Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Area of Contamination Policy

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum confirming that certain broad AOCs may be considered to be RCRA landfills, and also describing the distinctions between the final CAMU regulations and the AOC approach and encourages appropriate use of both options to expedite remedial actions.

Glossary of CERCLA, RCRA and TSCA related terms and acronyms. Environmental Guidance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-10-01

This glossary contains CERCLA, RCRA and TSCA related terms that are most often encountered in the US Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Restoration and Emergency Preparedness activities. Detailed definitions are included for key terms. The CERCLA definitions included in this glossary are taken from the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended and related federal rulemakings. The RCRA definitions included in this glossary are taken from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and related federal rulemakings. The TSCA definitions included in this glossary are taken from the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) and related federalmore » rulemakings. Definitions related to TSCA are limited to those sections in the statute and regulations concerning PCBs and asbestos.Other sources for definitions include additional federal rulemakings, assorted guidance documents prepared by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), guidance and informational documents prepared by the US Department of Energy (DOE), and DOE Orders. The source of each term is noted beside the term. Terms presented in this document reflect revised and new definitions published before July 1, 1993.« less

Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) - RCRA and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Federal Facilities, National Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer provides access to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) sites as part of the CIMC web service. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, among other things, helps ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner so as to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal.In particular RCRA tightly regulates all hazardous waste from cradle to grave. In general, all generators, transporters, treaters, storers, and disposers of hazardous waste are required to provide information about their activities to state environmental agencies. These agencies, in turn pass on the information to regional and national EPA offices. Accidents or other activities at facilities that treat, store or dispose of hazardous wastes have sometimes led to the release of hazardous waste or hazardous constituents into soil, ground water, surface water, or air. When that happens, the RCRA Corrective Action program is one program that may be used to accomplish the necessary cleanup.This data layer shows those RCRA sites that are located at BRAC Federal Facilities. Additional RCRA sites and other BRAC sites (those that are not RCRA sites) are included in other data layers as part of this web service.Note: RCRA facilities which are not undergoing corrective action are not considered ??Cleanups?? in Cleanups in My Community. The complete set of RCRA facilities can be accessed via

Information for Exporters of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information for exporters of hazardous waste to OECD countries for recycling who are subject to the hazardous waste generator and importer requirements described in 40 CFR Part 262 Subpart H, under RCRA

Final report on the waste area grouping perimeter groundwater quality monitoring well installation program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greene, J.A.

1991-06-01

A groundwater quality monitoring well installation program was conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to meet the requirements of environmental regulations, including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). A total of 173 wells were installed and developed at 11 different waste area groupings (WAGs) between June 1986 and November 1990. A location map of the wells is included.

THE INTEGRATION OF THE 241-Z BUILDING DECONTAMINATION & DECOMMISSIONING (D&D) UNDER COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE COMPENSATION & LIABILITY ACT (CERCLA) WITH RESOURCE CONSERVATION & RECOVERY ACT (RCRA) CLOSURE AT THE PLUTONIUM FINISHING PLANT (PFP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

HOPKINS, A.M.

2007-02-20

The 241-Z treatment and storage tanks, a hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) unit permitted pursuant to the ''Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976'' (RCRA) and Washington State ''Hazardous Waste Management Act, RCW 70.105'', have been deactivated and are being actively decommissioned. The 241-Z TSD unit managed non-listed radioactive contaminated waste water, containing trace RCRA characteristic constituents. The 241-Z TSD unit consists of below grade tanks (D-4, D-5, D-7, D-8, and an overflow tank) located in a concrete containment vault, sample glovebox GB-2-241-ZA, and associated ancillary piping and equipment. The tank system is located beneath the 241-Z building.more » The 241-Z building is not a portion of the TSD unit. The sample glovebox is housed in the above-grade building. Waste managed at the TSD unit was received via underground mining from Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) sources. Tank D-6, located in the D-6 vault cell, is a past-practice tank that was taken out of service in 1972 and has never operated as a portion of the RCRA TSD unit. CERCLA actions address Tank D-6, its containment vault cell, and soil beneath the cell that was potentially contaminated during past-practice operations and any other potential past-practice contamination identified during 241-Z closure, while outside the scope of the ''Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Closure Plant, 241-Z Treatment and Storage Tanks''.« less

Calendar year 1996 annual groundwater monitoring report for the Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime at the U.S. Department of Energy Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-02-01

This annual monitoring report contains groundwater and surface water monitoring data obtained in the Chestnut Ridge Hydrogeologic Regime (Chestnut Ridge Regime) during calendar year (CY) 1996. The Chestnut Ridge Regime encompasses a section of Chestnut Ridge west of Scarboro Road and east of an unnamed drainage feature southwest of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (unless otherwise noted, directions are in reference to the Y-12 Plant administrative grid). The Chestnut Ridge Regime contains several sites used for management of hazardous and nonhazardous wastes associated with plant operations. Groundwater and surface water quality monitoring associated with thesemore » waste management sites is performed under the auspices of the Y-12 Plant Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP). Included in this annual monitoring report are the groundwater monitoring data obtained in compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Post-Closure Permit for the Chestnut Ridge Regime (post-closure permit) issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) in June 1996. Besides the signed certification statement and the RCRA facility information summarized below, condition II.C.6 of the post-closure permit requires annual reporting of groundwater monitoring activities, inclusive of the analytical data and results of applicable data evaluations, performed at three RCRA hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal (TSD) units: the Chestnut Ridge Sediment Disposal Basin (Sediment Disposal Basin), the Chestnut Ridge Security Pits (Security Pits), and Kerr Hollow Quarry.« less

RCRA Facility Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This asset includes hazardous waste information, which is mostly contained in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information (RCRAInfo) System, a national program management and inventory system addressing hazardous waste handlers. In general, all entities that generate, transport, treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste are required to provide information about their activities to state environmental agencies. These agencies pass on that information to regional and national EPA offices. This regulation is governed by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. RCRAInfo Search can be used to determine identification and location data for specific hazardous waste handlers and to find a wide range of information on treatment, storage, and disposal facilities regarding permit/closure status, compliance with Federal and State regulations, and cleanup activities. Categories of information in this asset include:-- Handlers-- Permit Information-- GIS information on facility location-- Financial Assurance-- Corrective Action-- Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement (CM&E)

SEMINAR PUBLICATION: DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF RCRA/CERCLA FINAL COVERS

EPA Science Inventory

Cover systems are an essential part of all land disposal facilities. Covers control moisture infiltration from the surface into closed facilities and limit the formation of leachate and its migration to ground water. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subparts G, K...

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: RCRA corrective action updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module discusses the regulatory and statutory requirements and authorities governing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. There are minimal regulatory requirements at present, but the Agency has issued a proposed rule (55 FR 30798; July 27, 1990) that would establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for implementing the corrective action program. This proposed rule and other guidance developed pursuant to statutory authorities are used to structure corrective action requirements in facility permits and orders. This module describes the current statutory and regulatory structure and discusses the future of the proposed rule.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in Focus: Hazardous Waste Generator Guidance by Industry

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Publications providing an overview of the RCRA regulations affecting specific industry sectors. These documents present the lifecycle of a typical waste for each industry and focuses on recycling and pollution prevention.

Summary of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) State Authorization Rule Checklist 3006(f)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This checklist is an electronic version of the original document found in the 1986 State Consolidated RCRA Authorization Manual (SCRAM). The checklist has not undergone any formal legal review since publication in the SCRAM.

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: RCRA treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (40 cfr parts 264/265, subparts a-e) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The management of hazardous waste at treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) plays a large and critical role in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulatory scheme. The training module presents an overview of the general TSDF standards found in 40 CFR Parts 264/265, Subparts A through E.

National RCRA Hazardous Waste Biennial Report Data Files

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with the States, biennially collects information regarding the generation, management, and final disposition of hazardous wastes regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), as amended. Collection, validation and verification of the Biennial Report (BR) data is the responsibility of RCRA authorized states and EPA regions. EPA does not modify the data reported by the states or regions. Any questions regarding the information reported for a RCRA handler should be directed to the state agency or region responsible for the BR data collection. BR data are collected every other year (odd-numbered years) and submitted in the following year. The BR data are used to support regulatory activities and provide basic statistics and trend of hazardous waste generation and management. BR data is available to the public through 3 mechanisms. 1. The RCRAInfo website includes data collected from 2001 to present-day (https://rcrainfo.epa.gov/rcrainfoweb/action/main-menu/view). Users of the RCRAInfo website can run queries and output reports for different data collection years at this site. All BR data collected from 2001 to present-day is stored in RCRAInfo, and is accessible through this website. 2. An FTP site allows users to access BR data files collected from 1999 - present day (ftp://ftp.epa.gov/rcrainfodata/). Zip files are available for download directly from this

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Solid and hazardous waste exclusions (40 cfr section 261.4) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The Resources Conservation and Recovery Act`s (RCRA) Subtitle C hazardous waste management program is a comprehensive and carefully constructed system to ensure wastes are managed safely and lawfully. This program begins with a very specific, formal process to categorize wastes accurately and appropriately called waste identification. The module explains each waste exclusion and its scope, so you can apply this knowledge in determining whether a given waste is or is not regulated under RCRA Subtitle C.

Special Focus Areas for Hazardous Waste Cleanups under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In order to manage the new and changing needs of the RCRA Corrective Action Program, EPA is constantly exploring program enhancements, alternate exposure pathways, and new technologies available to protect human health and environment.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Training: Strategies for Meeting the 2020 Vision

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

RCRA Corrective Action training to develop and enhance the skills of qualified personnel who will implement corrective actions for their sites by the year 2020 that are protective of human health and the environment while encouraging revitalization.

Impact of Preservation of Subsoil Water Act on Groundwater Depletion: The Case of Punjab, India.

PubMed

Tripathi, Amarnath; Mishra, Ashok K; Verma, Geetanjali

2016-07-01

Indian states like Punjab and Haryana, epicenters of the Green Revolution, are facing severe groundwater shortages and falling water tables. Recognizing it as a serious concern, the Government of Punjab enacted the Punjab Preservation of Subsoil Water Act in 2009 (or the 2009 act) to slow groundwater depletion. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of this policy on groundwater depletion, using panel data from 1985 to 2011. Results from this study find a robust effect of the 2009 act on reducing groundwater depletion. Our models for pre-monsoon, post-monsoon, and overall periods of analysis find that since implementation of the 2009 act, groundwater tables have improved significantly. Second, our study reveals that higher shares of tube wells per total cropped area and increased population density have led to a significant decline in the groundwater tables. On the other hand, rainfall and the share of area irrigated by surface water have had an augmenting effect on groundwater resources. In the two models, pre-monsoon and post-monsoon, this study shows that seasonality plays a key role in determining the groundwater table in Punjab. Specifically, monsoon rainfall has a very prominent impact on groundwater.

The Integration of the 241-Z Building Decontamination and Decommissioning Under Cercla with RCRA Closure at the Plutonium Finishing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mattlin, E.; Charboneau, S.; Johnston, G.

2007-07-01

The 241-Z treatment and storage tanks, a hazardous waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal (TSD) unit permitted pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) and Washington State Hazardous Waste Management Act, RCW 70.105, , have been deactivated and are being actively decommissioned under the provisions of the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (HFFACO), RCRA and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq. The 241-Z TSD unit managed non-listed radioactive contaminated waste water, containing trace RCRA characteristic constituents. The 241-Z TSD unit consists of below grade tanks (D-4,more » D-5, D-7, D-8, and an overflow tank) located in a concrete containment vault, sample glovebox GB-2-241-ZA, and associated ancillary piping and equipment. The tank system is located beneath the 241-Z building. The 241-Z building is not a portion of the TSD unit. The sample glovebox is housed in the above-grade building. Waste managed at the TSD unit was received via underground piping from Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) sources. Tank D-6, located in the D-6 vault cell, is a past-practice tank that was taken out of service in 1972 and has never operated as a portion of the RCRA TSD unit. CERCLA actions will address Tank D-6, its containment vault cell, and soil beneath the cell that was potentially contaminated during past-practice operations and any other potential past-practice contamination identified during 241-Z closure, while outside the scope of the Hanford Facility Dangerous Waste Closure Plan, 241-Z Treatment and Storage Tanks. Under the RCRA closure plan, the 241-Z TSD unit is anticipated to undergo clean closure to the performance standards of the State of Washington with respect to dangerous waste contamination from RCRA operations. The TSD unit will be clean closed if physical closure activities identified in the plan achieve clean closure standards for all

Information for Importers and Receiving Facilities of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Hazardous Waste

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Information for importers of hazardous waste from Canada, Chile, Mexico, or non-OECD countries who are subject to the hazardous waste generator and importer requirements described in 40 CFR Part 262 Subpart A – D and F, under RCRA

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Hazardous waste identification (40 cfr part 261) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module introduces a specific hazardous waste identification process, which involves asking and analyzing a series of questions about any waste being evaluated. It analyzes in detail the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) definition of `hazardous waste.` It explains concepts that are essential to identifying a RCRA hazardous waste: hazardous waste listing, hazardous waste characteristics, the `mixture` and `derived-from` rules, the `contained-in` policy, and the hazardous waste identification rules (HWIR).

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Permits and interim status (40 cfr part 270) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

Owners/operators of facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste must obtain an operating permit, as required by Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The module presents an overview of the RCRA permitting process and the requirements that apply to TSDFs operating under interim status until a permit is issued. The regulations governing the permit process are found in 40 CFR Parts 124 through 270.

Fact Sheet on the History of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This fact sheet provides an overview of the main events that have shaped the current RCRA Corrective Action Program. It also provides a brief history of the statutory authorities, regulations, and policy that form the framework for the program.

Comparison of RCRA SWMU Corrective Action and CERCLA Remedial Action

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-30

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5 . FUNDING NUMBERS Comparison of RCRA SWMU Corrective Action and CERCLA Remedial Action 6. AUTHOR(S) Sam Capps Rupe, Major -1...Interim Status for TSD Facilities .................... 19 5 . Closure and Postclosure Requirements for TSD Facilities ........... 25 D. State Role... 65 1. RCRA Facility Assessment . ............................... 65 2. RCRA Facility Investigation . .............................. 66 3

RCRA Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation Report with Baseline Risk Assessment for the Central Shops Burning/Rubble Pit (631-6G), Volume 1 Final

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-04-01

The Burning/Rubble Pits at the Savannah River Site were usually shallow excavations approximately 3 to 4 meters in depth. Operations at the pits consisted of collecting waste on a continuous basis and burning on a monthly basis. The Central Shops Burning/Rubble Pit 631- 6G (BRP6G) was constructed in 1951 as an unlined earthen pit in surficial sediments for disposal of paper, lumber, cans and empty galvanized steel drums. The unit may have received other materials such as plastics, rubber, rags, cardboard, oil, degreasers, or drummed solvents. The BRP6G was operated from 1951 until 1955. After disposal activities ceased, the areamore » was covered with soil. Hazardous substances, if present, may have migrated into the surrounding soil and/or groundwater. Because of this possibility, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated the BRP6G as a Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) subject to the Resource Conservation Recovery Act/Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (RCRA/CERCLA) process.« less

RCRA/UST, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Hazardous waste identification (40 CFR part 261) updated as of July 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-01

This module introduces a specific hazardous waste identification process, which involves asking and analyzing a series of questions about any waste being evaluated. Analyzes in detail the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) definition of hazardous waste. It explains the following concepts that are essential to identifying a RCRA hazardous waste: hazardous waste listing, hazardous waste characteristics, the mixture and derived-from rules, the contained-in policy, and the Hazardous Waste Identification Rule (HWIR).

EPA Facility Registry Service (FRS): RCRA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This web feature service contains location and facility identification information from EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS) for the subset of hazardous waste facilities that link to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Information System (RCRAInfo). EPA's comprehensive information system in support of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984, RCRAInfo tracks many types of information about generators, transporters, treaters, storers, and disposers of hazardous waste. FRS identifies and geospatially locates facilities, sites or places subject to environmental regulations or of environmental interest. Using vigorous verification and data management procedures, FRS integrates facility data from EPA's national program systems, other federal agencies, and State and tribal master facility records and provides EPA with a centrally managed, single source of comprehensive and authoritative information on facilities. This data set contains the subset of FRS integrated facilities that link to RCRAInfo hazardous waste facilities once the RCRAInfo data has been integrated into the FRS database. Additional information on FRS is available at the EPA website https://www.epa.gov/enviro/facility-registry-service-frs

RCRA Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation Report with Baseline Risk Assessment for the Fire Department Hose Training Facility (904-113G)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, E.

1997-04-01

This report documents the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation/Baseline Risk Assessment (RFI/RI/BRA) for the Fire Department Hose Training Facility (FDTF) (904-113G).

75 FR 1408 - Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision for the Lincoln County Land Act Groundwater...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-11

... County Land Act Groundwater Development and Utility Right-of-Way Project, Nevada AGENCY: Bureau of Land... the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Lincoln County Land Act Groundwater... appeal should also be filed with: Project Manager, Nevada Groundwater Projects Office, Bureau of Land...

SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING TECHNIQUES: A DESK REFERENCE GUIDE - VOLUME II: THE VADOSE ZONE, FIELD SCREENING AND ANALYTICAL METHODS - APPENDICES C AND D

EPA Science Inventory

Many EPA programs, including those under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), require subsurface characterization and monitoring to detect ground-water contamination and provide data to deve...

SUBSURFACE CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING TECHNIQUES: A DESK REFERENCE GUIDE - VOLUME I: SOLIDS AND GROUND WATER - APPENDICES A AND B

EPA Science Inventory

Many EPA programs, including those under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), require subsurface characterization and monitoring to detect ground-water contamination and provide data to devel...

Proposed modifications to the RCRA post-closure permit for the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime at the U.S. Department of Energy Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-05-01

This report presents proposed modifications to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Post-Closure Permit (PCP) for the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Hydrogeologic Regime (permit number TNHW-088, EPA ID No. TN3 89 009 0001). The modifications are proposed to: (1) revise the current text for two of the Permit Conditions included in Permit Section II - General Facility Conditions, and (2) update the PCP with revised versions of the Y-12 Plant Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP) technical field procedures included in several of the Permit Attachments. The updated field procedures and editorial revisions are Class 1 permit modifications, as specifiedmore » in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) {section}270.42; Appendix I - Classification of Permit Modifications. These modifications are summarized below.« less

40 CFR 124.19 - Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD Permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD..., and PSD Permits. (a) Within 30 days after a RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD final permit decision (or a... may also decide on its own initiative to review any condition of any RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD permit...

40 CFR 124.19 - Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD Permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD..., and PSD Permits. (a) Within 30 days after a RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD final permit decision (or a... may also decide on its own initiative to review any condition of any RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD permit...

40 CFR 124.19 - Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD Permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES, and PSD..., and PSD Permits. (a) Within 30 days after a RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD final permit decision (or a... may also decide on its own initiative to review any condition of any RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD permit...

Implementation of EPA criminal enforcement strategy for RCRA interim status facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-11-15

The directive discusses criminal enforcement priorities and procedures related to the RCRA section 3007(e)(2) Loss of Interim Status (LOIS) provision, including: (1) identifying/targeting facilities with violations, (2) verifying receipt of RCRA 3007 letters, and (3) inspections of facilities. The directive supplements directive no. 9930.0-1 RCRA LOIS Enforcement Strategy, dated October 15, 1985. The directive is supplemented by directive no. 9930.0-2a, Accepting Nonhazardous Waste After Losing Interim Status, dated December 20, 1986.

