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<b>Management plan megasite Bitterfeld</b>
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Already after the political changes in Germany 1989/ 1990, the first plans concerning 
the future development of the site aimed at its maintenance as a chemical industry site despite 
the large-scale, severe and complex contamination situation.
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The following decisions were necessary
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<ul>
<li>Immediate comprehensive inventory of the site and contamination situation
<li>Financing of safety and remediation measures at megasite level is to be beard 
proportionately by the German Federal Government and the State of Saxony- Anhalt in order 
to create investment incentives at the site
<li>Risk reduction and remediation of the contamination is to be done based on a strategic and 
comprehensive megasite concept
<li>All stakeholders and interest groups need to cooperate in a suitable manner due to the overall 
environmental damages at site. Expert boards or similar panels are to be implemented.
<li>Safety and remediation measures are to be carried out parallel to the re-industrialization of the site
</ul>
According to the decisions, the responsible stakeholders at the Bitterfeld megasite have to organize
 the measures related to site investigation, safeguarding and remediation parallel to measures regarding 
the closure and demolition of old industrial plants.
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The focus of the management is on lowering the risks for potential receptors by appropriate safety 
and remediation measures carried out by proportionate means. The strategy aims at the integration of 
all interlinking measures, including urgent safety measures, in consensus with the structural site development. 
Based on this, specific measures and their chronological order are derived.
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The management strategy for the Bitterfeld megasite has been formulated in the remediation frame work concept (RFC). 
In order to allow for optimal management decisions, this concept is continuously subjected to updating.
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Due to the complexity of the megasite concept, an additional partial remediation concept for soil was developed 
(PRC Soil). The PRC constitutes the basis for the evaluation of all soil-related legal decisions.
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As result of the megasite concept development, it has been concluded, that, due to the large scale of the groundwater 
contamination, the groundwater can be considered a source itself and its remediation is definitely required.
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Based on this conclusion, the conceptual decision was made, that both receptors, the groundwater and the soil 
(including landfills) were to be treated separately in terms of required remediation measures.
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As consequence, remediation measures for the soil were only considered necessary in case the contamination 
in the soil contributes considerably to the groundwater contamination, and therefore leads to the extension, 
complication or increase of costs of the remediation measures.
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Further, soil measures were also required if other receptors than groundwater, i.e. humans, air etc., are affected.
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This approach allows for the short-term release of areas for infrastructural re-development after limited remediation
 action in order to achieve the re-settlement of investors or expansion of existing industrial sites.
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This management strategy is very successfully and therefore allows for the derivation of general rules and 
elements for the implementation of the strategic concept in the management plan.
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These elements are the following:
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<ul>
<li>Installation of a central responsible management institution
<li>Basic clarification of financial issues of all measures
<li>Necessity of a central and strategic remediation concept
<li>Central administration of all megasite data and supply to all stakeholders
<li>Central boards for coordination of measures
<li>Continuous update of the strategic concept
</ul>

Based on the first site characterisation and the necessary funds for measures, a political decision is 
to be made by the stakeholders regarding the proceeding at the site. Only after this decision, 
the responsible management board can develop the megasite management plan.<br><br>
The organisational course of action of the planning of the measures and their management is an iterative cycling process. The process and the interrelations and responsibilities are shown in the figure below.

<span class="midtitle">Monitoring program<br /><br /></span>
 The groundwater at the megasite Bitterfeld has already been monitored in the scope of the mining activities since approx. 1920. The monitoring mainly focused on the groundwater quantity (controlling pumping activities). Chemical conditions were for the first time controlled in the year 1970 (since then technically feasible) and only in certain areas and sporadic. <br><br>

The last mining pits were closed in 1989/1990. Yet, pumping activities proceeded until the planned flooding of the pits was decided upon by the responsible administration. In some parts, pumping activities are still required for the safeguarding of the landfills. <br><br>

