RESCUE OF THE JOINT UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (UCONN) - DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION (CT DEP) CORE REPOSITORY BY THE CONNECTICUT GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY (CGNHS)

Approximately 7500' of borehole core is currently being rescued and restored by CGNHS (CT DEP). Cores include Mesozoic sedimentary and volcanic rocks from Hartford, metamorphic rocks from the Moodus Seismic Zone, igneous rocks from the Middletown Pegmatite District and rocks from numerous other sites. CGNHS is curating all reclaimed materials and actively researching core-hole locations, drilling logs, and historical documents. The collection will be described on the Internet and will be available for study through the CGNHS office. The largest part of the collection was rescued for the first time in the late 1980's when the ACOE (Army Corps of Engineers) divested themselves of samples collected during construction projects in CT. Although a storage facility was not available at the time, the ACOE collection was accepted by CGNHS and the UConn Geology Department. The core collection was stored for several years covered by tarps in an open grassy area of the CT DEP Parks Division. Cores from the Moodus Seismic Zone were similarly stored in make-do locations, including hallways, stairwells, and a motel parking area. The cores were rescued, for a second time, when more suitable storage was found in a basement at the former Mansfield Training School, part of the UConn Depot Campus. The space had electricity, water, and heat during the winter and provided layout space for researchers. Unfortunately, the building, already in need of repair when UConn inherited it, received little maintenance and soon fell into disrepair. Heat to the building was discontinued and water leakage became a problem. UConn in effect, abandoned the building and access to the core repository was denied because of mounting potential health and safety hazards (mold/asbestos). The University welded a lock and chain across all entrances to the facility, in 2002, preventing access to all but vandals. Search for a new facility had no success until CGHNS found space in a historic dairy barn at CT DEP Western District Headquarters in Harwinton, CT. After receiving required hazards training, workers were allowed to enter the old facility in 2005 to begin rescuing the cores for the third time. They found ~1000 wet, mold covered core-boxes, rotting in the darkness. Relocation and restoration of the State's rock core repository is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2006.