Guidance document publications list - Office of Environmental Policy and Assistance RCRA/CERCLA Division (EH-413)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-08-01

This document provides a listing of Guidance Documents from the RCRA/CERCLA Division for August 1995. Documents are listed under the following categories: RCRA Guidance Manuals; RCRA Information Briefs; CERCLA Guidance Manuals; CERCLA Regulatory Bulletins; RCRA/CERCLA Guidance Manuals; TSCA Guidance Manuals; TSCA Information Briefs; and, Cross Cut Manuals.

Wedron Groundwater Site in Wedron, Illinois

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Wedron Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action program to work with hazardous waste facilities to investigate and clean up any release of hazardous waste into the soil, ground water, surface water and air.

Wedron Groundwater Site Frequently Asked Questions 2013

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Wedron Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action program to work with hazardous waste facilities to investigate and clean up any release of hazardous waste into the soil, ground water, surface water and air.

Memorandum about Regional Certifications Made During the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C State Program Revision Authorization Process

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

During last year’s RCRA Senior Policy Managers Meeting in Kansas City, there was a discussion regarding the certifications that are made by the Regions during the State Authorization Revision process. The result of this discussion was a general agreement.

Ground Water Monitoring Requirements for Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The groundwater monitoring requirements for hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) are just one aspect of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste management strategy for protecting human health and the

A Hydrologically-based Method for Calculating Sustainable Yield under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miro, M.; Famiglietti, J. S.

2016-12-01

In California, traditional water management has focused heavily on surface water, leaving many basins in a state of critical overdraft and lacking in established frameworks for groundwater management. However, new groundwater legislation, the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), presents an important opportunity for water managers and hydrologists to develop novel methods for managing statewide groundwater resources. Integrating scientific advances in groundwater monitoring with hydrologically-sound methods can go a long way in creating a system that can better govern the resource. SGMA mandates that groundwater management agencies employ the concept of sustainable yield as their primary management goal but does not clearly define a method to calculate it. This study will develop a hydrologically-based method to quantify sustainable yield that follows the threshold framework under SGMA. Using this method, sustainable yield will be calculated for two critically-overdrafted groundwater basins in California's Central Valley. This measure will also utilize groundwater monitoring data and downscaled remote sensing estimates of groundwater storage change from NASA's GRACE satellite to illustrate why data matters for successful management. This method can be used as a basis for the development of SGMA's groundwater management plans (GSPs) throughout California.

Non-Delegability of Section 3004(t) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Authorization Status of Several Non-Checklist Authorities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memo announcing the PSPD, Office of Solid Waste and the Office of the General Counsel have reexamined the requirement for States to adopt and become authorized for counterparts to certain provisions in RCRA 3004(t).

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: RCRA state programs updated June 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-06-01

The module outlines the requirements and procedures for a state to become authorized to manage and oversee its own RCRA program. It also describes how the state authorization system can affect the applicability of certain rules. When one has completed the module they will be familiar with the state authorization process for hazardous waste management programs.

25 Years Of Environmental Remediation In The General Separations Area Of The Savannah River Site: Lessons Learned About What Worked And What Did Not Work In Soil And Groundwater Cleanup

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Blount, Gerald; Thibault, Jeffrey; Millings, Margaret

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is owned and administered by the US Department of Energy (DOE). SRS covers an area of approximately 900 square kilometers. The General Separation Area (GSA) is located roughly in the center of the SRS and includes: radioactive material chemical separations facilities, radioactive waste tank farms, a variety of radioactive seepage basins, and the radioactive waste burial grounds. Radioactive wastes were disposed in the GSA from the mid-1950s through the mid-1990s. Radioactive operations at the F Canyon began in 1954; radioactive operations at H Canyon began in 1955. Waste water disposition to the F and Hmore » Seepage Basins began soon after operations started in the canyons. The Old Radioactive Waste Burial Ground (ORWBG) began operations in 1952 to manage solid waste that could be radioactive from all the site operations, and ceased receiving waste in 1972. The Mixed Waste Management Facility (MWMF) and Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility (LLRWDF) received radioactive solid waste from 1969 until 1995. Environmental legislation enacted in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s led to changes in waste management and environmental cleanup practices at SRS. The US Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, and the Clean Water Act in 1972; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) was enacted in 1976; the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) was enacted by Congress in 1980; the Federal Facilities Compliance Act (FFCA) was signed into law in 1992. Environmental remediation at the SRS essentially began with a 1987 Settlement Agreement between the SRS and the State of South Carolina (under the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - SCDHEC), which recognized linkage between many SRS waste management facilities and RCRA. The SRS manages several of the larger groundwater remedial activities under RCRA for facilities recognized early on as environmental problems. All

SEMINAR PROCEEDINGS: RCRA CORRECTIVE ACTION STABILIZATION TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The seminar publication provides an overview of many technologies that can be used in applying the stabilization concept to RCRA cleanup activities. Technologies discussed include covers, grouting, slurry walls, hydrofracture, horizontal well drilling, a vacuum extraction, and b...

Evoqua RCRA Permit Application and Draft Permit Documents

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Documents pertaining to the proposed RCRA permit for the Evoqua Water Technologies LLC carbon regeneration facility located on the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) reservation near Parker, Arizona.

40 CFR 124.19 - Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES and PSD Permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES and PSD... PSD Permits. (a) Petitioning for review of a permit decision. (1) Initiating an appeal. Appeal from a RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD final permit decision issued under § 124.15 of this part, or a decision to...

40 CFR 124.19 - Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES and PSD Permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Appeal of RCRA, UIC, NPDES and PSD... PSD Permits. (a) Petitioning for review of a permit decision. (1) Initiating an appeal. Appeal from a RCRA, UIC, NPDES, or PSD final permit decision issued under § 124.15 of this part, or a decision to...

STABILIZATION/SOLIDIFICATION OF CERCLA AND RCRA WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

This Handbook provides U.S. EPA regional staff responsible for reviewing CERCLA remedial action plans and RCRA permit applications with a tool for interpreting information on stabilization/solidification treatment. As a practical day-to-day reference guide, it will also provide t...

Potential Applicability of Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment Technologies to RCRA Waste Streams and Contaminated Media (PDF)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report provides an evaluation of the potential applicability of Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) technologies to RCRA waste streams and contaminated media found at RCRA and Superfund sites.

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Resources and FAQs ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: RCRA enforcement and compliance updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module describes enforcement procedures and cites the statutory authority and describes the two different types of enforcement (i.e., administrative and judicial). It explains when and how EPA can enforce the RCRA regulations in authorized states. It describes the enforcement mechanisms available to EPA. It states the differences between enforcement at interim status and permitted facilities. It describes enforcement at federal facilities and identifies relevant resource documents.

75 FR 55577 - Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to Confidential Business Information

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-13

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9200-8] Clean Water Act; Contractor Access to Confidential... Recovery Act (RCRA). Transfer of the information will allow the contractor and subcontractors to access... contractors and subcontractors over the history of the effluent guidelines program. EPA determined that this...

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B Permit Application for Production Associated Units at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This is the RCRA required permit application for Radioactive and Hazardous Waste Management at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant for the following units: Building 9206 Container Storage Unit; Building 9212 Container Storage Unit; Building 9720-12 Container Storage Unit; Cyanide Treatment Unit. All four of these units are associated with the recovery of enriched uranium and other metals from wastes generated during the processing of nuclear materials.

State and territorial use of ground-water strategy grant funds (Section 106 Clean Water Act). Technical report (Final)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-05-01

This document reports on the activities of States in FY 85 and 86 in developing and implementing State ground-water protection strategies using Clean Water Act Section 106 funds. Every State and all but one territory has participated in the program. Strategies have included emphasis on the need to consolidate State and local agency efforts, and to provide clear policy direction, greater public awareness and education concerning ground-water protection.

Revised ground-water monitoring compliance plan for the 300 area process trenches

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schalla, R.; Aaberg, R.L.; Bates, D.J.

1988-09-01

This document contains ground-water monitoring plans for process-water disposal trenches located on the Hanford Site. These trenches, designated the 300 Area Process Trenches, have been used since 1973 for disposal of water that contains small quantities of both chemicals and radionuclides. The ground-water monitoring plans contained herein represent revision and expansion of an effort initiated in June 1985. At that time, a facility-specific monitoring program was implemented at the 300 Area Process Trenches as part of a regulatory compliance effort for hazardous chemicals being conducted on the Hanford Site. This monitoring program was based on the ground-water monitoring requirements formore » interim-status facilities, which are those facilities that do not yet have final permits, but are authorized to continue interim operations while engaged in the permitting process. The applicable monitoring requirements are described in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), 40 CFR 265.90 of the federal regulations, and in WAC 173-303-400 of Washington State's regulations (Washington State Department of Ecology 1986). The program implemented for the process trenches was designed to be an alternate program, which is required instead of the standard detection program when a facility is known or suspected to have contaminated the ground water in the uppermost aquifer. The plans for the program, contained in a document prepared by the US Department of Energy (USDOE) in 1985, called for monthly sampling of 14 of the 37 existing monitoring wells at the 300 Area plus the installation and sampling of 2 new wells. 27 refs., 25 figs., 15 tabs.« less

RCRA/UST, superfund, and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: RCRA enforcement and compliance, update as of July 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-01

The module describds enforcement procedures and cites the statutory authority. It describes the two different types of enforcement (i.e., administrative and judicial) and explains when and how EPA can enforce the RCRA regulations in authorized states. It describes the enforcement mechanisms available to EPA. It states the differences between enforcement at interim status, permitted facilities, and Federal facilities. It also identifies relevant resources documents.

Hanford Site Groundwater Monitoring for Fiscal Year 2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartman, Mary J.; Morasch, Launa F.; Webber, William D.

2001-03-01

This report presents the results of groundwater and vadose zone monitoring and remediation for fiscal year 2000 on the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site, Washington. The most extensive contaminant plumes are tritium, iodine-129, and nitrate, which all had multiple sources and are very mobile in groundwater. Carbon tetrachloride and associated organic constituents form a relatively large plume beneath the central part of the Site. Hexavalent chromium is present in smaller plumes beneath the reactor areas along the river and beneath the central part of the site. Strontium-90 exceeds standards beneath each of the reactor areas, and technetium-99 and uraniummore » are present in the 200 Areas. RCRA groundwater monitoring continued during fiscal year 2000. Vadose zone monitoring, characterization, remediation, and several technical demonstrations were conducted in fiscal year 2000. Soil gas monitoring at the 618-11 burial ground provided a preliminary indication of the location of tritium in the vadose zone and in groundwater. Groundwater modeling efforts focused on 1) identifying and characterizing major uncertainties in the current conceptual model and 2) performing a transient inverse calibration of the existing site-wide model. Specific model applications were conducted in support of the Hanford Site carbon tetrachloride Innovative Treatment Remediation Technology; to support the performance assessment of the Immobilized Low-Activity Waste Disposal Facility; and in development of the System Assessment Capability, which is intended to predict cumulative site-wide effects from all significant Hanford Site contaminants.« less

RCRA Summary Document for the David Witherspoon 1630 Site, Knoxville, Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pfeffer, J.

2008-06-10

metal, cylinders, and cable) and populations of debris type items (e.g., piles of bricks, small scrap metal, roofing material, scaffolding, and shelving) that are located throughout the DWI 1630 site. The project also generates an additional small volume of secondary waste [e.g., personal protective equipment (PPE), and miscellaneous construction waste] that is bagged and included in bulk soil shipments to the EMWMF. The Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) for the EMWMF does not allow for material that does not meet the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Land Disposal Restrictions (LDRs). The waste being excavated in certain areas of the DWI 1630 site contained soil that did not meet RCRA LDR criteria; therefore this waste had to be segregated for treatment or alternate disposal offsite. This document identifies the approach taken by the DWI 1630 project to further characterize the areas identified during the Phase II Remedial Investigation (RI) as potentially containing RCRA-characteristic waste. This document also describes the methodology used to determine excavation limits for areas determined to be RCRA waste, post excavation sampling, and the treatment and disposal of this material.« less

77 FR 24740 - Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation And Recovery Act and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-25

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation And Recovery Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Notice is hereby given... Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq., and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know...

Direction of ground-water flow in the surficial aquifer in the vicinity of impact areas G-10 and K-2, Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, North Carolina, 2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, Stephen L.; Howe, Stephen S.; Terziotti, Silvia

2004-01-01

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is located in Onslow County in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. In support of North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resource requirements, Camp Lejeune is developing a site closure plan for two Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulated open burn/open detonation (OB/OD) facilities located within Impact Area K-2 and Impact Area G-10, respectively. Both Impact Areas are used for training activities involving live artillery fire. The two OB/OD facilities are used to treat RCRA regulated waste munitions. To provide Base officials with information needed for assessing the quality of ground water at these sites, hydrologic data were used to characterize groundwater flow directions and hydraulic gradients in the surficial aquifer underlying the Impact Areas. Water-level data in the unconfined surficial aquifer and potentiometric head data in the underlying Castle Hayne aquifer were compiled from existing and newly drilled wells. Water-table contour maps were developed for Impact Areas K-2 and G-10 to examine the direction of ground-water flow in the surficial aquifer. The primary directions of ground-water flow beneath K-2 are southward and eastward toward discharge zones along the New River and its tributaries. Beneath interior areas of G-10, water in the surficial aquifer flows outward in all directions toward discharge zones along local streams that drain westward to the New River or to streams that drain southward and eastward to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Long-term water-level data for the period October 1994 through September 2004 at selected Camp Lejeune well sites were used to examine trends in ground-water levels and vertical hydraulic gradients between the surficial and Castle Hayne aquifers. Evaluation of water-level data for three wells in the surficial aquifer indicated no significant trends for this period of record. The apparent water-level declines in two of the three Castle

40 CFR 124.203 - How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit? 124.203 Section 124.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Permit Applying for A Standardized Permit § 124.203 How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a...

40 CFR 124.203 - How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit? 124.203 Section 124.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Permit Applying for A Standardized Permit § 124.203 How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a...

40 CFR 124.203 - How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit? 124.203 Section 124.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Permit Applying for A Standardized Permit § 124.203 How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a...

40 CFR 124.203 - How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit? 124.203 Section 124.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Permit Applying for A Standardized Permit § 124.203 How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a...

40 CFR 124.203 - How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a standardized permit? 124.203 Section 124.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Permit Applying for A Standardized Permit § 124.203 How may I switch from my individual RCRA permit to a...

77 FR 518 - Notice of Lodging of the Consent Decree Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-05

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of the Consent Decree Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Clean Water Act Notice is hereby given that on December 22, 2011, a proposed Consent... Erie's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (``RCRA'') violations stemming from its failure to meet...

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Organic Air Emission Standards for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities and Generators

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document describes the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) organic air emission standards contained in 40 CFR parts 264/265, subpart CC for hazardous waste treatment

RCRA facility investigation and risk assessment, McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, McAlester, Oklahoma. Supplemental phase 2 RFI report, Solid Waste Management Units 32 and 33

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-11-30

This report presents the results of the Supplemental Phase 2 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Investigation (RFI) conducted for Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) Number 32 and Number 33 at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP). The supplemental action of the RFI was conducted as part of the actions required in connection with the application for a RCRA permit for the management of hazardous waste at MCAAP. The objective of this Supplemental Phase 2 RFI is to collect and analyze soil samples from Solid Waste Management Unit (SWMU) 32 and SWMU 33 for dioxins/dibenzofurans. The purpose of this reportmore » is to describe the procedures used to perform the Supplemental Phase 2 RFI to present and assess the results obtained in terms of the nature and extent of any contamination found, to present the results of human health and ecological risk assessments, and to recommend future actions.« less

Hazardous Waste Site Analysis (Small Site Technology)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

Act HSRT - Hazardous Substance Response Trust (Superfund Trust) HSWA - Hdzardeus and Solid Waste Amendments (to RCRA) NAAQSD - National Ambient Air...impoundments (basically, any area where hazardous substances are located). * Under CERCLA, "Environment" includes surface and groundwater, ambient air, land...34 provisions with permit requirements for new source construction). " Ambient Air Quality standards (NAAQs) have been issued for six "criteria" pollutants

A Toolbox for Corrective Action: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facilities Investigation Remedy Selection Track

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this toolbox is to help EPA Regional staff and their partners to take advantage of the efficiency and quality gains from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facilities Investigation Remedy Selection Track (FIRST) approach.

Impact of RCRA (PL 94-580) on the use or disposal of solid wastes from Texas lignite-fired utility boilers: a literature survey. Final report. [Flue gas desulfurization sludges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, R.L.

A literature survey was conducted in order to determine the amount of information available to the public concerning the impact of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) on the use or disposal of solid wastes from Texas lignite-fired utility boilers. The utility power plants of ALCOA, Big Brown, Martin Lake, Monticello and San Miguel are the only facilities currently using Texas lignite as fuel. RCRA is a comprehensive federal law which provides for the management of hazardous waste from generation to ultimate disposal. Utility solid wastes such as fly ash and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) sludge aremore » currently classified as excluded wastes (wastes exempt from hazardous classification) pending further information regarding these high-volume, low risk wastes. RCRA also provides for the increased need of recovered materials in Subtitle F - Federal Procurement. The lignite deposits of Texas occur in belts that stretch diagonally across the state from Laredo to Texarkana. The sulfur content and Btu value of Texas lignite combined requires that sulfur scrubbers be installed on new power plant units. The utility solid wastes occur in large quantities and leachate from some of these wastes contained detectable amounts of chromium and selenium. However, the concentration of these elements in the leachate was not sufficient to classify any of the utility wastes in this study as hazardous per current RCRA guidelines. In general, fly ash and FGD sludge are classified as Class II wastes and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner. Considerable amounts of bottom ash and fly ash are utilized but, thus far, FGD sludge has been landfilled, usually in combination with fly ash.« less

Guidance: Using RCRA's Results-Based Approaches and Tailored Oversight Guidance when Performing Superfund Oversight

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum providing additional information in support of Superfund's administrative reform on PRP oversight. Superfund program managers should consider RCRA's Results-Based Guidance when developing oversight plans with PRPs.

Derivation of groundwater threshold values for analysis of impacts predicted at potential carbon sequestration sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Last, G. V.; Murray, C. J.; Bott, Y.

2016-06-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) Project is developing reduced-order models to evaluate potential impacts to groundwater quality due to carbon dioxide (CO 2) or brine leakage, should it occur from deep CO 2 storage reservoirs. These efforts targeted two classes of aquifer – an unconfined fractured carbonate aquifer based on the Edwards Aquifer in Texas, and a confined alluvium aquifer based on the High Plains Aquifer in Kansas. Hypothetical leakage scenarios focus on wellbores as the most likely conduits from the storage reservoir to an underground source of drinking water (USDW). To facilitate evaluationmore » of potential degradation of the USDWs, threshold values, below which there would be no predicted impacts, were determined for each of these two aquifer systems. These threshold values were calculated using an interwell approach for determining background groundwater concentrations that is an adaptation of methods described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Unified Guidance for Statistical Analysis of Groundwater Monitoring Data at RCRA Facilities. Results demonstrate the importance of establishing baseline groundwater quality conditions that capture the spatial and temporal variability of the USDWs prior to CO 2 injection and storage.« less

76 FR 76158 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; RCRA Expanded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that are available..., including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection... as State, local, or Tribal governments. Title: RCRA Expanded Public Participation. ICR numbers: EPA...

RCRA SUBTITLE D (258): SEISMIC DESIGN GUIDANCE FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILL FACILITIES

EPA Science Inventory

On October 9, 1993, the new RCRA Subtitle D regulations (40 CFR Part 258) went into effect. These regulations are applicable to landfills receiving municipal solid waste (MSW) and establish minimum Federal criteria for the siting, design, operation, and closure of MSW landfills....

