Baseline Soil and Groundwater Analysis
Document environmental conditions before your next lease, development or operational change with targeted sampling, clear interpretation and practical reporting.
Nexus Environmental Services Ltd. provides baseline soil and groundwater assessment services for commercial, industrial and agricultural properties throughout Alberta.
Whether you are leasing a property, establishing a new operation or documenting conditions before site activities begin, we help create a record of soil and groundwater quality within the assessed areas.
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✓ Site-specific soil and groundwater sampling programs
✓ Laboratory analysis and clear documentation of assessed conditions
✓ Baseline assessment services available throughout Alberta
Establish Environmental Conditions Before Activities Begin
Leasing a Property
Document soil and groundwater conditions before a tenant takes possession or begins activities that could affect the property.
Starting or Expanding Operations
Establish a reference point before introducing fuel storage, chemical handling, equipment maintenance or other potentially contaminating activities.
Planning Development
Obtain environmental information to support project planning and provide context for future investigations.
What Is Baseline Soil and Groundwater Analysis?
A baseline soil and groundwater assessment documents environmental conditions at selected locations and depths at a particular point in time.
The work typically involves collecting soil samples, installing or sampling groundwater monitoring wells where appropriate, and submitting selected samples for laboratory analysis.
The sampling program is designed around the property’s history, proposed activities and assessment objectives. Results provide a reference against which future findings may be compared.
A baseline assessment may also identify existing contamination that requires further investigation. Its value depends on selecting suitable sampling locations, contaminants and methods before the activities of interest begin.
A Baseline Assessment May Include:
✓ Review of property history and previous environmental reports
✓ Review of proposed operations or lease areas
✓ A site-specific investigation and sampling plan
✓ Borehole drilling and soil sampling
✓ Groundwater monitoring-well installation and sampling
✓ Laboratory analysis of relevant substances
✓ Comparison with applicable environmental guidelines
✓ Documentation of sampling locations and conditions
✓ Clear conclusions, limitations and recommendations
Important: A baseline assessment documents the conditions investigated. It does not establish that every part of a property is free of contamination or determine responsibility for future contamination on its own.
What Does a Baseline Assessment Include?
Review and Scope Development
We review available property information, previous environmental investigations and the activities planned for the site.
This helps identify relevant substances, areas requiring assessment and the information needed to create a useful baseline.
Sampling Plan
Sampling locations and depths are selected based on the assessment objectives, historical activities, proposed operations and site conditions.
Where appropriate, the program may include both proposed activity areas and locations intended to help characterize background or surrounding conditions.
Soil Investigation
Soil samples are collected from selected locations using appropriate investigation methods. Soil conditions, sample depths and field observations are documented.
Groundwater Investigation
Existing monitoring wells are evaluated for suitability, or new wells may be installed where warranted.
Groundwater measurements and samples provide information about conditions within the portions of the groundwater system assessed.
Laboratory Analysis
Selected samples are submitted to an accredited laboratory for analyses relevant to the site’s history and proposed activities.
Testing may include petroleum hydrocarbons, solvents, metals, salinity indicators or other substances identified during scope development.
Reporting and Recommendations
The completed report documents the investigation methods, sampling locations, laboratory results and applicable guideline comparisons.
It explains the assessed conditions, identifies limitations and provides recommendations regarding any further investigation or future monitoring.
When Do You Need Baseline Soil and Groundwater Analysis?
A baseline assessment may be useful when:
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Entering a commercial or industrial lease
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Establishing environmental conditions before tenant occupancy
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Opening a new commercial or industrial operation
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Installing fuel storage or chemical-handling facilities
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Beginning equipment maintenance or vehicle-servicing activities
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Expanding operations into a previously unused area
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Establishing a reference point for future monitoring
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Documenting conditions before construction or site disturbance
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Supporting environmental provisions in a lease or operating agreement
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Investigating a property where previous environmental information is limited
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Meeting a project-specific requirement for pre-operation environmental data
Completing the work before occupancy or operational changes can provide a more useful reference than testing after activities have already begun.
Preparing for a Lease or Operational Change?
Send us the property address, available environmental reports, a description of the proposed activities and your required completion date.
We will provide a clear proposal outlining the investigation scope, laboratory analyses, cost and scheduling availability.
If the assessment is intended to support a lease or other agreement, share the relevant environmental assessment requirements so the proposed work can address the intended purpose.
Environmental Conditions a Baseline Assessment Can Evaluate
Baseline testing can assess substances associated with historical land use or activities planned for the property.
Depending on the agreed scope, the program may evaluate concerns associated with:
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Fuel storage and dispensing
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Petroleum products and lubricants
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Vehicle servicing and equipment maintenance
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Solvent storage and use
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Industrial manufacturing
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Chemical handling and storage
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Waste oil and waste-management areas
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Pesticide and fertilizer storage
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Salt storage and handling
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Historical spills or releases
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Imported fill and previous site disturbance
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Potential impacts from neighbouring properties
Testing is selected for the assessment objectives. A standard laboratory package may not capture every substance relevant to a particular operation.
