DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES INVENTORY PROJECT REPORT ARBUCKLE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP

COLUSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SITE NO. J09CA075200

Prepared for:

SACRAMENTO DISTRICT, CORPS OF ENGINEERS 650 Capitol Mall Sacramento, CA 95814-4794

Prepared by:
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THE EARTH TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 100 West Broadway, Suite 5000 Long Beach, CA 90802-4443

July, 1991

SITE SURVEY SUMMARY SHEET FOR DERP-FUDS SITE NO. J09CA075200 ARBUCKLE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP SITE NAME: Arbuckle Prisoner of War Camp, California. Also known as Arbuckle Camp, Arbuckle and Emergency Rubber Project Housing Facility, Arbuckle, Colusa County, California. LOCATION: The site is located in the town of Arbuckle, Colusa County, California, 45 miles northwest of Sacramento (Figures 1 and 2). SITE HISTORY: Prior to DOD occupation the site was part of the Emergency Rubber Project of the Department of Agriculture. The Project attempted unsuccessfully to extract rubber from a shrub named guayule. The Project closed 15 September 1944. By memorandum of understanding dated 14 March 1945, 8.50 acres of the Project's labor housing facilities were transferred to the Army. The labor housing was converted to a German prisoner of war camp by construction of a prison fence and two guard towers. The prisoners worked in the almond groves of neighboring farms. What improvements the Army made, other than towers, and fence, is unknown. The prisoners were discharged after the end of the war and the site was reported excess on 29 April 1946. The site was retransferred to the Department of Agriculture, Emergency Rubber Project on 01 August 1946. The 37acre rubber project camp, including the 8.50 acre former POW camp, was sold to the highest bidder, Mr. Floyd Alexander, Sr., in 1948. There were 24 sheetrocked buildings, 90 feet by 20 feet, with six rooms each, a 200-foot laundry/restrooms/showers building, an administration building, and a mess hall. The site is currently owned by several private property owners and contains three residences, an abandoned building, a business establishment, concrete slab foundation remains, and vacant land. The three residences are renovated DOD barracks buildings. The business establishment is a renovated DOD mess hall building. The abandoned building is the former DOD laundry. All other DOD-built structures have been removed, except for their-concrete slab foundations. The Arbuckle Camp sewage processing tanks were used by private property owners after the military closed the site until 1981. In 1981, the sewage processing tanks were cleaned out, filled with dirt, and covered over. An apartment complex was constructed in 1981 over the former sewage processing tanks.

10 Miles

Figure 1
Location Map Arbuckle POW Camp
North

Scale
Source: Base map from U.S.G.S., 1:250,000 Ukiah, Chico, Santa Rosa and Sacramento Quadrangles

Site No. J09CA075200

Figure 2
0
I

.5 Scale

1 Mile I

Site Map Arbuckle POW Camp

North
Site No. J09CA075200
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Source: Base map from U.S.G.S., 1:24,000 Arbuckle Quadracgle

According to Mr. Robert Alexander, historian, numerous DOD-installed underground fuel oil storage tanks (USTs) were removed from the site property 25 to 30 y m s ago by the Alexander family. The number of USTs removed by the Alexander family is unknown. A 1,000-gallon UST (diesel heating oil) was removed by Mr. Alexander in January 1991. The site investigation team found one UST adjacent to CJ Lounge (southeast corner). The WST was DOD-installed and has not been used since DOD occupancy of the site. The UST has a 1,000-gallon capacity and was used by the DOD to store diesel oil for heating purposes. Crossland Partners, a residential development company, is currently planning to subdivide and develop the site.

SITE VISIT: A site visit was conducted on 25 March 1991. Those present were: Gary Cox, Chief, Arbuckle Fire Department Robert Alexander, Property Owner, Alexander Road at Market Road Frances Martin, Property Owner, CJs Lounge, Market Road Roger Norris, The Earth Technology Corporation Jenn-Yih Peng, The Earth Technology Corporation CATEGORY OF HAZARD: CONIHTW. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: CONIHTW. The proposed project consists of the removal of one, 1,000-gallon underground heating-oil storage tank, associated piping, soil testing, and backfilling.

a,

AVAILABLE STUDIES AND REPORTS: Young, Helen D., 1978, Arbuckle and College Pioneer Publishing Co., Fresno, CA (Division of Book Publishers, Inc.).