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Municipal solid waste disposal facility criteria updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module provides a summary of the regulatory criteria for municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) and provides the statutory authority under RCRA and the Clean Water Act (CWA) directing EPA to develop the MSWLF criteria in 40 CFR Part 258. It gives the part 258 effective date and the compliance dates for providing demonstrations to satisfy individual regulatory requirements. It identifies the types of facilities that qualify for the small landfill exemption. It explains the requirements of each subpart of part 258 as they apply to states with EPA-approved MSWLF permit programs and states without approved permit programs. It comparesmore » the MSWLF environmental performance standards described in part 258 to the corresponding requirements for hazardous waste TSDFs in part 264, which are generally more stringent.« less

WASTE ANALYSIS PLAN REVIEW ADVISOR - AN INTELLIGENT DATABASE TO ASSIST RCRA PERMIT REVIEWERS

EPA Science Inventory

The Waste Analysis Plan Review Advisor (WAPRA) system assists in the review of the Waste Analysis Plan Section of RCRA Part B facility permit applications. Specifically, this program automates two functions of the waste analysis plan review. First, the system checks all wastes wh...

SWSA 6 interim corrective measures environmental monitoring: FY 1991 results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clapp, R.B.; Marshall, D.S.

1992-06-01

In 1988, interim corrective measures (ICMs) were implemented at Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SWSA 6 site was regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The ICMs consist of eight large high-density polyethylene sheets placed as temporary caps to cover trenches known to contain RCRA-regulated materials. Environmental monitoring for FY 1991 consisted of collecting water levels at 13 groundwater wells outside the capped areas and 44 wells in or near the capped areas in order to identify any significant loss of hydrologic isolation of the wastes. Past annual reports show thatmore » the caps are only partially effective in keeping the waste trenches dry and that many trenches consistently or intermittently contain water.« less

SWSA 6 interim corrective measures environmental monitoring: FY 1991 results. Environmental Restoration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clapp, R.B.; Marshall, D.S.

1992-06-01

In 1988, interim corrective measures (ICMs) were implemented at Solid Waste Storage Area (SWSA) 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The SWSA 6 site was regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The ICMs consist of eight large high-density polyethylene sheets placed as temporary caps to cover trenches known to contain RCRA-regulated materials. Environmental monitoring for FY 1991 consisted of collecting water levels at 13 groundwater wells outside the capped areas and 44 wells in or near the capped areas in order to identify any significant loss of hydrologic isolation of the wastes. Past annual reports show thatmore » the caps are only partially effective in keeping the waste trenches dry and that many trenches consistently or intermittently contain water.« less

Impacts of proposed RCRA regulations and other related federal environmental regulations on fossil fuel-fired facilities: Final report, Volume 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1987-03-01

Estimation of the costs associated with implementation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations for non-hazardous and hazardous material disposal in the utility industry are provided. These costs are based on engineering studies at a number of coal-fired power plants in which the costs for hazardous and non-hazardous disposal are compared to the costs developed for the current practice design for each utility. The relationship of the three costs is displayed. The emphasis of this study is on the determination of incremental costs rather than the absolute costs for each case (current practice, non-hazardous, or hazardous). For themore » purpose of this project, the hazardous design cost was determined for both minimum and maximum compliance.« less

RCRA/UST, superfund, and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Groundwater monitoring (40 CFR parts 264/265, subpart F) updated as of July 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-01

The module presents the requirements for groundwater monitoring at interim status and permitted treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. It describes the groundwater monitoring criteria for interim status and permitted facilities. It explains monitoring well placement and outlines the three stages of the groundwater monitoring program for permitted facilities.

Monitoring and Assessing Groundwater Impacts on Vegetation Health in Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, M. M.; Ulrich, C.; Howard, J.; Sweet, S.

2017-12-01

Sustainable groundwater management is important for preserving our economy, society, and environment. Groundwater supports important habitat throughout California, by providing a reliable source of water for these Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs). Groundwater is particularly important in California since it supplies an additional source of water during the dry summer months and periods of drought. The drought and unsustainable pumping practices have, in some areas, lowered groundwater levels causing undesirable results to ecosystems. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires local agencies to avoid undesirable results in the future, but the location and vulnerabilities of the ecosystems that depend on groundwater and interconnected surface water is often poorly understood. This presentation will feature results from a research study conducted by The Nature Conservancy and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory that investigated how changes in groundwater availability along an interconnected surface water body can impact the overall health of GDEs. This study was conducted in California's Central Valley along the Cosumnes River, and situated at the boundary of a high and a medium groundwater basin: South American Basin (Sacramento Hydrologic Region) and Cosumnes Basin (San Joaquin Hydrologic Region). By employing geophysical methodology (electrical resistivity tomography) in this study, spatial changes in groundwater availability were determined under groundwater-dependent vegetation. Vegetation survey data were also applied to this study to develop ecosystem health indicators for groundwater-dependent vegetation. Health indicators for groundwater-dependent vegetation were found to directly correlate with groundwater availability, such that greater availability to groundwater resulted in healthier vegetation. This study provides a case study example on how to use hydrological and biological data for setting appropriate minimum thresholds and

Financial responsibilities under RCRA. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session on H. R. 3692, November 13, 1985

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1986-01-01

Representatives of environmental organizations, the Hazardous Waste Treatment Council, and regulators were among those testifying at a hearing on H.R. 3692, which amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976. The bill is in response to concerns that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not compiled with the intent of RCRA in its failure to move beyond interim permits to issue final permits to land disposal facilities accepting hazardous wastes. Reported leakage and environmental risks from sites operating under interim permits raises questions about how disposal companies could deal with liability claims. At issue was whether Congress needsmore » to take new action to develop regulations under which financially responsible companies can operate or whether new EPA rules can solve the problem. A spokesman for EPA reviewed the liability insurance problem and the status of the insurance market in this context. Material submitted for the record follows the text of H.R. 3692 and the testimony of 11 witnesses.« less

Environmental Factor{trademark} system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-03-01

Environmental Factor{trademark} RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators, and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status and more; (2) View compliance information -- dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement and corrective action; (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing and energy recovery; (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting; and (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving and exporting. Hotline support is also available for no additional charge.« less

Impacts of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on energy supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnes, S. A.; Copenhaver, E. D.; Weeter, D. W.; Calzonetti, F. J.; Tevepaugh, C. W.; Parzyck, D. C.

1980-10-01

The signficant characteristics of the waste streams of representative technologies of different energy supply alternatives are reported, including coal combustion and conversion, solar, geothermal, oil sands, oil shales, and petroleum refining. The overall relationship of RCRA and energy issues was examined, with special emphasis on how RCRA's hazardous waste provisions impact with these technologies. The issues addressed were: the magnitude of energy related waste; public and private sector responses to RCRA and energy waste problems; the relationship of RCRA to other environmental and public health protection policies; the effect of RCRA on the deployment of energy supply; the role of reuse, recovery, and utilization of energy waste; and possible health and environmental effects associated with solid or hazardous wastes of various energy supply systems.

Regulatory controls on the hydrogeological characterization of a mixed waste disposal site, Radioactive Waste Management Complex, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruebelmann, K.L.

1990-01-01

Following the detection of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in the groundwater beneath the SDA in the summer of 1987, hydrogeological characterization of the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC), Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) was required by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The waste site, the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA), is the subject of a RCRA Corrective Action Program. Regulatory requirements for the Corrective Action Program dictate a phased approach to evaluation of the SDA. In the first phase of the program, the SDA is the subject of a RCRA Facility Investigation (RIF), which will obtain information to fullymore » characterize the physical properties of the site, determine the nature and extent of contamination, and identify pathways for migration of contaminants. If the need for corrective measures is identified during the RIF, a Corrective Measures Study (CMS) will be performed as second phase. Information generated during the RIF will be used to aid in the selection and implementation of appropriate corrective measures to correct the release. Following the CMS, the final phase is the implementation of the selected corrective measures. 4 refs., 1 fig.« less

Federal Register Notice: State Authorization To Regulate the Hazardous Components of Radioactive Mixed Wastes Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today publishing a notice that in order to obtain and maintain authorization to administer and enforce a hazardous waste program pursuant to Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), States must have authority to regulate the hazardous components of 'radioactive mixed wastes.

The munitions provisions of the Federal Facility Compliance Act

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimmell, T.A.; Green, D.R.; Queen, R.

1994-03-01

The Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCA) was signed by President Bush on October 6, 1992. This Act amends the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the primary law governing hazardous waste management in the US The most significant provision of the FFCA was the waiver of sovereign immunity. This waiver subjects Federal facilities to the same ``incentives`` as the private sector for compliance. While the waiver has broad implications for all Federal facilities, other provisions of the FFCA impact specific sectors of the Federal complex. The focus of this paper is the FFCA Munitions Provisions, which have the potential tomore » change some aspects of the structure of munitions management within the military. The Munitions Provisions, contained in Section 107 of the FFCA, modifies Section 3004 of RCRA by adding a new subsection (y) on Munitions. Section 107 requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop, after consultation with the Department of Defense (DOD) and appropriate State officials, regulations identifying when military munitions (including conventional and chemical munitions) become hazardous waste, and to provide for the safe transportation and storage of such waste. The FFCA requires EPA to promulgate the final ``Munitions Rule`` by October 6, 1994. These are the only provisions of the FFCA that require a new rulemaking. It is clear that the Munitions Rule could have a significant effect on the way in which DOD manages munitions. Demilitarization, range management, training activities, and emergency response actions may be affected. It is important for DOD, the Services, and individual installations, to be aware of potential impacts of the FFCA on munitions management operations. The purpose of this paper is to review several important munitions Rule issues, and to discuss potential impacts of these issues.« less

Work plan for focused feasibility study of the toxic burning pits area at J-Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biang, C.; Benioff, P.; Martino, L.

1995-03-01

The Environmental Management Division (EMD) of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, is conducting a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) of the J-Field area at APG pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, as amended (CERCIA). J-Field is within the Edgewood Area of APG in Harford County, Maryland. Since World War II, activities in the Edgewood Area have included the development, manufacture, testing, and destruction of chemical agents and munitions. These materials were destroyed at J-Field by open burning and open detonation (OB/OD). Considerable archival information about J-Field exists as a result of efforts by APG staffmore » to characterize the hazards associated with the site. Contamination of J-Field was first detected during an environmental survey of the Edgewood Area conducted in 1977 and 1978 by the US Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA)(predecessor to the US Army Environmental Center). As part of a subsequent USATHAMA environmental survey, 11 wells were installed and sampled at J-Field. Contamination at J-Field was also detected during a munitions disposal survey conducted by Princeton Aqua Science in 1983. The Princeton Aqua Science investigation involved the installation and sampling of nine wells and the collection and analysis of surficial and deep composite soil samples. In 1986, a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit (MD3-21-0021355) requiring a basewide RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) and a hydrogeologic assessment of J-Field was issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 1987, the US Geological Survey (USGS) began a two-phased hydrogeologic assessment in which data were collected to model groundwater flow at J-Field. Soil gas investigations were conducted, several well clusters were installed, a groundwater flow model was developed, and groundwater and surface water monitoring programs were established that continue today-« less

Remedial investigation sampling and analysis plan for J-Field, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Volume 1: Field Sampling Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benioff, P.; Biang, R.; Dolak, D.

1995-03-01

The Environmental Management Division (EMD) of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, is conducting a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) of the J-Field area at APG pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended. J-Field is within the Edgewood Area of APG in Harford County, Maryland (Figure 1. 1). Since World War II activities in the Edgewood Area have included the development, manufacture, testing, and destruction of chemical agents and munitions. These materials were destroyed at J-Field by open burning and open detonation (OB/OD). Considerable archival information about J-Field exists as a result of effortsmore » by APG staff to characterize the hazards associated with the site. Contamination of J-Field was first detected during an environmental survey of the Edgewood Area conducted in 1977 and 1978 by the US Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA) (predecessor to the US Army Environmental Center [AEC]). As part of a subsequent USATHAMA -environmental survey, 11 wells were installed and sampled at J-Field. Contamination at J-Field was also detected during a munitions disposal survey conducted by Princeton Aqua Science in 1983. The Princeton Aqua Science investigation involved the installation and sampling of nine wells and the collection and analysis of surficial and deep composite soil samples. In 1986, a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit (MD3-21-002-1355) requiring a basewide RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) and a hydrogeologic assessment of J-Field was issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 1987, the US Geological Survey (USGS) began a two-phased hydrogeologic assessment in data were collected to model, groundwater flow at J-Field. Soil gas investigations were conducted, several well clusters were installed, a groundwater flow model was developed, and groundwater and surface water monitoring programs were established that continue

Remedial investigation work plan for Bear Creek Valley Operable Unit 2 (Rust Spoil Area, SY-200 Yard, Spoil Area 1) at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-05-01

The enactment of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) in 1976 and the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) to RCRA in 1984 created management requirements for hazardous waste facilities. The facilities within the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) were in the process of meeting the RCRA requirements when ORR was placed on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) National Priorities List (NPL) on November 21, 1989. Under RCRA, the actions typically follow the RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA)/RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI)/Corrective Measures Study (CMS)/Corrective Measures implementation process. Under CERCLA the actions follow the PA/SI/Remedial Investigation (RI)/Feasibility Studymore » (FS)/Remedial Design/Remedial Action process. The development of this document will incorporate requirements under both RCRA and CERCLA into an RI work plan for the characterization of Bear Creek Valley (BCV) Operable Unit (OU) 2.« less

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Air emission standards (40 cfr parts 264/265, subparts aa, bb, and cc) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module provides a regulatory overview of the RCRA air emission standards as they apply to hazardous waste facilities. It outlines the history of RCRA air emission standards as well as the air emission controls required by the standards. It explains the difference in the parts 264/265 and subparts AA, BB and CC, air emission standards. It summarizes the requirements of each of these subparts and identifies the types of units subject to these requirements as well as specific exemptions.

Technical approach to groundwater restoration. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-11-01

The Technical Approach to Groundwater Restoration (TAGR) provides general technical guidance to implement the groundwater restoration phase of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The TAGR includes a brief overview of the surface remediation and groundwater restoration phases of the UMTRA Project and describes the regulatory requirements, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, and regulatory compliance. A section on program strategy discusses program optimization, the role of risk assessment, the observational approach, strategies for meeting groundwater cleanup standards, and remedial action decision-making. A section on data requirements for groundwater restoration evaluates the data quality objectives (DQO) andmore » minimum data required to implement the options and comply with the standards. A section on sits implementation explores the development of a conceptual site model, approaches to site characterization, development of remedial action alternatives, selection of the groundwater restoration method, and remedial design and implementation in the context of site-specific documentation in the site observational work plan (SOWP) and the remedial action plan (RAP). Finally, the TAGR elaborates on groundwater monitoring necessary to evaluate compliance with the groundwater cleanup standards and protection of human health and the environment, and outlines licensing procedures.« less

75 FR 984 - Draft Recommended Interim Preliminary Remediation Goals for Dioxin in Soil at CERCLA and RCRA Sites

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-07

... Recommended Interim Preliminary Remediation Goals for Dioxin in Soil at CERCLA and RCRA Sites AGENCY... Recommended Interim Preliminary Remediation Goals for Dioxin in Soil at Comprehensive Environmental Response... interim PRGs for dioxin in soil. These draft recommended interim PRGs were calculated using existing, peer...

76 FR 6594 - Florida: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-07

...: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions AGENCY: Environmental... of the changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA... and State Programs Section, RCRA Programs and Materials Management Branch, RCRA Division, U.S...

78 FR 25678 - Georgia: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-02

...: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions AGENCY: Environmental... of changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA... Gwendolyn Gleaton, Permits and State Programs Section, RCRA Programs and Materials Management Branch, RCRA...

77 FR 60963 - Tennessee: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-05

...: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions AGENCY: Environmental... of the changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA... Johnson, Permits and State Programs Section, RCRA Programs and Materials Management Branch, RCRA Division...

Review: Groundwater management and groundwater/surface-water interaction in the context of South African water policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, Jonathan; Xu, Yongxin

2012-03-01

Groundwater/surface-water interaction is receiving increasing focus in Africa due to its importance to ecologic systems and sustainability. In South Africa's 1998 National Water Act (NWA), water-use licenses, including groundwater, are granted only after defining the Reserve, the amount of water needed to supply basic human needs and preserve some ecological integrity. Accurate quantification of groundwater contributions to ecosystems for successful implementation of the NWA proves challenging; many of South Africa's aquifers are in heterogeneous and anisotropic fractured-rock settings. This paper reviews the current conceptualizations and investigative approaches regarding groundwater/surface-water interactions in the context of South African policies. Some selected pitfall experiences are emphasized. The most common approach in South Africa is estimation of average annual fluxes at the scale of fourth-order catchments (˜500 km2) with baseflow separation techniques and then subtracting the groundwater discharge rate from the recharge rate. This approach might be a good start, but it ignores spatial and temporal variability, potentially missing local impacts associated with production-well placement. As South Africa's NWA has already been emulated in many countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya, the successes and failures of the South African experience dealing with the groundwater/surface-water interaction will be analyzed to guide future policy directions.

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental checklist forms for 304 Concretion Facility Closure Plan. Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The 300 Area of the Hanford Site contains reactor fuel manufacturing facilities and several research and development laboratories. Recyclable scrap uranium with zircaloy-2 and copper silicon alloy, uranium-titanium alloy, beryllium/zircaloy-2 alloy, and zircaloy-2 chips and fines were secured in concrete billets (7.5-gallon containers) in the 304 Facility, located in the 300 Area. The beryllium/zircaloy-2 alloy and zircaloy-2 chips and fines are designated as mixed waste with the characteristic of ignitability. The concretion process reduced the ignitability of the fines and chips for safe storage and shipment. This process has been discontinued and the 304 Facility is now undergoing closure asmore » defined in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 and the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Dangerous Waste Regulations, WAC 173-303-040. This closure plan presents a description of the 304 Facility, the history of materials and waste managed, and the procedures that will be followed to close the 304 Facility. The 304 Facility is located within the 300-FF-3 (source) and 300-FF-5 (groundwater) operable units, as designated in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) (Ecology et al. 1992). Contamination in the operable units 300-FF-3 and 300-FF-5 is scheduled to be addressed through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 remedial action process. Therefore, all soil remedial action at the 304 Facility will be conducted as part of the CERCLA remedial action of operable units 300-FF-3 and 300-FF-5.« less

Is there a relationship between soil and groundwater toxicity?

PubMed

Sheehan, P; Dewhurst, R E; James, S; Callaghan, A; Connon, R; Crane, M

2003-03-01

Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires environmental regulators to assess the risk of contaminants leaching from soils into groundwater (DETR, 1999). This newly introduced legislation assumes a link between soil and groundwater chemistry, in which rainwater leaches contaminants from soil into the saturated zone. As the toxicity of both groundwater and overlying soils is dependent upon the chemicals present, their partitioning and their bioavailability, similar patterns of soil, leachates and groundwater toxicity should be observed at contaminated sites. Soil and groundwater samples were collected from different contaminated land sites in an urban area, and used to determine relationships between soil chemistry and toxicity, mobility of contaminants, and groundwater chemistry and toxicity. Soils were leached using water to mimic rainfall, and both the soils and leachates tested using bioassays. Soil bioassays were carried out using Eisenia fetida, whilst groundwater and leachates were tested using the Microtox test system and Daphnia magna 48 h acute tests. Analysis of the bioassay responses demonstrated that a number of the samples were toxic to test organisms, however, there were no significant statistical relationships between soil, groundwater and leachate toxicity. Nor were there significant correlations between soil, leachates and groundwater chemistry.

