Or. Admin. Code § 690-240-0035 - Geotechnical Holes: General Performance and Responsibility Requirements
(1) A geotechnical
hole is defined in OAR 690-240-0010(36). Geotechnical holes, cased or uncased,
are generally constructed to evaluate subsurface data or information (geologic,
hydrogeologic, chemical, or other physical characteristics). Geotechnical holes
are divided into the following classifications:
(a) Temporary (abandoned within 72 hours)
geotechnical holes;
(b) Cased
permanent geotechnical holes;
(c)
Uncased permanent geotechnical holes; or
(d) Slope stability geotechnical
holes.
(2) A geotechnical
hole report shall be signed by a professional and must be submitted to the
department if the geotechnical hole is:
(a)
Greater than 18 feet deep;
(b)
Within 50 feet of a water supply or monitoring well;
(c) Used to make a determination of water
quality; or
(d) Constructed in an
area of known or reasonably suspected contamination.
(3) Geotechnical holes that do not meet any
of the criteria spelled out in OAR 690-240-0035(2) do not require a
geotechnical hole report to be filed with the Department, but shall be required
to have a professional as described in 690-240-0035(4)(c) be responsible for
the construction and abandonment of the geotechnical hole.
(4)
(a)
Although enforcement actions may be exercised against other parties, the
landowner of the property where the geotechnical hole is constructed is
ultimately responsible for the condition, use, maintenance, and abandonment of
the geotechnical hole;
(b)
Conversion of a geotechnical hole to a water supply or monitoring well shall be
considered by the Department on a case by case basis
(c) When a geotechnical hole report is
required, the professional responsible for the construction, alteration or
abandonment of a geotechnical hole shall have one of the following
certifications or licenses at the time the professional signs the geotechnical
hole report:
(A) A valid Oregon Monitoring
Well Constructor's License;
(B) A
valid Oregon Water Supply Well Constructor's License;
(C) Valid certification by the State of
Oregon as a Registered Geologist; or
(D) Valid certification by the State of
Oregon as a Professional Engineer.
(d) The professional shall provide proof of
license, certification or registration and photo identification to Department
employees upon request.
(e) In
order to protect the groundwater resource, all geotechnical holes shall be
constructed, operated, used, maintained, and abandoned in such a manner as to
prevent contamination or waste of groundwater, or loss of artesian
pressure.
(f) If the geotechnical
hole is completed above ground, it shall have a minimum casing height of one
foot above finished grade and a lockable cap with lock shall be attached to the
top of the casing. If a geotechnical hole, except a slope stability hole, is
completed flush with the land surface, a lockable watertight cap with lock,
shall be attached to the top of the casing. A vault or monument designed to be
watertight, level with the ground surface, shall be installed to prevent the
inflow of surface water. The cover must be designed to withstand the maximum
expected loadings.
(5)
(a) A 'Geotechnical Hole Report' shall be
prepared for each geotechnical hole, including unsuccessful geotechnical holes,
constructed, altered, converted, or abandoned if the hole meets any of the
requirements of OAR 690-240-0035(2) above.
(b) The 'Geotechnical Hole Report' shall be
filed with the Department within 30 days of the completion of the geotechnical
hole;
(c) The report shall be
prepared in triplicate on forms furnished or previously approved in writing by
the Water Resources Department. The original shall be furnished to the
Director, the first copy shall be retained by the professional, and the second
copy shall be given to the landowner or customer who contracted for the
construction of the geotechnical hole;
(d) In the event any drilling equipment or
other tools are left in a geotechnical hole the professional shall enter this
fact on the Geotechnical Hole Report;
(e) A copy of any special authorizations or
special standards issued by the Director shall be attached to the Geotechnical
Hole Report. See OAR 690-240-0006 for information concerning special
standards;
(f) The report of
geotechnical hole construction shall include, as a minimum, the following:
(A) Landowner name and address;
(B) Started/Completed date;
(C) Location of the geotechnical hole by
County, Township, Range, Section, tax lot number, if assigned, street address,
or nearest address, and either the 1/4, 1/4 section or Latitude and Longitude
as established by a global positioning system (GPS);
(D) Use of geotechnical hole;
(E) Type of geotechnical hole;
(F) Depth;
(G) Map showing location of geotechnical hole
on site must be attached and shall include an approximate scale and a north
arrow;
(H) General hydrologic and
geologic information as indicated on the Geotechnical Hole Report;
and
(I) Such additional information
as required by the Department.