How Is a Baseline Assessment Different from a Phase II ESA?
A Phase II Environmental Site Assessment investigates actual or potential contamination identified through property history, previous assessments or other information.
A baseline assessment focuses on documenting conditions before a particular activity, occupancy or change occurs.
The field methods can be similar, and a baseline program may be completed as a Phase II ESA where the objectives and scope support that approach.
A Phase I ESA may also be recommended to help identify historical concerns and guide the baseline sampling program.
Nexus explains the proposed approach so you understand what the assessment is intended to establish.
Why Choose Nexus Environmental?
Nexus Environmental Services Ltd. is an Alberta-based environmental consulting company providing environmental due diligence, subsurface investigations and contaminated-site support.
Site-Specific Investigations
Sampling programs are developed around the property’s history, proposed activities and intended use of the results.
Practical Field Experience
Our work draws on experience with soil investigations, groundwater sampling and commercial and industrial properties.
Clear Communication
You communicate directly with the environmental professional completing your assessment. We explain the scope, findings and limitations in straightforward language.
Useful Documentation
Reports record sampling locations, investigation depths, methods and laboratory results to support future review and comparison.
Practical Recommendations
If the assessment identifies environmental concerns or information gaps, we explain what additional work may be warranted and why.
Complete Environmental Support
Nexus also provides Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, groundwater monitoring, contamination delineation, soil and groundwater remediation, and vapour intrusion assessments.
Baseline Assessment Services Across Alberta
Nexus Environmental Services Ltd. provides baseline soil and groundwater assessment services throughout Alberta.
Based in Lethbridge, we serve clients in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Brooks, Taber, Fort Macleod, Claresholm, Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass and communities across the province.
We assist property owners, landlords, tenants, developers and facility operators with environmental assessment in urban and rural Alberta.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should Testing Be Completed Before a Tenant Moves In?
Where the objective is to document pre-occupancy conditions, testing should ideally be completed before the tenant begins activities that could affect soil or groundwater.
The scope should consider both historical property uses and the proposed tenant’s operations.
Can a Baseline Assessment Determine Who Caused Contamination?
A baseline report can provide evidence of conditions at the time of assessment, but it does not establish responsibility on its own.
Interpreting later changes may require additional investigation, comparable sampling data and information about site activities and potential sources.
Does Every Baseline Assessment Include Groundwater Sampling?
No. The need for groundwater investigation depends on the assessment objectives, potential contaminants and site conditions.
Some projects may focus on soil, while others require both soil and groundwater assessment.
Can You Use Existing Monitoring Wells?
Yes, where the wells are suitable for the investigation.
We review available construction records, locations and well conditions to determine whether they can provide the information needed. Additional or replacement wells may be recommended.
What Substances Should Be Tested?
The analytical scope depends on historical land use, proposed operations and the purpose of the assessment.
For example, fuel-handling activities may warrant petroleum hydrocarbon testing, while other operations may require solvents, metals or salinity analyses.
What If the Baseline Assessment Finds Contamination?
The results are evaluated against applicable environmental criteria and the investigation objectives.
Further work may include additional sampling, delineation, groundwater monitoring, remediation or risk management. Nexus explains the findings and recommended next steps.
Does a Baseline Report Confirm the Entire Property Is Uncontaminated?
No. Conclusions apply to the areas, depths, substances and conditions assessed.
Sampling cannot characterize every part of a property, and the report identifies the investigation’s limitations.
Can Future Results Be Compared with the Baseline?
Yes. Comparisons are most useful when future work uses suitable locations, methods and laboratory analyses.
Groundwater seasonality, changes in site conditions and differences in sampling methods must also be considered when interpreting results.
Does Baseline Testing Include Excavated Soil Disposal Approval?
Not automatically. Soil intended for disposal may require additional characterization and documentation to meet the receiving facility’s acceptance requirements.
If excavation or disposal is planned, include that information when requesting a quote.
How Long Does a Baseline Assessment Take?
Completion time depends on the scope, property location, drilling availability, utility clearances, site access, groundwater conditions and laboratory turnaround.
Groundwater sampling may require a separate visit after monitoring wells have been installed and developed.
How Much Does a Baseline Assessment Cost?
The cost depends on the number and depth of sampling locations, drilling requirements, monitoring wells, laboratory analyses, travel and reporting needs.
Contact Nexus with the property address and proposed activities to receive a project-specific quote.
What Information Is Needed for a Quote?
Provide the property address, available environmental reports, proposed lease or operational areas, a description of planned activities and your required completion date.
Relevant lease requirements, site plans and information about existing monitoring wells are also helpful.
Establish a Clear Environmental Reference Point
Whether you are leasing a property, starting an operation or planning future site activities, Nexus Environmental Services Ltd. can help document soil and groundwater conditions before the work begins.
Send us the property address, a description of your planned activities and your required completion date to receive a straightforward baseline assessment proposal.
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Email: info@nexusenvironmental.ca