Phytoremediation -- a practical capping alternative

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beath, J.M.; Peak, M.J.

1997-12-31

Much literature has been devoted recently to the use of various plant species for the uptake of heavy metals and organic contaminants. Other uses for plants as part of the remediation process are growing in perceived effectiveness. Consequently, this paper deals with two other equally important potential uses of plants to address environmental problems that are just now evolving to the field trial stage: the use of plants to remediate organic pollutants; and the use of plants to control the rainfall-driven leaching of contaminants and the subsequent delivery to underlying groundwater. The traditional Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) approachmore » to capping landfills will be contrasted with the potential benefits of using plants that can balance incoming rainfall with evapotranspiration, as well as plants which can act on organic constituents in soil or sludge by either uptake or by promoting microbial activity in soil. This paper compares traditional RCRA capping costs to those for a phytoremediation capping alternative, whose benefits include significantly lower implementation cost and continued remediation. This paper discusses important elements of a successful approach to phytoremediation including: species selection, implementation techniques, cost-efficient monitoring, regulatory aspects, project timing, and realistic expectations.« less

Removal of uranium from soil samples for ICP-OES analysis of RCRA metals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wero, M.; Lederer-Cano, A.; Billy, C.

1995-12-01

Soil samples containing high levels of uranium present unique analytical problems when analyzed for toxic metals (Ag, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Tl) because of the spectral interference of uranium in the ICP-OES emission spectrometer. Methods to remove uranium from the digestates of soil samples, known to be high in uranium, have been developed that reduce the initial uranium concentration (1-3%) to less than 500 ppm. UTEVA ion exchange columns, used as an ICP-OES analytical pre-treatment, reduces uranium to acceptable levels, permitting good analytical results of the RCRA metals by ICP-OES.

Groundwater Protection through Prevention. A Curriculum for Agricultural Education in Secondary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames. Dept. of Agricultural Education.

Water is one of the natural resources vital to any agricultural system. This material was developed in support of the Iowa Agricultural Science, Technology and Marketing (ASTM) program, focusing on groundwater educational concepts related to the 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act. This material was designed to assist teachers in providing…

NRC evaluates groundwater programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A recent report by the National Research Council (NRC) noted that about half the people of the United States depend on wells for their drinking water, but recent tests reveal widespread contamination.Responsibility for monitoring and protecting groundwater supplies lies largely with state governments. Federal funding of model projects under the Clean Water Act expired in 1983. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has asked the NRC to identify and evaluate ten state and local groundwater protection programs and to recommend features that may be applied in other areas. A committee, organized by the Water Science and Technology Board and chaired by Jerome B. Gilbert, general manager of the East Bay Municipal Utility District of Oakland, Calif., has undertaken the study. The report is expected to be completed in March 1986.

RCRA, Superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (updated February 1998)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1998-06-01

Topics addressed include the following: Regulatory Summary (Role and Definition of Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements); Types of ARARs; Extent of ARARs: On-Site vs. Off-Site Management; Remedial vs. Removal Actions; To-Be-Considered Guidelines and Other Controls; ARAR Identification (ARAR Identification Process); Federal ARARs: RCRA, CAA, CWA, SDWA, TSCA; State and Local ARARs and ARAR Waivers; and Module Summary.

Environmental Factor(tm) system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information (on cd-rom). Database

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-04-01

Environmental Factor(tm) RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators, and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status and more; (2) View compliance information - dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement and corrective action; (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing and energy recovery; (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting; and (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving and exporting. Hotline support is also available for no additional charge.« less

Documents Related to the National Institutes of Health Public Notice

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is announcing its Proposed RCRA Corrective Action - Cleanup Completed for National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD - EPA ID: MD6150004095 under Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA-Corrective Action).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ross, J; Walt Kubilius, W; Thomas Kmetz, T

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements for hazardous waste facilities include 30 years of post-closure monitoring. The use of an objective-based monitoring strategy allows for a significant reduction in the amount of groundwater monitoring required, as the groundwater remediation transitions from an active biosparging system to monitored natural attenuation. The lifecycle of groundwater activities at the landfill has progressed from detection monitoring and plume characterization, to active groundwater remediation, and now to monitored natural attenuation and postclosure monitoring. Thus, the objectives of the groundwater monitoring have changed accordingly. Characterization monitoring evaluated what biogeochemical natural attenuation processes were occurring andmore » determined that elevated levels of radium were naturally occurring. Process monitoring of the biosparging system required comprehensive sampling network up- and down-gradient of the horizontal wells to verify its effectiveness. Currently, the scope of monitoring and reporting can be significantly reduced as the objective is to demonstrate that the alternate concentration limits (ACL) are being met at the point of compliance wells and the maximum contaminant level (MCL) is being met at the surface water point of exposure. The proposed reduction is estimated to save about $2M over the course of the remaining 25 years of postclosure monitoring.« less

Guidance on Initial Site Assessment at Corrective Action Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Guidance to be used to conduct Corrective Action site assessment efforts. Informs Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit writers and enforcement officials of procedures to be used in conducting RCRA Facility Assessments.

Environmental factor(tm) system: RCRA hazardous waste handler information (on CD-ROM). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-01

Environmental Factor(trademark) RCRA Hazardous Waste Handler Information on CD-ROM unleashes the invaluable information found in two key EPA data sources on hazardous waste handlers and offers cradle-to-grave waste tracking. It`s easy to search and display: (1) Permit status, design capacity, and compliance history for facilities found in the EPA Research Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) program tracking database; (2) Detailed information on hazardous wastes generation, management, and minimization by companies who are large quantity generators; and (3) Data on the waste management practices of treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities from the EPA Biennial Reporting System which is collectedmore » every other year. Environmental Factor`s powerful database retrieval system lets you: (1) Search for RCRA facilities by permit type, SIC code, waste codes, corrective action, or violation information, TSD status, generator and transporter status, and more. (2) View compliance information - dates of evaluation, violation, enforcement, and corrective action. (3) Lookup facilities by waste processing categories of marketing, transporting, processing, and energy recovery. (4) Use owner/operator information and names, titles, and telephone numbers of project managers for prospecting. (5) Browse detailed data on TSD facility and large quantity generators` activities such as onsite waste treatment, disposal, or recycling, offsite waste received, and waste generation and management. The product contains databases, search and retrieval software on two CD-ROMs, an installation diskette and User`s Guide. Environmental Factor has online context-sensitive help from any screen and a printed User`s Guide describing installation and step-by-step procedures for searching, retrieving, and exporting.« less

Groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonestrom, David A.; Wohl, Ellen E.

2016-01-01

Groundwater represents the terrestrial subsurface component of the hydrologic cycle. As such, groundwater is generally in motion, moving from elevated areas of recharge to lower areas of discharge. Groundwater usually moves in accordance with Darcy’s law (Dalmont, Paris: Les Fontaines Publiques de la Ville de Dijon, 1856). Groundwater residence times can be under a day in small upland catchments to over a million years in subcontinental-sized desert basins. The broadest definition of groundwater includes water in the unsaturated zone, considered briefly here. Water chemically bound to minerals, as in gypsum (CaSO4 • 2H2O) or hydrated clays, cannot flow in response to gradients in total hydraulic head (pressure head plus elevation head); such water is thus usually excluded from consideration as groundwater. In 1940, M. King Hubbert showed Darcy’s law to be a special case of thermodynamically based potential field equations governing fluid motion, thereby establishing groundwater hydraulics as a rigorous engineering science (Journal of Geology 48, pp. 785–944). The development of computer-enabled numerical methods for solving the field equations with real-world approximating geometries and boundary conditions in the mid-1960s ushered in the era of digital groundwater modeling. An estimated 30 percent of global fresh water is groundwater, compared to 0.3 percent that is surface water, 0.04 percent atmospheric water, and 70 percent that exists as ice, including permafrost (Shiklomanov and Rodda 2004, cited under Groundwater Occurrence). Groundwater thus constitutes the vast majority—over 98 percent—of the unfrozen fresh-water resources of the planet, excluding surface-water reservoirs. Environmental dimensions of groundwater are equally large, receiving attention on multiple disciplinary fronts. Riparian, streambed, and spring-pool habitats can be sensitively dependent on the amount and quality of groundwater inputs that modulate temperature and solutes

Addressing the Sustainability of Groundwater Extraction in California Using Hydrochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, J. E.; Visser, A.; Singleton, M. J.; Esser, B. K.

2017-12-01

In urban and agricultural settings in California, intense pressure on water supplies has led to extensive managed aquifer recharge and extensive overdraft in these areas, respectively. The California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) includes criteria for pumping that maintains groundwater levels and basin storage, and avoids stream depletion and degradation of water quality. Most sustainability plans will likely use water level monitoring and water budget balancing based on integrated flow models as evidence of compliance. However, hydrochronology data are applicable to several of the criteria, and provide an independent method of addressing questions related to basin turnover time, recharge rate, surface water-groundwater interaction, and the age distribution at pumping wells. We have applied hydrochronology (mainly tritium-helium groundwater age dating and extrinsic tracers) in urban areas to delineate flowpaths of artificially recharged water, to identify stagnant zones bypassed by the engineered flow system, and to predict vulnerability of drinking water sources to contamination. In agricultural areas, we have applied multi-tracer hydrochronology to delineate groundwater stratigraphy, to identify paleowater, and to project future nitrate concentrations in long-screened wells. This presentation will describe examples in which groundwater dating and other tracer methods can be applied to directly address the SGMA criteria for sustainable groundwater pumping.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, B.; Martino, L.

The White Phosphorus Burning Pits (WPP) Area of Concern (AOC) is a site of about 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) located in the J-Field Study Area, in the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland (Figure 1.1). Considerable information about the WPP exists as a result of efforts to characterize the hazards associated with J-Field. Contamination in the J-Field Study Area was first detected during an environmental survey of the APG Edgewood Area conducted in 1977 and 1978 (Nemeth et al. 1983) by the U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA; predecessor to the U.S. Army Environmental Center). Asmore » part of a subsequent USATHAMA environmental survey, 11 wells were installed and sampled at J-Field (three of them at the WPP) (Nemeth 1989). Contamination was also detected in 1983 during a munitions disposal survey conducted by Princeton Aqua Science (1984). The Princeton Aqua Science investigation involved installing and sampling nine wells (four at the WPP) and collecting and analyzing surficial and deep composite soil samples (including samples from the WPP area). In 1986, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit (MD3-21-002-1355) requiring a post-wide RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA) and a hydrogeologic assessment of J-Field. In 1987, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a two-phase hydrogeologic assessment in which data were collected to model groundwater flow at J-Field. Soil-gas investigations were conducted, several well clusters were installed (four at the WPP), a groundwater flow model was developed, and groundwater and surface water monitoring programs were established that continue today. The results of the USGS study were published by Hughes (1993).« less

High (36)Cl/Cl ratios in Chernobyl groundwater.

PubMed

Roux, Céline; Le Gal La Salle, Corinne; Simonucci, Caroline; Van Meir, Nathalie; Fifield, L Keith; Diez, Olivier; Bassot, Sylvain; Simler, Roland; Bugai, Dmitri; Kashparov, Valery; Lancelot, Joël

2014-12-01

After the explosion of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in April 1986, contaminated material was buried in shallow trenches within the exclusion zone. A (90)Sr plume was evidenced downgradient of one of these trenches, trench T22. Due to its conservative properties, (36)Cl is investigated here as a potential tracer to determine the maximal extent of the contamination plume from the trench in groundwater. (36)Cl/Cl ratios measured in groundwater, trench soil water and leaf leachates are 1-5 orders of magnitude higher than the theoretical natural (36)Cl/Cl ratio. This contamination occurred after the Chernobyl explosion and currently persists. Trench T22 acts as an obvious modern point source of (36)Cl, however other sources have to be involved to explain such contamination. (36)Cl contamination of groundwater can be explained by dilution of trench soil water by uncontaminated water (rainwater or deep groundwater). With a plume extending further than that of (90)Sr, radionuclide which is impacted by retention and decay processes, (36)Cl can be considered as a suitable tracer of contamination from the trench in groundwater provided that modern release processes of (36)Cl from trench soil are better characterized. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 6594 - North Carolina: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-07

... Carolina: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions AGENCY: Environmental... authorization of the changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act... Section, RCRA Programs and Materials Management Branch, RCRA Division, U.S. Environmental Protection...

40 CFR 1.47 - Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... waste sites and spills (including oil spills); long-term strategic planning and special studies; economic and long-term environmental analyses; economic impact assessment of RCRA and CERCLA regulations... responsibility for implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive...

40 CFR 1.47 - Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... waste sites and spills (including oil spills); long-term strategic planning and special studies; economic and long-term environmental analyses; economic impact assessment of RCRA and CERCLA regulations... responsibility for implementing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive...

Groundwater.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braids, Olin C.; Gillies, Nola P.

1978-01-01

Presents a literature review of groundwater quality covering publications of 1977. This review includes: (1) sources of groundwater contamination; and (2) management of groundwater. A list of 59 references is also presented. (HM)

76 FR 65534 - Notice of Lodging of Modification of Consent Decree Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

...) of RCRA, 42 U.S.C. 6925(a); and applicable Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission... $1,350,000. The Consent Decree also requires Rineco to apply for a RCRA permit for the TMW and its...

Imprint of long-term solar signal in groundwater recharge fluctuation rates from Northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, R. K.; Rajesh, Rekapalli

2014-05-01

Multiple spectral and statistical analyses of a 700 yearlong temporal record of groundwater recharge from the dry lands, Badain Jaran Desert (Inner Mongolia) of Northwest China reveal a stationary harmonic cycle at ~200 ± 20 year. Interestingly, the underlying periodicity in groundwater recharge fluctuations is similar to those of solar-induced climate cycle "Suess wiggles" and appears to be coherent with phases of the climate fluctuations and solar cycles. Matching periodicity of groundwater recharge rates and solar and climate cycles renders a strong impression that solar-induced climate signals may act as a critical amplifier for driving the underlying hydrographic cycle through the common coupling of long-term Sun-climate groundwater linkages.

76 FR 40368 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review; Environmentally Sound Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION: Notice of... Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6962). RCRA requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA... program. The items for which EPA has designated minimum recovered material content standards are grouped...

Rice Field Geochemistry and Hydrology: An Explanation for Why Groundwater Irrigated Fields in Bangladesh are Net Sinks of Arsenic from Groundwater

PubMed Central

Neumann, Rebecca B.; St. Vincent, Allison P.; Roberts, Linda C.; Badruzzaman, A. Borhan M.; Ali, M. Ashraf; Harvey, Charles F.

2011-01-01

Irrigation of rice fields in Bangladesh with arsenic-contaminated groundwater transfers tens of cubic kilometers of water and thousands of tons of arsenic from aquifers to rice fields each year. Here we combine observations of infiltration patterns with measurements of porewater chemical composition from our field site in Munshiganj Bangladesh to characterize the mobility of arsenic in soils beneath rice fields. We find that very little arsenic delivered by irrigation returns to the aquifer, and that recharging water mobilizes little, if any, arsenic from rice field subsoils. Arsenic from irrigation water is deposited on surface soils and sequestered along flow paths that pass through bunds, the raised soil boundaries around fields. Additionally, timing of flow into bunds limits the transport of biologically available organic carbon from rice fields into the subsurface where it could stimulate reduction processes that mobilize arsenic from soils and sediments. Together, these results explain why groundwater irrigated rice fields act as net sinks of arsenic from groundwater. PMID:21332196

76 FR 17127 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Environmentally Sound Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-28

... Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION: Notice of request for... Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6962). RCRA requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA... program. The items for which EPA has designated minimum recovered material content standards are grouped...

STEAM INJECTION REMEDIATION IN FRACTURED BEDROCK AT LORING AIR FORCE BASE

EPA Science Inventory

Contaminated groundwater occurs at many Superfund, RCRA, and Brownfields sites. Chlorinated solvents which can form a dense nonaqueous phase (DNAPL) when released to the subsurface can pose an extreme challenge for remediation, as DNAPLs are often difficult to locate and even ha...

Groundwater Change in Storage Estimation by Using Monitoring Wells Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, C. I.

2016-12-01

In present times, remarkable attention is being given to models and data in hydrology, regarding their role in meeting water management requirements to enable well-informed decisions. Water management under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) is currently challenging, due to it requires that groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) formulate groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs) to comply with new regulations and perform a responsible management to secure California's groundwater resources, particularly when droughts and climate change conditions are present. In this scenario, water budgets and change in groundwater storage estimations are key components for decision makers, but their computation is often difficult, lengthy and uncertain. Therefore, this work presents an innovative approach to integrate hydrologic modeling and available groundwater data into a single simplified tool, a proxy function, that estimate in real time the change in storage based on monitoring wells data. A hydrologic model was developed and calibrated for water years 1970 to 2015, the Yolo County IWFM, which was applied to generate the proxy as a study case, by regressing simulated change in storage versus change in head for the cities of Davis and Woodland area, and obtain a linear function dependent on heads variations over time. Later, the proxy was applied to actual groundwater data in this region to predict the change in storage. Results from this work provide proxy functions to approximate change in storage based on monitoring data for daily, monthly and yearly frameworks, being as well easily transferable to any spreadsheet or database to perform simply yet crucial computations in real time for sustainable groundwater management.

Analytical models for the groundwater tidal prism and associated benthic water flux

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Jeffrey N.; Mehta, Ashish J.; Dean, Robert G.

2010-01-01

The groundwater tidal prism is defined as the volume of water that inundates a porous medium, forced by one tidal oscillation in surface water. The pressure gradient that generates the prism acts on the subterranean estuary. Analytical models for the groundwater tidal prism and associated benthic flux are presented. The prism and flux are shown to be directly proportional to porosity, tidal amplitude, and the length of the groundwater wave; flux is inversely proportional to tidal period. The duration of discharge flux exceeds the duration of recharge flux over one tidal period; and discharge flux continues for some time following low tide. Models compare favorably with laboratory observations and are applied to a South Atlantic Bight study area, where tide generates an 11-m3 groundwater tidal prism per m of shoreline, and drives 81 m3 s −1 to the study area, which describes 23% of an observational estimate. In a marine water body, the discharge component of any oscillatory benthic water flux is submarine groundwater discharge. Benthic flux transports constituents between groundwater and surface water, and is a process by which pollutant loading and saltwater intrusion may occur in coastal areas.

Simulation of ground-water flow and land subsidence in the Antelope Valley ground-water basin, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leighton, David A.; Phillips, Steven P.

2003-01-01

ground-water development have eliminated the natural sources of discharge, and pumping for agricultural and urban uses have become the primary source of discharge from the ground-water system. Infiltration of return flows from agricultural irrigation has become an important source of recharge to the aquifer system. The ground-water flow model of the basin was discretized horizontally into a grid of 43 rows and 60 columns of square cells 1 mile on a side, and vertically into three layers representing the upper, middle, and lower aquifers. Faults that were thought to act as horizontal-flow barriers were simulated in the model. The model was calibrated to simulate steady-state conditions, represented by 1915 water levels and transient-state conditions during 1915-95 using water-level and subsidence data. Initial estimates of the aquifer-system properties and stresses were obtained from a previously published numerical model of the Antelope Valley ground-water basin; estimates also were obtained from recently collected hydrologic data and from results of simulations of ground-water flow and land subsidence models of the Edwards Air Force Base area. Some of these initial estimates were modified during model calibration. Ground-water pumpage for agriculture was estimated on the basis of irrigated crop acreage and crop consumptive-use data. Pumpage for public supply, which is metered, was compiled and entered into a database used for this study. Estimated annual pumpage peaked at 395,000 acre-feet (acre-ft) in 1952 and then declined because of declining agricultural production. Recharge from irrigation-return flows was estimated to be 30 percent of agricultural pumpage; the irrigation-return flows were simulated as recharge to the regional water table 10 years following application at land surface. The annual quantity of natural recharge initially was based on estimates from previous studies. During model calibration, natural recharge was reduced from the initial

Assessing Groundwater Resources Sustainability Using Groundwater Footprint Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charchousi, Despoina; Spanoudaki, Katerina; Papadopoulou, Maria P.

