial businesses, vocational and college programs, and limited residential areas. Soils and groundwater at several locations at the site have been impacted from releases of volatile organic compounds, metals, and perfluorinated chemicals (PFOs and PFOAs). The Salina Airport Authority (SAA), Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have conducted numerous environmental investigations and some limited remedial actions at the Site since the mid-1990s.
Activities between 1999 and 2012 were performed by USACE with KDHE oversight and included: removal of numerous underground storage tanks, installation of an air stripper at the Salina Vo-Tech School sump pump, vapor intrusion evaluation at select locations, a Remedial Investigation (RI), and Baseline Risk Assessment for a portion of the site, and long-term groundwater monitoring. At the conclusion of the USACE's RI, it was determined additional assessment was warranted in addition to completing a Feasibility Study (FS) to evaluate appropriate cleanup alternatives.
Throughout 2004 to cira 2008, investigations were performed by USACE with KDHE oversight. Multiple contaminants have been detected at the Site, at levels in excess of their respective EPA maximum contaminant levels and KDHE Risk-based Standards for Kansas. In 2012, the Salina Public Entities (City of Salina, SAA, USD 305, Kansas State University) negotiated a settlement agreement with the USACE to take over the responsibility of completing the RI/FS for the Site. Subsequently, the Salina Public Entities entered into a Consent Agreement and Final Order with the KDHE to complete the RI/FS scope of work (scope that characterizes the full nature and extent of contamination followed by selection, design, and implementation of appropriate remedies).
The Final RI Report was approved in June 2018.
The Final FS was approved in November 2018.
The KDHE Final Corrective Action Decision (CAD) was issued on July 29, 2019.
The Remedial Design/Remedial Action phase is currently in progress. This phase of work includes the design of the remedy selected in the final decision document for the Site. Implementation of the remedy, including construction and maintenance following the startup of the remedial systems.