Since 1995, the monitoring of the groundwater is organized under the canopy of the "Ecological large scale project" <I>(Ökologisches Großprojekt)</I>, and comprises the measurement of quantitative and qualitative data on base of a network of currently approximately 400 measuring points. The monitoring covers the quaternary as well as the tertiary aquifer. <br><br>

Two coordinated monitorings are performed, which correspond to the special monitoring network of the State. However, in Bitterfeld these monitoring networks are not run directly by the State, but instead by two responsible stakeholders, the MDSE (Central German Remediation and Waste Disposal Company) and the LMBV (Lausitz and Mid German Mining Management Company), which are authorized by the LAF (Regional Authority for Exemption from Residual Pollution Responsibility), which acts on behalf of the regional authority. Surface waters are monitored by the regional office for environmental affairs (LAU) (See: <a href="megasitec751.html?index=20&sec=1&meg=bitger"><i>starting ims -> Organizing stakeholders</i></a>). <br><br>
Within the two major issues of the groundwater monitoring, different tasks can be distinguished:<br><br>

Quantity:	
<ul>	
<li>Controlling the groundwater dynamics</li>
<li>Monitoring the depth to groundwater table</li>
<li>Calibration of the hydrogeological flow model</li>
</ul>
Quality:		
<ul>
<li>Source determination</li>
<li>Parameter determination for the fate and transport model</li>
<li>Monitoring of risks</li>
<li>Measurements for contaminant discharge from certain areas into the groundwater</li>
</ul>

Both sampling campaigns are executed twice a year. The parameters currently measured are listed in the following table. Monitoring of the groundwater table takes place every three months.<br><br>
Table 10.1: Summary of parameters measured in the monitoring of the Bitterfeld megasite
<table border="1" width="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2">
<tr align="center" bgcolor="#F4EBEA" >
<td colspan= "4" width = "100%"><b> Parameter (total 218)</b></td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" >
<td colspan= "4" width = "100%"><b> on-site parameter and sum parameters </b></td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Temperature </td>
<td width = "33%"> DOC </td>
<td width = "33%"> sum Ca + Mg </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> pH value </td>
<td width = "33%"> TOC </td>
<td width = "33%"> Hardness </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Conductivity </td>
<td width = "33%"> AOX </td>
<td width = "33%"> Hydrogen carbonate hardness </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Oxygen </td>
<td width = "33%"> Acid capacity </td>
<td width = "33%"> Non hydrogen carbonate hardness </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Redoxpotential </td>
<td width = "33%"> Base capacity </td>
<td width = "33%"> Total hardness </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Salt content </td>
<td width = "33%"> Inorganic nitrate </td>
<td width = "33%"> Carbonate hardness </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> COD </td>
<td width = "33%"> Organic nitrate </td>
<td width = "33%"> Total phosphate </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> BOD5 </td>
<td width = "33%"> Total nitrate </td>
<td width = "33%">.</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" >
<td colspan= "4" width = "100%"> <b> Inorganic parameters </b> </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Sulphate </td>
<td width = "33%"> Cyanide </td>
<td width = "33%"> Cadmium </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Chloride </td>
<td width = "33%"> Boron </td>
<td width = "33%"> Chromium </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Nitrate </td>
<td width = "33%"> Sodium </td>
<td width = "33%"> Cr-Vl </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Nitrite </td>
<td width = "33%"> Potassium </td>
<td width = "33%"> Nickel </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Ammonia </td>
<td width = "33%"> Calcium </td>
<td width = "33%"> Lead </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Ortho-PO<sub>4<sub/> </td>
<td width = "33%"> Magnesium </td>
<td width = "33%"> Copper </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> CO<sub>2</sub> </td>
<td width = "33%"> Iron </td>
<td width = "33%"> Cobalt </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> H<sub>2</sub>S </td>
<td width = "33%"> Manganese </td>
<td width = "33%"> Arsenic </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Sulphide </td>
<td width = "33%"> Aluminium </td>
<td width = "33%"> Zinc </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Fluoride </td>
<td width = "33%"> Mercury </td>
<td width = "33%"> Tin </td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" >
<td  colspan= "4" width = "100%"> <b>Organic parameters </b></td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Phenole index </td>
<td width = "33%"> Nitrochlorobenzene </td>
<td width = "33%"> Nitrochlorophenole </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Petroleum-derived hydrocarbon </td>
<td width = "33%"> Volatile halogenated hydrocarbons </td>
<td width = "33%"> Kresole </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> BTEX </td>
<td width = "33%"> HCH </td>
<td width = "33%"> Pesticides (DDT, DDE)</td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Chlorobenzene </td>
<td width = "33%"> (Chloro-)Phenols </td>
<td width = "33%"> PAH </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%"> Nitrobenzene </td>
<td width = "33%"> Nitrophenols </td>
<td width = "33%"> PCB </td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" >
<td width = "33%">.</td>
<td width = "33%">.</td>
<td width = "33%"> Phthalate </td>
</tr>
</table>
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Additionally, the quality of the surface water is controlled by the regional authority, and the impact of landfills is kept under surveillance by the respective problem owner. Furthermore, the groundwater is investigated at the SAFIRA test site. 
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<br/>The data of all measurements is exchanged and stored in the Bitterfeld data network. <br>