2017-04-01

Over-pumping, water table depletion and climate change impacts require effective groundwater management. The Groundwater Footprint (GWF), introduced by Gleeson et al. in 2012 expresses the area required to sustain groundwater use and groundwater dependent ecosystem services. GWF represents a water balance between aquifer inflows and outflows, focusing on environmental flow requirements. Developing the water balance, precipitation recharge and additional recharge from irrigation are considered as inflows, whereas outflows are considered the groundwater abstraction from the aquifer of interest and the quantity of groundwater that is needed to sustain ecosystem services. The parameters required for GWF calculation can be estimated through in-situ measurements, observations and models outputs. The actual groundwater abstraction is often difficult to be estimated with a high accuracy. Environmental flow requirements can be calculated through different approaches; the most accurate of which are considered the ones that focus on hydro-ecological data analysis. As the GWF is a tool recently introduced in groundwater assessment and management, only a few studies have been reported in the literature to use it as groundwater monitoring and management tool. The present study emphasizes on a case study in Southern Europe, where awareness should be raised about rivers' environmental flow. GWF concept will be applied for the first time to a pilot area in Greece, where the flow of the perennial river that crosses the area of interest is dependent on baseflow. Recharge and abstraction of the pilot area are estimated based on historical data and previous reports and a groundwater flow model is developed using Visual Modflow so as to diminish the uncertainty of the input parameters through model calibration. The groundwater quantity that should be allocated on surface water body in order to sustain satisfactory biological conditions is estimated under the assumption that surface

Brackish groundwater and its potential to augment freshwater supplies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Jennifer S.; Dennehy, Kevin F.

2017-07-18

Secure, reliable, and sustainable water resources are fundamental to the Nation’s food production, energy independence, and ecological and human health and well-being. Indications are that at any given time, water resources are under stress in selected parts of the country. The large-scale development of groundwater resources has caused declines in the amount of groundwater in storage and declines in discharges to surface water bodies (Reilly and others, 2008). Water supply in some regions, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, is not adequate to meet demand, and severe drought intensifies the stresses affecting water resources (National Drought Mitigation Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, 2015). If these drought conditions continue, water shortages could adversely affect the human condition and threaten environmental flows necessary to maintain ecosystem health.In support of the national census of water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed the national brackish groundwater assessment to provide updated information about brackish groundwater as a potential resource to augment or replace freshwater supplies (Stanton and others, 2017). Study objectives were to consolidate available data into a comprehensive database of brackish groundwater resources in the United States and to produce a summary report highlighting the distribution, physical and chemical characteristics, and use of brackish groundwater resources. This assessment was authorized by section 9507 of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10367), passed by Congress in March 2009. Before this assessment, the last national brackish groundwater compilation was completed in the mid-1960s (Feth, 1965). Since that time, substantially more hydrologic and geochemical data have been collected and now can be used to improve the understanding of the Nation’s brackish groundwater resources.

EVALUATION OF THE RCRA (RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT) EXTRACTION PROCEDURE - LYSIMETER STUDIES WITH MUNICIPAL/INDUSTRIAL WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

A study was initiated to determine the accuracy with which the Extraction Procedures (EP), employed in the regulations promulgated under Section 3001 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (40 CFR 26.124), simulates the leaching an industrial waste would undergo when codis...

Gravel pit lake ecosystems reduce nitrate and phosphate concentrations in the outflowing groundwater.

PubMed

Weilhartner, Andreas; Muellegger, Christian; Kainz, Martin; Mathieu, Francine; Hofmann, Thilo; Battin, Tom J

2012-03-15

Gravel excavation often bears conflicts with the use of drinking water as under-water-table mining can directly impact groundwater quality downstream of the open gravel pit lake due to exposure of the groundwater aquifer to the atmosphere and to human activities. To assess this potential impact of GPLs on groundwater, we assessed the mass balance for nitrate (NO(3)) and phosphate (PO(4)) and whole-ecosystem metabolism of five post-excavation GPLs in Austria. GPLs differed in both age and residence time of lake water. We found that GPLs significantly reduced the concentration of NO(3) and PO(4) as groundwater passes through the lake ecosystem, which in most cases acted as a net sink for these nutrients. Groundwater-derived nutrients enhanced both epilithic and pelagic net primary production in the GPLs, which ultimately leads to biomass accrual. Our data also suggest that this biomass accrual may induce, at least in part, clogging of the GPLs and their successive hydrodynamic isolation from the adjacent groundwater. Despite continuous biomass build-up and elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the lake water compared to the inflowing groundwater, DOC export into the outflowing groundwater remained low. Our data suggest that GPLs could contribute to groundwater amelioration where agricultural land use increases nutrient concentrations in the groundwater given a proper management of these man-made ecosystems. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

76 FR 15455 - Identification of Non-Hazardous Secondary Materials That Are Solid Waste

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

... waste incineration units. Preamble Outline I. Statutory Authority II. List of Abbreviations and Acronyms... Programs Are Not Solid Waste When Used in Combustion Units Under this provision--40 CFR 241.3(b)(2)(i)--EPA... combustion units, are ``solid wastes'' under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This RCRA...

75 FR 11002 - Hazardous Waste Management System; Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste; Final Rule

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-10

... effect in the State. A dual system (that is, both Federal (RCRA) and State (non-RCRA) programs) may... does not have federalism implications. It will not have substantial direct effects on the States, on... Act of 1996, generally provides that before a rule may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule...

California Groundwater Units

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Tyler D.; Belitz, Kenneth

2014-01-01

The California Groundwater Units dataset classifies and delineates areas within the State of California into one of three groundwater-based polygon units: (1) those areas previously defined as alluvial groundwater basins or subbasins, (2) highland areas that are adjacent to and topographically upgradient of groundwater basins, and (3) highland areas not associated with a groundwater basin, only a hydrogeologic province. In total, 938 Groundwater Units are represented. The Groundwater Units dataset relates existing groundwater basins with their newly delineated highland areas which can be used in subsequent hydrologic studies. The methods used to delineate groundwater-basin-associated highland areas are similar to those used to delineate a contributing area (such as for a lake or water body); the difference is that highland areas are constrained to the immediately surrounding upslope (upstream) area. Upslope basins have their own delineated highland. A geoprocessing tool was created to facilitate delineation of highland areas for groundwater basins and subbasins and is available for download.

Postconstruction report of the United Nuclear Corporation Disposal Site at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oakley, L.B.; Siberell, J.K.; Voskuil, T.L.

1993-06-01

Remedial actions conducted under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) were completed at the Y-12 United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) Disposal Site in August 1992. The purpose of this Postconstruction Report is to summarize numerous technical reports and provide CERCLA documentation for completion of the remedial actions. Other CERCLA reports, such as the Feasibility Study for the UNC Disposal Site, provide documentation leading up to the remedial action decision. The remedial action chosen, placement of a modified RCRA cap, was completed successfully, and performance standards were either met or exceeded. This remedial action provided solutionsmore » to two environmentally contaminated areas and achieved the goal of minimizing the potential for contamination of the shallow groundwater downgradient of the site, thereby providing protection of human health and the environment. Surveillance and maintenance of the cap will be accomplished to ensure cap integrity, and groundwater monitoring downgradient of the site will continue to confirm the acceptability of the remedial action chosen.« less

H-Area Seepage Basins groundwater monitoring report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-03-01

During fourth quarter 1992, the groundwater at the H-Area Seepage Basins (HASB) was monitored in compliance with South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, R61-79.265, Subpart F. Samples were collected from 130 wells that monitor the three separate hydrostratigraphic units that make up the uppermost aquifer beneath the HASB. A detailed description of the uppermost aquifer is included in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Post-Closure Care Permit Application for the H-Area Hazardous Waste Management Facility submitted to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in December 1990. Historically, as well as currently, tritium, nitrate, total alpha-emittingmore » radium, gross alpha, and mercury have been the primary constituents observed above final Primary Drinking Water Standards (PDWS) in groundwater at the HASB. Isoconcentration/isoactivity maps included in this report indicate both the concentration/activity and extent of the primary contaminants in each of the three hydrostratigraphic units during first and fourth quarter 1992. Water-level maps indicate that the groundwater flow rates and directions at the HASB have remained relatively constant since the basins ceased to be active in 1988.« less

Review: Moisture loading—the hidden information in groundwater observation well records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Kamp, Garth; Schmidt, Randy

2017-12-01

Changes of total moisture mass above an aquifer such as snow accumulation, soil moisture, and storage at the water table, represent changes of mechanical load acting on the aquifer. The resulting moisture-loading effects occur in all observation well records for confined aquifers. Deep observation wells therefore act as large-scale geological weighing lysimeters, referred to as "geolysimeters". Barometric pressure effects on groundwater levels are a similar response to surface loading and are familiar to every hydrogeologist dealing with the "barometric efficiency" of observation wells. Moisture-loading effects are small and generally not recognized because they are obscured by hydraulic head fluctuations due to other causes, primarily barometric pressure changes. For semiconfined aquifers, long-term moisture-loading effects may be dissipated and obscured by transient flow through overlying aquitards. Removal of barometric and earth tide effects from observation well records allows identification of moisture loading and comparison with hydrological observations, and also comparison with the results of numerical models that can account for transient groundwater flow.

Performance test results of noninvasive characterization of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act surrogate waste by prompt gamma neutron activation analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gehrke, R.J.; Streier, G.G.

1997-03-01

During FY-96, a performance test was carried out with funding from the Mixed Waste Focus Area (MWFA) of the Department of Energy (DOE) to determine the noninvasive elemental assay capabilities of commercial companies for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals present in 8-gal drums containing surrogate waste. Commercial companies were required to be experienced in the use of prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) techniques and to have a prototype assay system with which to conduct the test assays. Potential participants were identified through responses to a call for proposals advertised in the Commerce Business Daily and through personalmore » contacts. Six companies were originally identified. Two of these six were willing and able to participate in the performance test, as described in the test plan, with some subsidizing from the DOE MWFA. The tests were conducted with surrogate sludge waste because (1) a large volume of this type of waste awaits final disposition and (2) sludge tends to be somewhat homogeneous. The surrogate concentrations of the above RCRA metals ranged from {approximately} 300 ppm to {approximately} 20,000 ppm. The lower limit was chosen as an estimate of the expected sensitivity of detection required by noninvasive, pretreatment elemental assay systems to be of value for operational and compliance purposes and to still be achievable with state-of-the-art methods of analysis. The upper limit of {approximately} 20,000 ppm was chosen because it is the opinion of the author that assay above this concentration level is within current state-of-the-art methods for most RCRA constituents. This report is organized into three parts: Part 1, Test Plan to Evaluate the Technical Status of Noninvasive Elemental Assay Techniques for Hazardous Waste; Part 2, Participants` Results; and Part 3, Evaluation of and Comments on Participants` Results.« less

Improved regional-scale groundwater representation by the coupling of the mesoscale Hydrologic Model (mHM v5.7) to the groundwater model OpenGeoSys (OGS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Miao; Heße, Falk; Kumar, Rohini; Wang, Wenqing; Fischer, Thomas; Walther, Marc; Zink, Matthias; Zech, Alraune; Samaniego, Luis; Kolditz, Olaf; Attinger, Sabine

2018-06-01

Most large-scale hydrologic models fall short in reproducing groundwater head dynamics and simulating transport process due to their oversimplified representation of groundwater flow. In this study, we aim to extend the applicability of the mesoscale Hydrologic Model (mHM v5.7) to subsurface hydrology by coupling it with the porous media simulator OpenGeoSys (OGS). The two models are one-way coupled through model interfaces GIS2FEM and RIV2FEM, by which the grid-based fluxes of groundwater recharge and the river-groundwater exchange generated by mHM are converted to fixed-flux boundary conditions of the groundwater model OGS. Specifically, the grid-based vertical reservoirs in mHM are completely preserved for the estimation of land-surface fluxes, while OGS acts as a plug-in to the original mHM modeling framework for groundwater flow and transport modeling. The applicability of the coupled model (mHM-OGS v1.0) is evaluated by a case study in the central European mesoscale river basin - Nägelstedt. Different time steps, i.e., daily in mHM and monthly in OGS, are used to account for fast surface flow and slow groundwater flow. Model calibration is conducted following a two-step procedure using discharge for mHM and long-term mean of groundwater head measurements for OGS. Based on the model summary statistics, namely the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE), the mean absolute error (MAE), and the interquartile range error (QRE), the coupled model is able to satisfactorily represent the dynamics of discharge and groundwater heads at several locations across the study basin. Our exemplary calculations show that the one-way coupled model can take advantage of the spatially explicit modeling capabilities of surface and groundwater hydrologic models and provide an adequate representation of the spatiotemporal behaviors of groundwater storage and heads, thus making it a valuable tool for addressing water resources and management problems.

Do Groundwater Management Plans Work? A statistical evaluation of the effectiveness of groundwater management plans towards achieving water supply and environmental objectives under a changing climate.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, E.; Peterson, T. J.; Costelloe, J. F.; Western, A. W.; Carrara, E.

2017-12-01

Regulation of groundwater through the use of management plans is becoming increasingly prevalent as global groundwater levels decline. But plans are seldom systematically and quantitatively assessed for effectiveness. Instead, the state of an aquifer is commonly considered a proxy for plan effectiveness despite a lack of casaulity. Groundwater managers face myraid challenges such as finite resources, conflicting uses and the uncertainty inherent in any groundwater investigation. Groundwater models have been used to provide insights into what may happen to the aquifer under various levels of stress. Generally, these models simulate the impact of predefined stresses for a certain time-span. However, this is not how management occurs in reality. Managers only see a fraction of the aquifer and use this limited knowledgeto make aquifer-wide decisions. Also, management changes over time in response to aquifer state, and groundwater management plans commonly contain trigger levels in monitoring wells that prompt management intervention. In this way there is a feedback between the aquifer state and management that is rarely captured by groundwater management models. To capture this management/aquifer feedback, groundwater management was structured as a systems control problem, and using this framework, a testability assessment rubric developed. The rubric was applied to 15 Australian groundwater management plans and 47% of plans were found to be testable. To numerically quantify the effectiveness of groundwater managment, the impact of extraction restrictions was probabilistically assessed by simulating "the act of management" of a simple unconfined groundwater system using MODFLOW and Flopy. Water managers were privy only to head levels in a varying number of grid cells assigned as monitoring wells, and used that limited information to make allocation decisions at each time step. Extraction rates for each simulated management period were determined based upon the observed

Closure of hazardous and mixed radioactive waste management units at DOE facilities. [Contains glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This is document addresses the Federal regulations governing the closure of hazardous and mixed waste units subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements. It provides a brief overview of the RCRA permitting program and the extensive RCRA facility design and operating standards. It provides detailed guidance on the procedural requirements for closure and post-closure care of hazardous and mixed waste management units, including guidance on the preparation of closure and post-closure plans that must be submitted with facility permit applications. This document also provides guidance on technical activities that must be conducted both during and after closure ofmore » each of the following hazardous waste management units regulated under RCRA.« less

Groundwater quality in the San Francisco Bay groundwater basins, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Parsons, Mary C.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. Selected groundwater basins of the San Francisco Bay area constitute one of the study units being evaluated.

Impact of the Munitions Rule on management of military chemical warfare agents and associated waste

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kimmell, T.A.; Green, D.R.; Rosenblatt, D.H.

1997-07-01

The Federal Facility Compliance Act (FFCA), an amendment to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), was signed by President Bush on October 6, 1992. Section 107 of the FFCA amended RCRA by adding a new Section 3004(y) that required the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop, after consultation with the US Department of Defense (DOD) and appropriate state officials, regulations that identify when conventional and chemical munitions become hazardous waste and that provide for the safe transportation and storage of these wastes. The Military Munitions Rule (MMR) was proposed by EPA on November 8, 1995. The impact ofmore » the MMR on the management of military chemical warfare agents and associated waste is an important topic. There has been significant controversy regarding the disposition, under RCRA, of military chemical stockpile materials, and the MMR, in addition to issues with respect to conventional munitions, was expected to clarify the applicability of RCRA in these situations. The purpose of this paper is to review the applicability of the RCRA regulations to military chemical munitions that become waste and to discuss the impacts of the final MMR on the management of these wastes. The focus is on selected chemical agents that are part of the US chemical stockpile.« less

Comparison of a Conceptual Groundwater Model and Physically Based Groundwater Mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Zammit, C.; Griffiths, J.; Moore, C.; Woods, R. A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater is a vital resource for human activities including agricultural practice and urban water demand. Hydrologic modelling is an important way to study groundwater recharge, movement and discharge, and its response to both human activity and climate change. To understand the groundwater hydrologic processes nationally in New Zealand, we have developed a conceptually based groundwater flow model, which is fully integrated into a national surface-water model (TopNet), and able to simulate groundwater recharge, movement, and interaction with surface water. To demonstrate the capability of this groundwater model (TopNet-GW), we applied the model to an irrigated area with water shortage and pollution problems in the upper Ruamahanga catchment in Great Wellington Region, New Zealand, and compared its performance with a physically-based groundwater model (MODFLOW). The comparison includes river flow at flow gauging sites, and interaction between groundwater and river. Results showed that the TopNet-GW produced similar flow and groundwater interaction patterns as the MODFLOW model, but took less computation time. This shows the conceptually-based groundwater model has the potential to simulate national groundwater process, and could be used as a surrogate for the more physically based model.

Hotline questions provide insight on EPA`s interpretation of the regs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1993-11-01

The RCRA/Superfund and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Hotlines (1-800-424-9346 and 1-800-535-0202, respectively) provide the regulated community with answers to questions about the regulation of hazardous wastes under RCRA, CERCLA, and EPCRA. Some questions fielded by the Hotline staff require interpretation by EPA personnel, and these written interpretations are distributed within the agency in monthly reports. Although the interpretations are not legally binding and cannot be considered {open_quotes}official{close_quotes} agency policy, they are helpful in understanding the regulations. Presented below are summaries of Hotline questions that are of widespread interest. The summaries are based on the RCRA/Superfund and Emergency Planningmore » and Community Right-to-Know Act Hotline Reports for June and July 1993.« less

Hotline questions provide insight on EPA`s interpretation of the regs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-07-01

The RCRA/Superfund and Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act Hotlines (1-800-424-9346) and 1-800-535-0202, (respectively) provide the regulated community with answers to questions about the regulation of hazardous wastes under RCRA, CERCLA, and EPCRA. Some questions fielded by the Hotline staff require interpretation by EPA personnel, and these written interpretations are distributed within the agency in monthly reports. Although the interpretations are not legally binding and cannot be considered {open_quotes}official{close_quotes} agency policy, they are helpful in understanding the regulations. Presented below are summaries of Hotline questions that are of widespread interest. The summaries are based on the RCRA/Superfund and Emergency Planningmore » and Community Right-to-Know Act Hotline Reports for October 1995 through February 1995.« less

Groundwater flow processes and mixing in active volcanic systems: the case of Guadalajara (Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Antonio, A.; Mahlknecht, J.; Tamez-Meléndez, C.; Ramos-Leal, J.; Ramírez-Orozco, A.; Parra, R.; Ornelas-Soto, N.; Eastoe, C. J.