(6) Temporary geotechnical holes:
(a) Temporary geotechnical holes include but
are not limited to: drive points, soil and rock borings, temporary sample
holes, permeability test holes, and soil vapor holes;
(b) Temporary geotechnical holes shall be
abandoned within 72 hours of initial construction;
(c) Any temporary casing that has been
installed shall be removed as part of the abandonment.
(7) Cased permanent geotechnical holes
(a) Cased permanent geotechnical holes
include but are not limited to: gas migration holes, cathodic protection holes,
wet soil monitoring holes, and vapor extraction holes;
(b) Permanent casing installed in a
geotechnical hole shall meet the casing requirements in OAR 690-240-0430,
690-210-0210, or 690-210-0190.
(c)
The borehole diameter for cased permanent geotechnical holes shall be at least
four inches larger than the nominal casing diameter. If the cased permanent
geotechnical hole is constructed using a hollow stem auger drilling machine,
the inside diameter of the auger must be at least four inches larger than the
nominal diameter of the casing to be installed. Cased permanent geotechnical
holes installed using direct push technology shall meet the annular space
requirements in OAR 690-240-0540.
(d) Cased permanent geotechnical holes,
except wet soil monitoring holes, shall be sealed in accordance with the filter
pack seal requirements in OAR 690-240-0460, and the casing seal requirements in
OAR 690-240-0475.
(e) Wet soil
monitoring holes shall have a casing seal that extends to a minimum depth of
one-foot. The casing seal shall be placed in accordance with OAR
690-240-0475.
(f) Wet soil
monitoring holes shall not exceed three and one-half feet in
depth.
(8) Uncased
permanent geotechnical holes:
(a) Uncased
permanent geotechnical holes include but are not limited to: pneumatic and
electrical piezometers;
(b)
Temporary casing can be used during the construction of the uncased permanent
geotechnical hole but must be removed prior to completion. Surface casing (5
feet maximum) may be installed for placement of logging or recording
equipment.
(9) Slope
stability geotechnical holes.
(a) Slope
stability geotechnical holes include but are not limited to: slope
instrumentation holes such as slope inclinometers, and slope remedial
holes.
(b) Slope stability
geotechnical holes are defined in OAR 690-240-0010(74). Such holes shall be
constructed, operated, used, maintained, and abandoned in such a manner as to
prevent contamination or waste of groundwater.
(c) When a Geotechnical Hole Report is
required under OAR 690-240-0035(2) for a slope stability geotechnical hole that
is constructed to facilitate water level measurements, an affidavit from an
engineer or geologist qualified to perform geotechnical investigations shall be
attached to the Geotechnical Hole Report. The affidavit shall have the
qualified engineer or geologist's stamp on it and shall certify that the slope
stability geotechnical hole is on a landslide or a mass-wasting
feature.
(10)
Geotechnical Holes abandonment:
(a)
Geotechnical holes shall be abandoned in the following manner:
(A) If it can be verified that the
geotechnical hole was constructed in accordance with these rules, it shall be
abandoned by filling the well from the bottom up with an approved grout as
described in OAR 690-240-0475. The casing shall then be removed below grade, as
compatible with local site conditions and land practices. The following are
acceptable methods of original geotechnical hole construction verification:
(i) A geotechnical hole report previously
submitted to the Water Resources Department;
(ii) Geotechnical hole information submitted
to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality;
(iii) Other information as approved by the
Water Resources Department;
(B) If the geotechnical hole construction
cannot be verified by means listed in section (A) of this rule, or if the
geotechnical hole was not constructed in accordance with these rules, the
geotechnical hole shall be abandoned by completely redrilling the hole to a
minimum of the original diameter. All casing, screen, annular sealing material,
drill cuttings, debris, and filter pack material shall be removed prior to
sealing.
(b) Geotechnical
holes constructed to collect a water quality sample shall be abandoned in
accordance with OAR 690-240-0510.
Notes
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 537.780
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