Location

The Papago Park Military Reservation (PPMR) occupies approximately 480 acres of land and is bounded by Oak Street to the north, 52nd Street to the west, and land owned by the City of Phoenix, Arizona to the south and east. PPMR serves as the Joint Forces Headquarters for the Arizona Army National Guard (AZARNG). PPMR also hosts operational National Guard units at the installation. The AZARNG leases portions of the installation to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for administrative and training purposes. The site development includes numerous structures, open storage areas, and training areas. Structures are primarily located near the western portion of the facility.

Contaminants of Concern

Current and historical hazardous substances associated with PPMR operations include: oil and lubricants, hydraulic fluid, brake fluid, antifreeze, gasoline (leaded and unleaded), diesel, aviation fuels, solvents, paint-related materials, cleaning compounds/detergents, welding gases, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), batteries and munitions. The contaminants of concern (COCs) include metals and explosives. COCs may change as new data becomes available.

Public Health Impact

For Soil | There is little to no health risk unless there is contact with skin or ingestion of contaminated soil.

For Groundwater | If you are connected to a Public Water System (PWS) there is little to no risk of impact from exceedances because the water is filtered through the PWS for residential and business use. | View Drinking Water Notices >

If you have a private well in the vicinity of the exceedance, we encourage you to test the well water.
Not sure what to test for? | Learn More >

For Vapor Intrusion (VI) | There is little to no risk of vapor intrusion unless your residence or workplace is immediately above subsurface pollutants that evaporate at room temperature and has a direct pathway to indoor air.

Site Hydrogeology

PPMR lies within the West Salt River Valley area of the Phoenix Active Management Area. Since 1947, depth to groundwater in the unconsolidated alluvial sediment near PPMR has increased regional and local changes in the direction of flow. Generally, historical groundwater movement was primarily westward toward the Salt River channel. Because the PPMR is on  bedrock highlands and is largely underlain by crystalline rock, very little water, if any, is present in its vicinity. Depth to groundwater beneath the site ranges from 6 to 42 feet below grade; however, groundwater does not exist everywhere beneath PPMR.

Action Taken

In 2012, remedial activities moved forward at an underground storage tank release site. In 2016, the second Five Year Review (FYR) was conducted for the Former Skeet Range (Site S). The remedy at Site S was determined protective of human health and the environment. There are currently no complete ecological exposure pathways and the remedy LUCs and access controls prevents unacceptable exposures by restricting residential use in Site S. As part of the second FYR, a Natural and Cultural Resource Assessment was completed to determine if there are sensitive receptors or habitats present at the site. An updated Human Health Risk Assessment for lead and PAHs was also included as part of the second FYR.

Status

Site S is subject to programmatic five year reviews which are reviewed by ADEQ. The next five year review is expected to be submitted to ADEQ for review early 2021.

For petroleum product release status, please refer to ADEQ's underground storage tank program.