<span class="midtitle">Review process<br /><br /></span>
 The management at the Bitterfeld megasite is constantly reviewed, evaluated and adjusted based on the following instruments:
<ul type="-">
<li>Regular meetings of special boards (e.g. Special Working Group Goitsche, Leading board groundwater, Working group groundwater remediation, Technical working group groundwater see also D3.2) and expert groups for the single management issues on average once per month</li>
<li>Different groundwater monitoring programs depending on the goal
<ul>
<li>Surveilllance of hydraulic measures in quaternary aquifer (4 times a year) </li>
<li>Surveilllance of hydraulic measures in the outflow ....etc (1 - 2 times a year) </li>
<li>Surveillance of landfills (once a year) </li>
</ul></li>
<li>Surface water monitoring twice a year</li>
<li>Permanent check-up of the boundary conditions, such as
<ul>
<li>the construction of new industries or infrastructure etc. </li>
<li>the alteration or adjustment of legal regulations (e.g. implementation of the EU-WFD into the German Water Act) </li>
<li>the economical situation, i.e. the financial status etc. </li>
</ul></li>
</ul>

The LAF has the technical and financial responsibility for the general framework for the remediation of the large-scale-ecological-projects (öGP), which are financed under the exemption act, and is further responsible for the preparation of these industrial sites for further revitalisation. <br><br>

The LAF contracts consultants for the "general site remediation concept". However, the general "goals" of remediation work are set up by the LAF with respect to "cost versus effect ratio". The LAF also sets up the general organisation structure for project realization and supervises the planning and realisation of remediation measures and their monitoring. <br><br>

In the scope of the management of the megasite Bitterfeld -Wolfen, the knowledge about the site and the determination of boundary conditions have been systematically investigated and are still upgraded parallel to the realised measures. Inquiries are carried out and continuously completed, and expert reports are complied to obtain a precise picture of the site characteristics. <br><br>
As consequence of the continuous check-ups of the boundary conditions and the results of monitorings, the management is adjusted contemporarily based on the decisions made in the regular meetings, i.e. based on an agreement of the relevant stakeholders. On the one hand, this flexibility is required to cope with the complex problems at the megasite, on the other hand, it provides for quick decisions and optimal response to new cognitions, but also to unexpected incidents. <br><br>

The ongoing selection and decision making process in the megasite management - as in the WELCOME IMS - corresponded and still corresponds to an iterative process. The iteration is done between the continuously improving knowledge about the megasite and the existing risks for receptors, and the constantly optimised risk reduction strategy assuring an optimal ratio between sustainable risk reduction and required financial funding. <br><br>