Background

The Jim Hogg County landfill was originally constructed in 1976 and formally closed in 1997. Although the landfill is not in operation it must continue to meet state closure standards established by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

In the fall of 2001, the closed landfill sustained serious flood damage due to unusually sever rainstorms. Floodwaters cut a trench approximately 1,200 feet long and 15 feet deep through a disposal area of the landfill, displacing approximately 12,000 tons of waste material. This damage created a major environmental and health concern, mainly from possible contamination of area soil and water. The County took immediate steps to secure the site from public access and stabilize the situation, while local residents immediately began moving livestock from adjacent properties to feedlots.

An Action Plan was developed in consultation with TCEQ to collect the displaced waste and provide for repair and remediation of the site. The plan requires the County to segregate the displaced materials and dispose of any inert materials in an approved landfill site, as well as to rehabilitate the damage caused by the flooding at the closed site.

Description

The project is divided into two phases:

• Phase I consists of recovery, segregation, and disposal of displaced landfill and inert materials and disposal of any inert materials in an approved landfill site.
• Phase II involves rehabilitation to the disposal area of the closed landfill, which includes:
  • clearing debris from the channel
  • segregation and disposal of waste requiring off-site disposal
  • rehabilitating the channel side slopes
  • restoration of landfill final cover 

Phase I of the project was completed in 2003. The County is seeking funding to implement Phase II.

Benefits

The Project will allow the County to comply with TCEQ-mandated requirements for appropriate repairs to the closed landfill, which will protect the general population from health risks associated with soil and water contamination. The rehabilitation works in the closed site are also designed to prevent the possibility of flood damage to the landfill in the future.