2015-09-01

Groundwater chemistry and isotopic data from 40 production wells in the Atemajac and Toluquilla valleys, located in and around the Guadalajara metropolitan area, were determined to develop a conceptual model of groundwater flow processes and mixing. Stable water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O) were used to trace hydrological processes and tritium (3H) to evaluate the relative contribution of modern water in samples. Multivariate analysis including cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to elucidate distribution patterns of constituents and factors controlling groundwater chemistry. Based on this analysis, groundwater was classified into four groups: cold groundwater, hydrothermal groundwater, polluted groundwater and mixed groundwater. Cold groundwater is characterized by low temperature, salinity, and Cl and Na concentrations and is predominantly of Na-HCO3-type. It originates as recharge at "La Primavera" caldera and is found predominantly in wells in the upper Atemajac Valley. Hydrothermal groundwater is characterized by high salinity, temperature, Cl, Na and HCO3, and the presence of minor elements such as Li, Mn and F. It is a mixed-HCO3 type found in wells from Toluquilla Valley and represents regional flow circulation through basaltic and andesitic rocks. Polluted groundwater is characterized by elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations and is usually derived from urban water cycling and subordinately from agricultural return flow. Mixed groundwaters between cold and hydrothermal components are predominantly found in the lower Atemajac Valley. Twenty-seven groundwater samples contain at least a small fraction of modern water. The application of a multivariate mixing model allowed the mixing proportions of hydrothermal fluids, polluted waters and cold groundwater in sampled water to be evaluated. This study will help local water authorities to identify and dimension groundwater contamination, and act accordingly. It may be broadly applicable to

Groundwater flow processes and mixing in active volcanic systems: the case of Guadalajara (Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández-Antonio, A.; Mahlknecht, J.; Tamez-Meléndez, C.; Ramos-Leal, J.; Ramírez-Orozco, A.; Parra, R.; Ornelas-Soto, N.; Eastoe, C. J.

2015-02-01

Groundwater chemistry and isotopic data from 40 production wells in the Atemajac and Toluquilla Valleys, located in and around the Guadalajara metropolitan area, were determined to develop a conceptual model of groundwater flow processes and mixing. Multivariate analysis including cluster analysis and principal component analysis were used to elucidate distribution patterns of constituents and factors controlling groundwater chemistry. Based on this analysis, groundwater was classified into four groups: cold groundwater, hydrothermal water, polluted groundwater and mixed groundwater. Cold groundwater is characterized by low temperature, salinity, and Cl and Na concentrations and is predominantly of Na-HCO3 type. It originates as recharge at Primavera caldera and is found predominantly in wells in the upper Atemajac Valley. Hydrothermal water is characterized by high salinity, temperature, Cl, Na, HCO3, and the presence of minor elements such as Li, Mn and F. It is a mixed HCO3 type found in wells from Toluquilla Valley and represents regional flow circulation through basaltic and andesitic rocks. Polluted groundwater is characterized by elevated nitrate and sulfate concentrations and is usually derived from urban water cycling and subordinately from agricultural practices. Mixed groundwaters between cold and hydrothermal components are predominantly found in the lower Atemajac Valley. Tritium method elucidated that practically all of the sampled groundwater contains at least a small fraction of modern water. The multivariate mixing model M3 indicates that the proportion of hydrothermal fluids in sampled well water is between 13 (local groundwater) and 87% (hydrothermal water), and the proportion of polluted water in wells ranges from 0 to 63%. This study may help local water authorities to identify and quantify groundwater contamination and act accordingly.

77 FR 22777 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-17

... Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0890, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov , or in person viewing at the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Docket at the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room...

77 FR 3262 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-23

... Docket ID No EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0624, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov , or in person viewing at the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room...

77 FR 22571 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-16

... Docket ID No EPA-HQ-RCRA-2011-0890, which is available for online viewing at www.regulations.gov , or in person viewing at the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Docket at the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room...

Estimating Groundwater Development area in Jianan Plain using Standardized Groundwater Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Chang Hsiang; Haw, Lee Cheng

2017-04-01

Taiwan has been facing severe water crises in recent years owing to the effects of extreme weather conditions. Changes in precipitation patterns have also made the drought phenomenon increasingly prominent, which has indirectly affected groundwater recharge. Hence, in the present study, long-term monitoring data were collected from the study area of the Jianan plain. The standardized groundwater index (SGI) and was then used to analyse the region's drought characteristics. To analyse the groundwater level by using SGI, making SGI180 groundwater level be the medium water crises, and SGI360 groundwater level be the extreme water crises. Through the different water crises signal in SGI180 and SGI360, we divide groundwater in Jianan plain into two sections. Thereby the water crises indicators establishing groundwater level standard line in Jianan Plain, then using the groundwater level standard line to find the study area where could be groundwater development area in Jianan plain. Taking into account relatively more water scarcity in dry season, so the study screen out another emergency backup groundwater development area, but the long-term groundwater development area is still as a priority development area. After finding suitable locations, groundwater modeling systems(GMS) software is used to simulate our sites to evaluate development volume. Finally, the result of study will help the government to grasp the water shortage situation immediately and solve the problem of water resources deployment.

Aberdeen area fire training area hydrologic assessment, Aberdeen Proving Ground. Final report, September 1989-July 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitten, C.B.; Miller, S.P.; Derryberry, N.A.

1992-12-01

In 1986, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Hazardous Waste Management Permit to Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland. The permit required a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Assessment (RFA) of sites in the Aberdeen Area (AA) of APG. Recommendations from a draft RFA report suggested further investigations at the Fire Training Area (FTA). This study is in response to the recommendations. Three soil borings and twelve groundwater monitor wells were installed. Three rounds of groundwater sampling and analyses were conducted. APG lies in the Coastal Plain Physiographic Province which is underlain by sediments consisting of threemore » major units, the Potomac Group, the Talbot Formation, and Recent (Holocene) sediments. The Lower Cretaceous sediments of the Potomac Group lie unconformably on the older Precambrian rocks. In the early 1960's fire training was initiated and training has been conducted as often as once a week. Trenches were ignited after being filled with oil and water. The exercises concluded in 1989. During the RFA shallow boring soil gas surveys were conducted for volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination at the FTA. Deeper borings were conducted for monitor wells and geologic mapping. Sampling and monitoring of groundwater, surface water, and soils was conducted. Analyses of groundwater from the monitor wells and two supply wells indicate the AFTA is contributing chemical contaminants to the upper aquifer, which is at a depth of approximately 30 feet below ground surface. ....Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, Hydrogeology, Groundwater, Site characterization, Groundwater contamination.« less

Shallow and Deep Groundwater Contributions to Ephemeral Streamflow Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmer, M. A.; McGlynn, B. L.

2016-12-01

Our understanding of streamflow generation processes in low relief, humid landscapes is limited. To address this, we utilized an ephemeral-to-intermittent drainage network in the Piedmont region of the United States to gain new understanding about the drivers of ephemeral streamflow generation, stream-groundwater interactions, and longitudinal expansion and contraction of the stream network. We used hydrometric and chemical data collected within zero through second order catchments to characterize streamflow and overland, shallow soil, and deep subsurface flow across landscape positions. Results showed bi-directionality in stream-groundwater gradients that were dependent on catchment storage state. This led to annual groundwater recharge magnitudes that were similar to annual streamflow. Perched shallow and deep water table contributions shifted dominance with changes in catchment storage state, producing distinct stream hydrograph recession constants. Active channel length versus runoff followed a consistent relationship independent of storage state, but exhibited varying discharge-solute hysteresis directions. Together, our results suggest that temporary streams can act as both important groundwater recharge and discharge locations across the landscape, especially in this region where ephemeral drainage densities are among the highest recorded. Our results also highlight that the internal catchment dynamics that generate temporary streams play an important role in dictating biogeochemical fluxes at the landscape scale.

Recharge Net Metering to Incentivize Sustainable Groundwater Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, A. T.; Coburn, C.; Kiparsky, M.; Lockwood, B. S.; Bannister, M.; Camara, K.; Lozano, S.

2016-12-01

Stormwater runoff has often been viewed as a nuisance rather than a resource, but with passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (2014), many basins in California are taking a fresh look at options to enhance groundwater supplies with excess winter flows. In some basins, stormwater can be used for managed aquifer recharge (MAR), routing surface water to enhance groundwater resources. As with many public infrastructure programs, financing for stormwater-MAR projects can be a challenge, and there is a need for incentives that will engage stakeholders and offset operation and maintenance costs. The Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA), in central costal California, recently launched California's first Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM) program. MAR projects that are part of the ReNeM program are intended to generate ≥100 ac-ft/yr of infiltration benefit during a normal water year. A team of university and Resource Conservation District partners will collaborate to identify and assess potential project sites, screening for hydrologic conditions, expected runoff, ease and cost of project construction, and ability to measure benefits to water supply and quality. The team will also collect data and samples to measure the performance of each operating project. Groundwater wells within the PVWMA's service area are metered, and agency customers pay an augmentation fee for each unit of groundwater pumped. ReNeM projects will earn rebates of augmentation fees based on the amount of water infiltrated, with rebates calculated using a formula that accounts for uncertainties in the fate of infiltrated water, and inefficiencies in recovery. The pilot ReNeM program seeks to contribute 1000 ac-ft/yr of infiltration benefit by the end of the initial five-year operating period. ReNeM offers incentives that are distinct from those derived from traditional groundwater banking, and thus offers the potential for an innovative addition to the portfolio of options for

Influences of groundwater extraction on flow dynamics and arsenic levels in the western Hetao Basin, Inner Mongolia, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhuo; Guo, Huaming; Zhao, Weiguang; Liu, Shuai; Cao, Yongsheng; Jia, Yongfeng

2018-04-01

Data on spatiotemporal variations in groundwater levels are crucial for understanding arsenic (As) behavior and dynamics in groundwater systems. Little is known about the influences of groundwater extraction on the transport and mobilization of As in the Hetao Basin, Inner Mongolia (China), so groundwater levels were recorded in five monitoring wells from 2011 to 2016 and in 57 irrigation wells and two multilevel wells in 2016. Results showed that groundwater level in the groundwater irrigation area had two troughs each year, induced by extensive groundwater extraction, while groundwater levels in the river-diverted (Yellow River) water irrigation area had two peaks each year, resulting from surface-water irrigation. From 2011 to 2016, groundwater levels in the groundwater irrigation area presented a decreasing trend due to the overextraction. Groundwater samples were taken for geochemical analysis each year in July from 2011 to 2016. Increasing trends were observed in groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS) and As. Owing to the reverse groundwater flow direction, the Shahai Lake acts as a new groundwater recharge source. Lake water had flushed the near-surface sediments, which contain abundant soluble components, and increased groundwater salinity. In addition, groundwater extraction induced strong downward hydraulic gradients, which led to leakage recharge from shallow high-TDS groundwater to the deep semiconfined aquifer. The most plausible explanation for similar variations among As, Fe(II) and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations is the expected dissimilatory reduction of Fe(III) oxyhydroxides.

Quantity and quality of groundwater discharge in a hypersaline lake environment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, R.B.; Naftz, D.L.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Henderson, R.D.; Rosenberry, D.O.; Stolp, B.J.; Jewell, P.

2014-01-01

Geophysical and geochemical surveys were conducted to understand groundwater discharge to Great Salt Lake (GSL) and assess the potential significance of groundwater discharge as a source of selenium (Se). Continuous resistivity profiling (CRP) focusing below the sediment/water interface and fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) surveys were conducted along the south shore of GSL. FO-DTS surveys identified persistent cold-water temperature anomalies at 10 separate locations. Seepage measurements were conducted at 17 sites (mean seepage rate = 0.8 cm/day). High resistivity anomalies identified by the CRP survey were likely a mirabilite (Na2SO4·10H2O) salt layer acting as a semi-confining layer for the shallow groundwater below the south shore of the lake. Positive seepage rates measured along the near-shore areas of GSL indicate that a ∼1-m thick oolitic sand overlying the mirabilite layer is likely acting as a shallow, unconfined aquifer. Using the average seepage rate of 0.8 cm/day over an area of 1.6 km2, an annual Se mass loading to GSL of 23.5 kg was estimated. Determination of R/Ra values (calculated 3He/4He ratio over the present-day atmospheric 3He/4He ratio) 34S and δ18O isotopic values in samples of dissolved sulfate from the shallow groundwater below the mirabilite are almost identical to the isotopic signature of the mirabilite core material. The saturation index calculated for groundwater samples using PHREEQC indicates the water is at equilibrium with mirabilite. Water samples collected from GSL immediately off shore contained Se concentrations that were 3–4 times higher than other sampling sites >25 km offshore from the study site and may be originating from less saline groundwater seeps mixing with the more saline water from GSL. Additional evidence for mixing with near shore seeps is found in the δD and δ18O isotopic values and Br:Cl ratios. Geochemical modeling for a water sample collected in the vicinity of the study area

Assessing groundwater policy with coupled economic-groundwater hydrologic modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulligan, Kevin B.; Brown, Casey; Yang, Yi-Chen E.; Ahlfeld, David P.

2014-03-01

This study explores groundwater management policies and the effect of modeling assumptions on the projected performance of those policies. The study compares an optimal economic allocation for groundwater use subject to streamflow constraints, achieved by a central planner with perfect foresight, with a uniform tax on groundwater use and a uniform quota on groundwater use. The policies are compared with two modeling approaches, the Optimal Control Model (OCM) and the Multi-Agent System Simulation (MASS). The economic decision models are coupled with a physically based representation of the aquifer using a calibrated MODFLOW groundwater model. The results indicate that uniformly applied policies perform poorly when simulated with more realistic, heterogeneous, myopic, and self-interested agents. In particular, the effects of the physical heterogeneity of the basin and the agents undercut the perceived benefits of policy instruments assessed with simple, single-cell groundwater modeling. This study demonstrates the results of coupling realistic hydrogeology and human behavior models to assess groundwater management policies. The Republican River Basin, which overlies a portion of the Ogallala aquifer in the High Plains of the United States, is used as a case study for this analysis.

Groundwater quality assessment/corrective action feasibility plan: New TNX Seepage Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nichols, R.L.

1989-12-05

The New TNX Seepage Basin is located across River Road east of the TNX Area at the Savannah River Site. Currently the basin is out of service and is awaiting closure in accordance with the Consent Decree settled under Civil Act No. 1:85-2583. Groundwater monitoring data from the detection monitoring network around the New TNX Seepage Basin was recently analyzed using South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Regulations R.61-79.264.92 methods to determine if groundwater downgradient of the New TNX Seepage Basin had been impacted. Results from the data analysis indicate that the groundwater has been impacted by inorganic constituents with nomore » associated health risks. The impacts resulting from elevated levels of inorganic constituents, such as Mn, Na, and Total PO{sub 4} in the water table, do not pose a threat to human health and the environment.« less

A multi-frequency investigation of the influences of groundwater discharge on hydrocarbon emission and transport in the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weidner, E. F.; Jakobsson, M.; Nycander, J.; Mayer, L. A.

2017-12-01

In nearshore coastal regions submarine groundwater discharge is a major component of the hydro-geological cycle: transporting nutrients and pollutants to the ocean, producing up-welling currents through buoyancy effects, and acting as an erosional force at discharge sites. In nearshore regions where biogenic gas production is high, groundwater discharge could potentially act as a control on hydrocarbon emission and transport from the seafloor though the water-column. In the southern Stockholm Archipelago of the Baltic Sea, terraces and semi-circular depressions on shallow (<20 meters) seafloor have been linked to the discharge of ground water, traveling along the permeable layers in glacial clay deposits (Söderberg and Flodén 1995; Jakobsson et al., 2016). Sub-bottom profiles over the same region have identified widespread areas of subsurface blanking, commonly attributed to gas, as well as water-column seep features, both in spatial proximity to the groundwater discharge sites. High-resolution multibeam bathymetry and chirp sub-bottom profiles were combined with water-column data sets collected at multiple frequencies (300 kHz, 45-90 kHz, 160-260 kHz) to map the spatial distribution of seeps and investigate their relationship to localized groundwater discharge as determined by seafloor and subsurface morphology. The spatial extent of seep sites appears closely tied to regions of suspected groundwater discharge, suggesting direct or indirect controls on gas emission pathways. Additionally, seep morphology in the broadband data hints at the possibility of groundwater and gas flow mixing.

Groundwater sustainability strategies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gleeson, Tom; VanderSteen, Jonathan; Sophocleous, Marios A.; Taniguchi, Makoto; Alley, William M.; Allen, Diana M.; Zhou, Yangxiao

2010-01-01

Groundwater extraction has facilitated significant social development and economic growth, enhanced food security and alleviated drought in many farming regions. But groundwater development has also depressed water tables, degraded ecosystems and led to the deterioration of groundwater quality, as well as to conflict among water users. The effects are not evenly spread. In some areas of India, for example, groundwater depletion has preferentially affected the poor. Importantly, groundwater in some aquifers is renewed slowly, over decades to millennia, and coupled climate–aquifer models predict that the flux and/or timing of recharge to many aquifers will change under future climate scenarios. Here we argue that communities need to set multigenerational goals if groundwater is to be managed sustainably.

Regional ground-water evapotranspiration and ground-water budgets, Great Basin, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, William D.

2000-01-01

PART A: Ground-water evapotranspiration data from five sites in Nevada and seven sites in Owens Valley, California, were used to develop equations for estimating ground-water evapotranspiration as a function of phreatophyte plant cover or as a function of the depth to ground water. Equations are given for estimating mean daily seasonal and annual ground-water evapotranspiration. The equations that estimate ground-water evapotranspiration as a function of plant cover can be used to estimate regional-scale ground-water evapotranspiration using vegetation indices derived from satellite data for areas where the depth to ground water is poorly known. Equations that estimate ground-water evapotranspiration as a function of the depth to ground water can be used where the depth to ground water is known, but for which information on plant cover is lacking. PART B: Previous ground-water studies estimated groundwater evapotranspiration by phreatophytes and bare soil in Nevada on the basis of results of field studies published in 1912 and 1932. More recent studies of evapotranspiration by rangeland phreatophytes, using micrometeorological methods as discussed in Chapter A of this report, provide new data on which to base estimates of ground-water evapotranspiration. An approach correlating ground-water evapotranspiration with plant cover is used in conjunction with a modified soil-adjusted vegetation index derived from Landsat data to develop a method for estimating the magnitude and distribution of ground-water evapotranspiration at a regional scale. Large areas of phreatophytes near Duckwater and Lockes in Railroad Valley are believed to subsist on ground water discharged from nearby regional springs. Ground-water evapotranspiration by the Duckwater phreatophytes of about 11,500 acre-feet estimated by the method described in this report compares well with measured discharge of about 13,500 acre-feet from the springs near Duckwater. Measured discharge from springs near Lockes

The groundwater subsidy to vegetation: groundwater exchanges between landcover patches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steven, L. I.; Gimenez, R.; Jobbagy, E. G.

