Closed Los Angeles Landfill

Location – 4300 Alameda NE

Dates of Operation – 1978-1983 by the City of Albuquerque

Acres - 77

Estimated Amounts of  Waste – 2.2 million tons or 4.4 million cubic yards

Depth to Groundwater and Direction – 100-165 feet and flows to the southeast

Site Description

The Los Angeles Landfill (LALF) is a 77 acre closed landfill located at 4300 Alameda Blvd.  The landfill operated from 1978 to 1983.  Approximately 2.2 million tons (4.4 million cubic yards) of trash was placed at LALF.     From 1984 to 1995 the LALF was used as a balloon launching site for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and from 1996 to present it is used for parking and recreational vehicle accommodations during the Fiesta.

In 1995 methane gas was detected in a business park directly east of the LALF and landfill gas monitoring began.  Monitoring efforts led to the installation of a landfill gas collection and flare system and off-site landfill gas probes.  Hydrogeologic studies starting in 1987 have led to the installation of groundwater monitoring wells and construction of the on-site soil vapor extraction system and off-site pump and treat remediation system to remove volatile organic compounds.

The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department monitors multiple perimeter landfill gas and groundwater monitoring wells at LALF.  The buffer zone is established at 1,000 feet from the landfill boundary.  Building projects and development projects located within the buffer zone are reviewed by the City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department for landfill gas impacts.

Current Status

Landfill Gas Monitoring, Collection and Flare System

• Collection and Flare System completed in 2000
• 43 perimeter landfill gas wells and 21 interior wells recovering landfill gas continuously
• 17 landfill gas monitoring wells (each at 3 different depths) monitored in Alameda Business Park west of the landfill and 13 around the landfill

Soil Vapor Extraction and Air Injection Systems

• Installed in 2006
• Consists of 10 extraction wells (each at 2 depths)
• Six air injection wells are operated to create a vapor barrier and reduce groundwater contaminant potential

Project Documents

• Plume Evaluation Los Angeles Landfill 2013
• Landfill Maps
• Surface Emission Monitoring Results- October 2015
• 2015 As Built Report for Infrastructure Repairs and Maintenance
• Surface Emission Monitoring Results-September 2016
• Geophysical Survey-2016
• 2nd Half 2020 Groundwater Report for Voluntary Stage 2 Abatement Plan