PA POC: Ms. Sharon V. Bruno, CESPK-ED-MIHTW, (916) 551-1049.

DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION PROGRAM FORMERLY USED DEFENSE SITES FINDINGS AND DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY ARBUCKLE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP COLUSA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SITE NO. J09CA075200
FINDINGS OF FACT By Memorandum of Understanding on 14 March 1945, 8.50 acres were transferred 1. from the United States Department of Agriculture, Emergency Rubber Project (ERP) to the Army.
2. This site was known as Arbuckle Camp, Arbuckle and Emergency Rubber Project Housing Facility, Arbuckle, Colusa County, California. The Army used the site as a Prisoner of War camp to house prisoners of war engaged in agricultural work. (Prior to acquisition, the camp had been used to house laborers for agricultural requirements). The improvements known to have been made to the ERP labor camp were the addition of a prison fence and two guard towers.

3. The site was reported excess on 29 April 1946. The 8.50 acres were reassumed by ERP on 1 August 1946. By Supplemental Agreement, ERP was willing to pay the Army a cash settlement in lieu of restoration providing the Army transferred certain Government improvements on the premises to ERP. The site is currently owned by several private property owners. They are, Mr. Robert Alexander, Mrs. Helen Alexander, Mr. Lee Goldie, Mr. Lester Holt, Mrs. Genevieve Holt, and Ms. Frances Martin.

DETERMINATION
Based on the foregoing findings of fact, the site has been determined to be formerly used by the DOD. Therefore, it is eligible for the Defense Program for Formerly Used Defense Sites, established under 10

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PROJECT SUMMARY SHEET FOR DERP-FUDS CONIHTW, PROJECT NO. J09CA075201 ARBUCKLE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP SITE NO. J09CA075200 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: There is one location at the Arbuckle Prisoner of War Camp where a DOD-installed underground diesel oil storage tank (UST) associated piping and remains. The UST size is estimated to be 1,000 gallons. The UST is not beneficially used. The site is open to the public. PROJECT ELIGIBILITY: The underground storage tank and piping was installed and used by the DOD. The tank is a potential source of environmental contamination and is therefore eligible for DOD project funding. POLICY CONSIDERATIONS: The underground storage tank recommended for removal has not been used since DOD occupancy of the site. PROPOSED PROJECT: The project involves the removal of one 1,000-gallon underground storage tank, associated piping, the testing of underlying soil for contamination, and backfilling the excavation with clean fill. DD FORM 1391: Attached. PA POC: Ms. Sharon V. Bruno, CESPK-ED-MIHTW, (916) 551-1049.

PHOTOGRAPH LOG

SUBJECT: Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DEW) Arbuckle Prisoner of War Camp, Colusa County, California SITE NO: J09CA075200 PHOTO NO,
1. 2. Foundation of Arbuckle POW Camp headquarters building YU-129 with tile-covered concrete floor. The camp laundry building is in the background. View southeast. Camp laundry building YU-13 1 now abandoned. The ends of the building contained restrooms and showers. View southwest. Camp mess hall building YU-120, renovated as CJ's Lounge and CJ's Market (closed). View southeast.

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Location of underground heating oil storage tank (1,000 gallons) at the southeast corner of CJ's Lounge. Fill pipe is pointed out. View west. Barracks building G, renovated as house of Mr. Robert Alexander. View west. Foundation of restroom and showers, bldg YU-133 and fouhdations of barracks P-2, " , and Q-2 in the background. View northwest. View north from location of southwest-corner guard tower. In the dihtance is Barracks D-2, renovated as house of Robert Alexander's sister, Genevieve Holt. View east from location of southwest-corner guard tower. In the distance at left is Barracks A-1, renovated and enlarged as house of Robert Alexander's brother.
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View south from location of northeast-corner guard tower. Mess hall building YU120 (CJ's Lounge) is at right. View west from location of northeast-corner guard tower. Laundry bldg. YU-131 can be seen in the distance.