2015-12-01

The Gran Chaco is a hot, dry plain, that spans over 60 million hectares across Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. It supports high biodiversity in its dry forest and savannahs, but is rapidly being converted to agriculture in response to growing soy demand and technology including genetic modification and zero-till, that has made cultivation in drier landscapes more viable. Under natural conditions, the deep-rooted, native vegetation of the Chaco effectively captured all rainfall for evapotranspiration resulting in near zero groundwater recharge under the dry forest. Conversion to shallower rooted soy and corn, combined with the fallow period prior to the growing season, reduces evapotranspiration and allows some water to percolate through the root zone and recharge the groundwater system. When this groundwater recharge occurs, it creates groundwater mounding and a hydraulic gradient that drives flow to adjacent landcover patches where recharge does not occur. As the watertable rises, groundwater becomes available to the deep-rooted, dry forest vegetation. We develop a soil and groundwater flow model to simulate infiltration, percolation, evaporation, rootwater uptake, groundwater recharge and the lateral transfer of water between adjacent landcover patches to quantify this groundwater subsidy from converted agricultural lands to remnant patches of dry forest.

Thermal footprints in groundwater of central European cities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayer, P.; Menberg, K.; Blum, P.

2014-12-01

Atmospheric thermal pollution in densely populated areas is recognized as a severe problem with consequences for human health, and considerable efforts are being taken to mitigate heat stress in cities. However, anthropogenic activities also influence the thermal environment beneath the ground level, with commonly growing temperatures that affect groundwater ecology and geothermal use efficiency. In our work, we identify the controlling mechanisms for the long-term evolution of such urban heat islands. The shallow groundwater temperatures in several central European cities such as Cologne, Karlsruhe, Munich, Berlin and Zurich were mapped at high spatial and temporal resolution. Thermal anomalies were found to be highly heterogeneous with local hot spots showing temperatures of more than 20°C. Accordingly, these urban regions show a considerable groundwater warming in comparison to undisturbed temperatures of 8-11°C. Examination of potential heat sources by analytical modelling reveals that increased ground surface temperatures and basements of buildings act as dominant drivers for the anthropogenic heat input into the groundwater. The factors are revealed to be case-specific and they may have pronounced local or regional effects. Typical local factors are for example buried district heating networks. In selected cities we find that the average urban heat flux is around one order of magnitude higher than the elevated ground heat flux due to recent climate change. Additionally, such as observed in Zurich, naturally controlled temperature variations can be substantial and they are shown to wash out anthropogenic thermal footprints.

Enteric Viruses in Raw Vegetables and Groundwater Used for Irrigation in South Korea▿

PubMed Central

Cheong, Sooryun; Lee, Cheonghoon; Song, Sung Won; Choi, Weon Cheon; Lee, Chan Hee; Kim, Sang-Jong

2009-01-01

Raw vegetables irrigated with groundwater that may contain enteric viruses can be associated with food-borne viral disease outbreaks. In this study, we performed reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and cell culture-PCR to monitor the occurrence of enteric viruses in groundwater samples and in raw vegetables that were cultivated using that groundwater in South Korea. Samples were collected 10 times from three farms located in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. RT-PCR and cell culture-PCR were performed to detect adenoviruses (AdVs), enteroviruses (EVs), noroviruses (NoVs), and rotaviruses, followed by sequence analyses of the detected strains. Of the 29 groundwater samples and the 30 vegetable samples, five (17%) and three (10%) were positive for enteric viruses, respectively. AdVs were the most frequently detected viruses in four groundwater and three vegetable samples. EVs and NoVs were detected in only one groundwater sample and one spinach sample, respectively. The occurrence of enteric viruses in groundwater and vegetable samples was not correlated with the water temperature and the levels of indicator bacteria, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that most of the detected AdVs were temporally distributed, irrespective of sample type. Our results indicate that raw vegetables may be contaminated with a broad range of enteric viruses, which may originate from virus-infected farmers and virus-contaminated irrigation water, and these vegetables may act as a potential vector of food-borne viral transmission. PMID:19854919

Uncertainty in global groundwater storage estimates in a Total Groundwater Stress framework

PubMed Central

Richey, Alexandra S.; Thomas, Brian F.; Lo, Min‐Hui; Swenson, Sean; Rodell, Matthew

2015-01-01

Abstract Groundwater is a finite resource under continuous external pressures. Current unsustainable groundwater use threatens the resilience of aquifer systems and their ability to provide a long‐term water source. Groundwater storage is considered to be a factor of groundwater resilience, although the extent to which resilience can be maintained has yet to be explored in depth. In this study, we assess the limit of groundwater resilience in the world's largest groundwater systems with remote sensing observations. The Total Groundwater Stress (TGS) ratio, defined as the ratio of total storage to the groundwater depletion rate, is used to explore the timescales to depletion in the world's largest aquifer systems and associated groundwater buffer capacity. We find that the current state of knowledge of large‐scale groundwater storage has uncertainty ranges across orders of magnitude that severely limit the characterization of resilience in the study aquifers. Additionally, we show that groundwater availability, traditionally defined as recharge and redefined in this study as total storage, can alter the systems that are considered to be stressed versus unstressed. We find that remote sensing observations from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment can assist in providing such information at the scale of a whole aquifer. For example, we demonstrate that a groundwater depletion rate in the Northwest Sahara Aquifer System of 2.69 ± 0.8 km3/yr would result in the aquifer being depleted to 90% of its total storage in as few as 50 years given an initial storage estimate of 70 km3. PMID:26900184

A conceptual model for the analysis of multi-stressors in linked groundwater-surface water systems.

PubMed

Kaandorp, Vince P; Molina-Navarro, Eugenio; Andersen, Hans E; Bloomfield, John P; Kuijper, Martina J M; de Louw, Perry G B

2018-06-15

Groundwater and surface water are often closely coupled and are both under the influence of multiple stressors. Stressed groundwater systems may lead to a poor ecological status of surface waters but to date no conceptual framework to analyse linked multi-stressed groundwater - surface water systems has been developed. In this paper, a framework is proposed showing the effect of groundwater on surface waters in multiple stressed systems. This framework will be illustrated by applying it to four European catchments, the Odense, Denmark, the Regge and Dinkel, Netherlands, and the Thames, UK, and by assessing its utility in analysing the propagation or buffering of multi-stressors through groundwater to surface waters in these catchments. It is shown that groundwater affects surface water flow, nutrients and temperature, and can both propagate stressors towards surface waters and buffer the effect of stressors in space and time. The effect of groundwater on drivers and states depends on catchment characteristics, stressor combinations, scale and management practises. The proposed framework shows how groundwater in lowland catchments acts as a bridge between stressors and their effects within surface waters. It shows water managers how their management areas might be influenced by groundwater, and helps them to include this important, but often overlooked part of the water cycle in their basin management plans. The analysis of the study catchments also revealed a lack of data on the temperature of both groundwater and surface water, while it is an important parameter considering future climate warming. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

76 FR 30390 - Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-25

... et seq. (``RCRA''), the Clean Water Act (``CWA''), 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq., and the Oil Pollution Act... Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; Clean Water Act; Oil Pollution Act; and Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code Notice is hereby given that on...

Geochemical and isotopic determination of deep groundwater contributions and salinity to the shallow groundwater and surface water systems, Mesilla Basin, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, A.; Carroll, K. C.; Kubicki, C.; Purtshert, R.

2017-12-01

The Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer system, extending from southern New Mexico to Chihuahua, Mexico, is a priority transboundary aquifer under the 2006 United States­-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act. Declining water levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing groundwater use by municipal, industrial, and agricultural users on both sides of the international border raise concerns about long-term aquifer sustainability. Relative contributions of present-day and "paleo" recharge to sustainable fresh groundwater yields has not been determined and evidence suggests that a large source of salinity at the distal end of the Mesilla Basin is saline discharge from deep groundwater flow. The magnitude and distribution of those deep saline flow paths are not determined. The contribution of deep groundwater to discharge and salinity in the shallow groundwater and surface water of the Mesilla Basin will be determined by collecting discrete groundwater samples and analyzing for aqueous geochemical and isotopic tracers, as well as the radioisotopes of argon and krypton. Analytes include major ions, trace elements, the stable isotopes of water, strontium and boron isotopes, uranium isotopes, the carbon isotopes of dissolved inorganic carbon, noble gas concentrations and helium isotope ratios. Dissolved gases are extracted and captured from groundwater wells using membrane contactors in a process known as ultra-trace sampling. Gas samples are analyzed for radioisotope ratios of krypton by the ATTA method and argon by low-level counting. Effectiveness of the ultra-trace sampling device and method was evaluated by comparing results of tritium concentrations to the krypton-85 content. Good agreement between the analyses, especially in samples with undetectable tritium, indicates that the ultra-trace procedure is effective and confirms that introduction of atmospheric air has not occurred. The geochemistry data indicate a complex system of geochemical

Cleanup liability and the Constitution

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Friedland, D.M.; Hagen, P.E.

It was observed in the July 1992 issue of this Journal that a plain reading of the Constitution's prohibition on [open quotes][ital ex post facto][close quotes] suggests that some environmental statutes such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA or Superfund) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) conflict with Constitutional principles. Like many Constitutional principles, however, the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Constitution's bar on [ital ex post facto] laws has a long history. The Court has consistently interpreted this clause as limited to criminal or penal statutes. This article discussesmore » the history of the [ital ex post facto] clause, the retroactive application of CERCLA and RCRA, the decision that retroactive application of CERCLA and RCRA does not violate the [ital ex post facto] clause, and laws, regulations, and guidance. 27 refs.« less

Western USA groundwater drilling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jasechko, S.; Perrone, D.

2016-12-01

Groundwater in the western US supplies 40% of the water used for irrigated agriculture, and provides drinking water to individuals living in rural regions distal to perennial rivers. Unfortunately, current groundwater use is not sustainable in a number of key food producing regions. While substantial attention has been devoted to mapping groundwater depletion rates across the western US, the response of groundwater users via well drilling to changing land uses, water demands, pump and drilling technologies, pollution vulnerabilities, and economic conditions remains unknown. Here we analyze millions of recorded groundwater drilling events in the western US that span years 1850 to 2015. We show that groundwater wells are being drilled deeper in some, but not all, regions where groundwater levels are declining. Groundwater wells are generally deeper in arid and mountainous regions characterized by deep water tables (e.g., unconfined alluvial and fractured bedrock aquifers), and in regions that have productive aquifers with high water quality deep under the ground (e.g., confined sedimentary aquifers). Further, we relate water quality and groundwater drilling depths in 40 major aquifer systems across the western US. We show that there is substantial room for improvement to the existing 2-D continental-scale assessments of domestic well water vulnerability to pollution if one considers the depth that the domestic well is screened in addition to pollutant loading, surficial geology, and vertical groundwater flow rates. These new continental-scale maps can be used to (i) better assess economic, water quality, and water balance limitations to groundwater usage, (ii) steer domestic well drilling into productive strata bearing clean and protected groundwater resources, and (iii) assess groundwater management schemes across the western US.

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Facility Presentation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The first presentation (86-slides), provided by Environmental Management Services (contractor to Cavenham Forest Industries) covers work progress being undertaken with respect to the corrective action.

Groundwater quality in the South Coast Range Coastal groundwater basins, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burton, Carmen A.; Belitz, Kenneth

2013-01-01

Groundwater provides more than 40 percent of California’s drinking water. To protect this vital resource, the State of California created the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the GAMA Program provides a comprehensive assessment of the State’s untreated groundwater quality and increases public access to groundwater-quality information. The coastal basins in the Southern Coast Ranges constitute one of the study units being evaluated.

California Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program Priority Basin Project--shallow aquifer assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2013-01-01

The California State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) GAMA Program is a comprehensive assessment of statewide groundwater quality in California. From 2004 to 2012, the GAMA Program’s Priority Basin Project focused on assessing groundwater resources used for public drinking-water supplies. More than 2,000 public-supply wells were sampled by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for this effort. Starting in 2012, the GAMA Priority Basin Project began an assessment of water resources in shallow aquifers in California. These shallow aquifers provide water for domestic and small community-supply wells, which are often drilled to shallower depths in the groundwater system than public-supply wells. Shallow aquifers are of interest because shallow groundwater may respond more quickly and be more susceptible to contamination from human activities at the land surface, than the deeper aquifers. The SWRCB’s GAMA Program was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 (Water Code sections 10780-10782.3): a public mandate to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater resources used for drinking-water supplies, and to increase the availability of information about groundwater quality to the public. The U.S. Geological Survey is the technical lead of the Priority Basin Project. Stewardship of California’s groundwater resources is a responsibility shared between well owners, communities, and the State. Participants and collaborators in the GAMA Program include Regional Water Quality Control Boards, Department of Water Resources, Department of Public Health, local and regional groundwater management entities, county and local water agencies, community groups, and private citizens. Well-owner participation in the GAMA Program is entirely voluntary.

Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

List of the Federal Agency Hazardous Waste Compliance Docket Facilities comprised of four lists: National Priorities List (NPL), Non-National Priorities List, Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

A Regional Groundwater Observatory to Enhance Analysis and Management of Water Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoder, A. M.; Maples, S.; Hatch, N. R.; Fogg, G. E.

2017-12-01

Timely, effective management of groundwater often does not happen because timely information on the state of the groundwater system is seldom available. A groundwater observatory for monitoring real-time groundwater level fluctuations is being developed in the American-Cosumnes groundwater system of Sacramento County, California. The observatory records the consequences of complex interplay between pumpage, recharge, drought, and floods in the context of a heterogeneous stratigraphic framework that has been extensively characterized with more than 1,100 well logs. Preliminary results show increases in recharge caused by removal of flood control levees to allow more frequent floodplain inundation as well as consequences of the 2012-16 drought followed by the wet winter of 2016-17. Comparison of recharge rates pre- and post-levee breach restoration show significant increases in recharge, despite the presence of fine-grained floodplain soils. Estimated total recharge corresponded closely with the frequency and magnitude of flood events in any given water year. The lowest value calculated for estimated recharge was from 2012-2013, 490 +/- 220 ac-ft (0.65 +/- 0.29 ac-ft per acre). The highest estimated recharge value calculated was for the 2015-2016 water year and was 3180 +/- 1430 ac-ft (2.83 +/- 1.27 ac-ft per acre). These preliminary numbers will be updated with more comprehensive estimates based on a full analysis of the 2016-17 data. The increase in data transfer efficiency afforded by the observatory can be widely used by the many parties reliant on Central Valley groundwater and can serve as a model for real-time data collection in support of California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed in 2014.

Management of Brackish Groundwater Extraction, San Diego-Tijuana area, USA and Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Danskin, W. R.

2017-12-01

Management of brackish groundwater extraction from coastal sediment in the transboundary San Diego-Tijuana area, USA and Mexico, involves monitoring storage depletion, seawater intrusion, and land subsidence. In 2017, five additional extraction wells were installed, doubling capacity of the Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility. Environmental permits to expand capacity of the facility, and the recently-enacted Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) by the State of California require monitoring the possible adverse effects of the additional extraction. Fortuitously, over the past 14 years, 12 deep multiple-depth, monitoring-well sites were installed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to aid in mapping the coastal geology and groundwater conditions. Now these sites are being used for groundwater management. Storage depletion is monitored daily via water levels measured using transducers installed permanently in each of the 4-6 piezometers at each site and transmitted automatically to the Internet. Seawater intrusion is tracked annually via electromagnetic geophysical logging in the deepest piezometer at each site, 500-800 meters below land surface, about twice the depth of the extraction wells. Land subsidence is determined annually from surveys of reference points installed at the well sites and from Interferometric Synthetic Aperature Radar (InSAR) satellite data. Management also involves use of a regional hydrologic model to simulate the likely location and timing of future storage depletion, seawater intrusion, and land subsidence.

Institutions in transitioning peri-urban communities: spatial differences in groundwater access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, Sharlene L.; Hermans, Leon M.

2016-05-01

Urbanization creates challenges for water management in an evolving socio-economic context. This is particularly relevant in transitioning peri-urban areas like Khulna, Bangladesh where competing demands have put pressure on local groundwater resources. Users are unable to sufficiently meet their needs through existing institutions. These institutions provide the rules for service provision and act as guidelines for actors to resolve their water related issues. However, the evolving peri-urban context can produce fragmented institutional arrangements. For example in Khulna, water supply is based on urban and rural boundaries that has created water access issues for peri-urban communities. This has motivated local actors to manage their groundwater needs in various ways. General institutional theories are well developed in literature, yet little is known about institutions in transitioning peri-urban areas. Institutions that fail to adapt to changing dynamics run the risk of becoming obsolete or counter-productive, hence the need for investigating institutional change mechanisms in this context. This paper examines peri-urban case studies from Khulna using the Institutional Analysis and Development framework to demonstrate how institutions have contributed to spatial differences in groundwater access with local actors investing in formal and informal institutional change as a means of accessing groundwater.

Groundwater-abstraction induced land subsidence and groundwater regulation in the North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, H.; Wang, L.; Cheng, G.; Zhang, Z.

2015-11-01

Land subsidence can be induced when various factors such as geological, and hydrogeological conditions and intensive groundwater abstraction combine. The development and utilization of groundwater in the North China Plain (NCP) bring great benefits, and at the same time have led to a series of environmental and geological problems accompanying groundwater-level declines and land subsidence. Subsidence occurs commonly in the NCP and analyses show that multi-layer aquifer systems with deep confined aquifers and thick compressible clay layers are the key geological and hydrogeological conditions responsible for its development in this region. Groundwater overdraft results in aquifer-system compaction, resulting in subsidence. A calibrated, transient groundwater-flow numerical model of the Beijing plain portion of the NCP was developed using MODFLOW. According to available water supply and demand in Beijing plain, several groundwater regulation scenarios were designed. These different regulation scenarios were simulated with the groundwater model, and assessed using a multi-criteria fuzzy pattern recognition model. This approach is proven to be very useful for scientific analysis of sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources. The evaluation results show that sustainable development of groundwater resources may be achieved in Beijing plain when various measures such as control of groundwater abstraction and increase of artificial recharge combine favourably.

Groundwater age for identification of baseline groundwater quality and impacts of land-use intensification - The National Groundwater Monitoring Programme of New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, Uwe; Daughney, Christopher J.

2012-08-01

SummaryWe identified natural baseline groundwater quality and impacts caused by land use intensification by relating groundwater chemistry with water age. Tritium, the most direct tracer for groundwater dating, including the time of water passage through the unsaturated zone, was overwhelmed over the recent decades by contamination from bomb-tritium from nuclear weapons testing in the early 1960s. In the Southern Hemisphere, this situation has changed now with the fading of the bomb-tritium, and tritium has become a tool for accurate groundwater dating. Tritium dating will become efficient also in the Northern Hemisphere over the next decade. Plotting hydrochemistry and field parameters versus groundwater age allowed us to identify those parameters that have increasing concentrations with age and are therefore from geological sources. These indicators for natural groundwater evolution are: Na, HCO3, SiO2, F, PO4, the redox-sensitive elements and compounds Fe, Mn, NH4, CH4, and pH and conductivity. In young groundwater that was recharged after the intensification of agriculture, nitrate, sulphate, CFC-11 and CFC-12, and pesticides are the most representative indicators for the impact of land-use intensification on groundwater quality, with 66% of the sites showing such an impact. Elevated concentrations of nitrate in oxic groundwater allowed us to reconstruct the timing and magnitude of the impact of land-use intensification on groundwater which in New Zealand occurred in two stages. Old pristine groundwater reflects the natural baseline quality. A transition to slightly elevated concentration due to low-intensity land-use was observed in groundwater recharged since around 1880. A sharp increase in nitrate and other agrochemicals due to high-intensity agriculture was observed in groundwater recharged since 1955. The threshold concentrations that distinguish natural baseline quality water from low-intensity land-use water, and low-intensity from high intensity land

GROUND WATER ISSUE: DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR CONVENTIONAL PUMP-AND-TREAT SySTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Containment and cleanup of contaminated ground water are among the primary objectives of the CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; also known as Superfund) and RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) remediation programs. Ground-...

The Evolution of Groundwater Management Paradigms in Kansas, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sophocleous, M. A.

2011-12-01

The purpose of this presentation is to trace the evolution of key water-related laws and management practices in Kansas, from the enactment of the Kansas Water Resources Appropriation Act of 1945 to the present, in order to highlight the state's efforts to create a more sustainable water future and in hopes that others will benefit from Kansas' experience. The 1945 Act provides the basic framework of water law (prior appropriation) in Kansas. Progression of groundwater management in the state encompasses local ground-water management districts (GMDs) and their water-management programs, minimum-streamflow and TMDL standards, water-use reporting and water metering programs, use of modified safe-yield policies in some GMDs, the subbasin water-resources-management program, the integrated resource planning/Aquifer Storage and Recovery project of the City of Wichita, the Central Kansas Water Bank, enhanced aquifer subunits management, and various water conservation programs. While these have all contributed to the slowing down of declines in groundwater levels in the High Plains aquifer and in associated ecosystems, they have not yet succeeded in halting those declines. Based on the assumption that the different management approaches have to operate easily within the prevailing water rights and law framework to succeed, a number of steps are suggested here that may help further halt the declines of the High Plains aquifer. These include eliminating the "use it or lose it" maxim in the prior-appropriation framework, broadening the definition of "beneficial use," regulating domestic and other "exempt" wells, encouraging voluntary "sharing the shortage" agreements, and determining to what extent water rights may be regulated in the public interest without a compensable "taking." Further necessary measures include determining to what extent water-rights holders might be subjected to reasonable dictates without having the security of their rights altered.

Levels and distributions of organochlorine pesticides in the soil-groundwater system of vegetable planting area in Tianjin City, Northern China.

PubMed

Pan, Hong-Wei; Lei, Hong-Jun; He, Xiao-Song; Xi, Bei-Dou; Han, Yu-Ping; Xu, Qi-Gong

2017-04-01

To study the influence of long-term pesticide application on the distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the soil-groundwater system, 19 soil samples and 19 groundwater samples were collected from agricultural area with long-term pesticide application history in Northern China. Results showed that the composition of OCPs changed significantly from soil to groundwater. For example, ∑DDT, ∑HCH, and ∑heptachlor had high levels in the soil and low levels in the groundwater; in contrast, endrin had low level in the soil and high level in the groundwater. Further study showed that OCP distribution in the soil was significantly influenced by its residue time, soil organic carbon level, and small soil particle contents (i.d. <0.0002 mm). Correlation analysis also indicates that the distribution of OCPs in the groundwater was closely related to the levels of OCPs in the soil layer, which may act as a pollution source.

Using 14C and 3H to understand groundwater flow and recharge in an aquifer window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkinson, A. P.; Cartwright, I.; Gilfedder, B. S.; Cendón, D. I.; Unland, N. P.; Hofmann, H.

2014-06-01

Knowledge of groundwater residence times and recharge locations are vital to the sustainable management of groundwater resources. Here we investigate groundwater residence times and patterns of recharge in the Gellibrand Valley, southeast Australia, where outcropping aquifer sediments of the Eastern View Formation form an "aquifer window" that may receive diffuse recharge and recharge from the Gellibrand River. To determine recharge patterns and groundwater flowpaths, environmental isotopes (3H, 14C, δ13C, δ18O, δ2H) are used in conjunction with groundwater geochemistry and continuous monitoring of groundwater elevation and electrical conductivity. Despite the water table fluctuating by 0.9-3.7 m annually producing estimated recharge rates of 90 and 372 mm yr-1, residence times of shallow (11-29 m) groundwater determined by 14C ages are between 100 and 10 000 years. 3H activities are negligible in most of the groundwater and groundwater electrical conductivity in individual areas remains constant over the period of study. Although diffuse local recharge is evident, the depth to which it penetrates is limited to the upper 10 m of the aquifer. Rather, groundwater in the Gellibrand Valley predominantly originates from the regional recharge zone, the Barongarook High, and acts as a regional discharge zone where upward head gradients are maintained annually, limiting local recharge. Additionally, the Gellibrand River does not recharge the surrounding groundwater and has limited bank storage. 14C ages and Cl concentrations are well correlated and Cl concentrations may be used to provide a first-order estimate of groundwater residence times. Progressively lower chloride concentrations from 10 000 years BP to the present day are interpreted to indicate an increase in recharge rates on the Barongarook High.

Investigation of Submarine Groundwater Discharge and Preferential Groundwater Flow-paths in a Coastal Karst Area using towed Marine and Terrestrial Electrical Resistivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'connell, Y.; Daly, E.; Duffy, G.; Henry, T.

2012-12-01

Large volumes of groundwater, containing nutrients and contaminants enter the coastal waters of southern Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland through submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). The SGD occurs through karstified Carboniferous limestone in a major karst region comprising the Burren and Gort Lowlands. The Carboniferous limestones have experienced extensive dissolution resulting in the development of an underground network of conduits and fissures that define a trimodal groundwater flow pattern across the region. Groundwater discharge to the sea in this area is exclusively intertidal and submarine. Storage in the karst is limited and typical winter rainfall conditions result in the karst system becoming saturated. Temporary lakes (turloughs) form in lowlying areas and act as large reservoirs which provide storage to enable the transmission of the large volumes of water in the system to the sea. Between 2010 and 2012, terrestrial and shallow marine geophysical surveying has been undertaken to investigate preferential groundwater flow-paths and SGD locations in order to quantify the groundwater-seawater interactions in this coastal karst system. A report into the groundwater system of this karst region following a major flood event proposed a conceptual conduit model defined by extensive water tracing, water level monitoring, hydrochemical sampling, geological mapping and drilling. Limited information about the dimensions of the conduits was known. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) profiling to depths of 100m below ground level, with multiple array configurations, has been carried out to investigate the modes of groundwater flow in to and out of both temporary and permanent freshwater lakes in the system. Towed dipole-dipole profiles have been recorded to investigate conduits beneath a permanent lake exhibiting a tidal influence despite its location 5.5 km from the seashore. The ERT data indicates significant variations in subsurface resistivities

Groundwater hydrochemistry evolution in cyclone driven hydrological regimes, NW Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skrzypek, G.; Dogramaci, S.; Grierson, P.

2013-12-01

Groundwater reserves supply the water needs of many arid regions around the world. Aquifer recharge in these regions is primarily depended on the amount and distribution of rainfall, coupled with exceedingly high rates of evaporation and interactions with both local and regional geomorphology and geology. In semi-arid northwest Australia, the majority of rainfall is delivered by large but infrequent cyclonic events and relatively more frequent but low intensity frontal systems. Changes to rainfall patterns due to global climate change may impact hydrological regimes, recharge rates and groundwater hydrochemistry. These changes may significantly restrict freshwater resources in the future. Between 2008 and 2012, we analysed >400 groundwater, surface and rainwater samples for stable isotope composition (δ2H and δ18O) and major ion chemistry. We then developed conceptual geochemical models of groundwater evolution for the Hamersley Basin (>100,000 km2) and a salt inventory for the Fortescue Marsh (the largest wetland in NW Australia) [1,2]. Fresh groundwater from the alluvium (-8.02 × 0.83‰) and fractured aquifers (-8.22 × 0.70‰) were hydrochemically similar and characterised by a very narrow range of δ18O [1]. In contrast, δ18O of saline and brine groundwater (TDS >10 g L-1) varies in wide range from +2.5 to -7.2‰ [2]. Most of the fresh and brackish groundwater reflects modern recharge and is evaporated by <20% prior to recharge. In contrast, highly saline and brine groundwater reflects mixing between modern rainfall, brackish water and older deep groundwater. The Fortescue Marsh primarily acts as a terminal basin for surface water from the upper Fortescue River catchment [2]. The stable isotope composition of the deep brine groundwater under the Marsh suggests a complex evolution, which cannot be explained by evaporation under current climatic conditions. The observed salinity and δ18O values may result from progressive evaporation from highly saline

Impact assessment of on-site sanitation system on groundwater quality in alluvial settings: A case study from Lucknow city in North India.

PubMed

Jangam, Chandrakant; Ramya Sanam, S; Chaturvedi, M K; Padmakar, C; Pujari, Paras R; Labhasetwar, Pawan K

2015-10-01

The present case study has been undertaken to investigate the impact of on-site sanitation on groundwater quality in alluvial settings in Lucknow City in India. The groundwater samples have been collected in the areas of Lucknow City where the on-site sanitation systems have been implemented. The groundwater samples have been analyzed for the major physicochemical parameters and fecal coliform. The results of analysis reveal that none of the groundwater samples exceeded the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) limits for all the parameters. Fecal coliform was not found in majority of the samples including those samples which were very close to the septic tank. The study area has a thick alluvium cover as a top layer which acts as a natural barrier for groundwater contamination from the on-site sanitation system. The t test has been performed to assess the seasonal effect on groundwater quality. The statistical t test implies that there is a significant effect of season on groundwater quality in the study area.

Groundwater vulnerability mapping in Guadalajara aquifers system (Western Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rizo-Decelis, L. David; Marín, Ana I.; Andreo, Bartolomé

2016-04-01

Groundwater vulnerability mapping is a practical tool to implement strategies for land-use planning and sustainable socioeconomic development coherent with groundwater protection. The objective of vulnerability mapping is to identify the most vulnerable zones of catchment areas and to provide criteria for protecting the groundwater used for drinking water supply. The delineation of protection zones in fractured aquifers is a challenging task due to the heterogeneity and anisotropy of hydraulic conductivities, which makes difficult prediction of groundwater flow organization and flow velocities. Different methods of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability mapping were applied in the Atemajac-Toluquilla groundwater body, an aquifers system that covers around 1300 km2. The aquifer supplies the 30% of urban water resources of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara (Mexico), where over 4.6 million people reside. Study area is located in a complex neotectonic active volcanic region in the Santiago River Basin (Western Mexico), which influences the aquifer system underneath the city. Previous works have defined the flow dynamics and identified the origin of recharge. In addition, the mixture of fresh groundwater with hydrothermal and polluted waters have been estimated. Two main aquifers compose the multilayer system. The upper aquifer is unconfined and consists of sediments and pyroclastic materials. Recharge of this aquifer comes from rainwater and ascending vertical fluids from the lower aquifer. The lower aquifer consists of fractured basalts of Pliocene age. Formerly, the main water source has been the upper unit, which is a porous and unconsolidated unit, which acts as a semi-isotropic aquifer. Intense groundwater usage has resulted in lowering the water table in the upper aquifer. Therefore, the current groundwater extraction is carried out from the deeper aquifer and underlying bedrock units, where fracture flow predominates. Pollution indicators have been reported in

A new influence on iron dissolution in Bangladesh aquifers: electron shuttling by groundwater fulvic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenov, N.; Kulkarni, H. V.; McKnight, D. M.; Zheng, Y.; Kirk, M. F.

2016-12-01

It was demonstrated more than two decades ago that the electron shuttling ability of fulvic acids (FA) accelerates iron (Fe) reduction. However, the environmental relevance of this mechanism for arsenic-laden groundwater environments has thus far only been hypothesized. Here we show that FAs isolated from high and low arsenic groundwater aquifers in the Bengal Basin can act to shuttle electrons between bacteria and Fe(III). Bangladesh groundwater FAs were reduced by Geobacter metallireducens and were subsequently capable of abiotically reducing Fe(III) to Fe(II). Moreover, all four Bangladesh groundwater FAs investigated in the study had higher Fe(III) to Fe(II) conversion rates compared to anthraquinone disulfonate, an oxidized quinone, and Suwannee River Fulvic Acid, a commercially-available FA isolated from a terrestrially-dominated surface water source. Until now, microbially-mediated reductive dissolution of Fe (oxy)hydroxides, driven by the availability of labile organic matter, was widely accepted as the main control on arsenic mobilization in reducing aquifers. Our evidence for the electron shuttling ability of Bangladesh FAs implicates electron shuttling as another important control on elevated As concentrations in groundwater of the Bengal Basin.

Documents Pertaining to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Event Codes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Document containing RCRA Corrective Action event codes and definitions, including national requirements, initiating sources, dates, and guidance, from the first facility assessment until the Corrective Action is terminated.

2015 Groundwater Radiological Monitoring Results Associated with the Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewis, Michael George

This report summarizes radiological monitoring results from groundwater wells associated with the Idaho National Laboratory Site’s Advanced Test Reactor Complex Cold Waste Ponds Reuse Permit (I-161-02). All radiological monitoring is performed to fulfill Department of Energy requirements under the Atomic Energy Act.

Chronic groundwater decline: A multi-decadal analysis of groundwater trends under extreme climate cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Brocque, Andrew F.; Kath, Jarrod; Reardon-Smith, Kathryn

2018-06-01

Chronic groundwater decline is a concern in many of the world's major agricultural areas. However, a general lack of accurate long-term in situ measurement of groundwater depth and analysis of trends prevents understanding of the dynamics of these systems at landscape scales. This is particularly worrying in the context of future climate uncertainties. This study examines long-term groundwater responses to climate variability in a major agricultural production landscape in southern Queensland, Australia. Based on records for 381 groundwater bores, we used a modified Mann-Kendall non-parametric test and Sen's slope estimator to determine groundwater trends across a 26-year period (1989-2015) and in distinct wet and dry climatic phases. Comparison of trends between climatic phases showed groundwater level recovery during wet phases was insufficient to offset the decline in groundwater level from the previous dry phase. Across the entire 26-year sampling period, groundwater bore levels (all bores) showed an overall significant declining trend (p < 0.05) of an average 0.06 m year-1. Fifty-one bores (20%) exhibited significant declining groundwater levels (p < 0.05), 25 bores (10%) exhibited significant rising groundwater levels (p < 0.05), and 175 bores (70%) exhibited no significant change in groundwater levels (p > 0.05). Spatially, both declining and rising bores were highly clustered. We conclude that over 1989-2015 there is a significant net decline in groundwater levels driven by a smaller subset of highly responsive bores in high irrigation areas within the catchment. Despite a number of targeted policy interventions, chronic groundwater decline remains evident in the catchment. We argue that this is likely to continue and to occur more widely under potential climate change and that policy makers, groundwater users and managers need to engage in planning to ensure the sustainability of this vital resource.

Groundwater sustainability and groundwater/surface-water interaction in arid Dunhuang Basin, northwest China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jingjing; Ma, Rui; Hu, Yalu; Sun, Ziyong; Wang, Yanxin; McCarter, Colin P. R.

2018-03-01

The Dunhuang Basin, a typical inland basin in northwestern China, suffers a net loss of groundwater and the occasional disappearance of the Crescent Lake. Within this region, the groundwater/surface-water interactions are important for the sustainability of the groundwater resources. A three-dimensional transient groundwater flow model was established and calibrated using MODFLOW 2000, which was used to predict changes to these interactions once a water diversion project is completed. The simulated results indicate that introducing water from outside of the basin into the Shule and Danghe rivers could reverse the negative groundwater balance in the Basin. River-water/groundwater interactions control the groundwater hydrology, where river leakage to the groundwater in the Basin will increase from 3,114 × 104 m3/year in 2017 to 11,875 × 104 m3/year in 2021, and to 17,039 × 104 m3/year in 2036. In comparison, groundwater discharge to the rivers will decrease from 3277 × 104 m3/year in 2017 to 1857 × 104 m3/year in 2021, and to 510 × 104 m3/year by 2036; thus, the hydrology will switch from groundwater discharge to groundwater recharge after implementing the water diversion project. The simulation indicates that the increased net river infiltration due to the water diversion project will raise the water table and then effectively increasing the water level of the Crescent Lake, as the lake level is contiguous with the water table. However, the regional phreatic evaporation will be enhanced, which may intensify soil salinization in the Dunhuang Basin. These results can guide the water allocation scheme for the water diversion project to alleviate groundwater depletion and mitigate geo-environmental problem.

Development of Groundwater Management Model for Sustainable Groundwater Use in the Agricultural Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, D.; Bae, G.; Lee, K.

2010-12-01

In many agricultural regions, high dependence of irrigation on groundwater has brought about serious concerns about unplanned groundwater developments and over-pumping. Various agricultural activities including fertilization and livestock husbandry usually result in groundwater contamination in those regions. Field works in Icheon, Korea showed that in this region the rice farming still requires a significant amount of water and continuous construction of greenhouse can make the contamination from the fertilization more serious. In this study, a groundwater management model based on the simulation-optimization methodology is developed to achieve sufficient groundwater supply and groundwater quality conservation together on regional-scale. This model can obtain the on-ground contaminant loading mass by integrating an analytical model for 1-D solute transport in unsaturated zone with 3-D groundwater flow and solute transport model, HydroGeosphere. The outputs of the 1-D unsaturated transport model, concentrations of the contaminant leaching on water table, work as contaminant sources in the 3-D solute transport model in saturated zone. This integrated simulation model is linked to genetic algorithm that searches the global optimum for the sustainable groundwater use. And, in order for the design on the contaminant sources to be more effective, it also links the backward transport model useful for evaluating the contamination from contaminant sources to each pumping well. The first objective of the management in this study is to obtain the optimal pumping rates that not only can supply sufficient amount of the groundwater but protect the groundwater from the excessive drawdown and contamination. The second objective is to control the periodic loading of the contaminant by suggesting the allowable contaminant loading mass. For this multi-objective groundwater management, the objective function to maximize both pumping rates and allowable contaminant loading mass and at

An early warning system for groundwater pollution based on the assessment of groundwater pollution risks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Weihong.; Zhao, Yongsheng; Hong, Mei; Guo, Xiaodong

2009-04-01

Groundwater pollution usually is complex and concealed, remediation of which is difficult, high cost, time-consuming, and ineffective. An early warning system for groundwater pollution is needed that detects groundwater quality problems and gets the information necessary to make sound decisions before massive groundwater quality degradation occurs. Groundwater pollution early warning were performed by considering comprehensively the current groundwater quality, groundwater quality varying trend and groundwater pollution risk . The map of the basic quality of the groundwater was obtained by fuzzy comprehensive evaluation or BP neural network evaluation. Based on multi-annual groundwater monitoring datasets, Water quality state in sometime of the future was forecasted using time-sequenced analyzing methods. Water quality varying trend was analyzed by Spearman's rank correlative coefficient.The relative risk map of groundwater pollution was estimated through a procedure that identifies, cell by cell,the values of three factors, that is inherent vulnerability, load risk of pollution source and contamination hazard. DRASTIC method was used to assess inherent vulnerability of aquifer. Load risk of pollution source was analyzed based on the potential of contamination and pollution degree. Assessment index of load risk of pollution source which involves the variety of pollution source, quantity of contaminants, releasing potential of pollutants, and distance were determined. The load risks of all sources considered by GIS overlay technology. Early warning model of groundwater pollution combined with ComGIS technology organically, the regional groundwater pollution early-warning information system was developed, and applied it into Qiqiha'er groundwater early warning. It can be used to evaluate current water quality, to forecast water quality changing trend, and to analyze space-time influencing range of groundwater quality by natural process and human activities. Keywords

REGULATORY PROGRAMS. USEPA PERSPECTIVE ON THE REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED WOOD PRESERVING SITES.

EPA Science Inventory

Since the enactment of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended, many directives and initiatives have been established which govern various aspects of remedial activities at...

Proglacial Groundwater Flux and Storage in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavez, D.; McKenzie, J. M.; Baraer, M.; Mark, B. G.

2012-12-01

flatness of the valley floors is not the result of river meander. The coarse grained units have the potential to act as important aquifers with significant groundwater storage and flow. Our preliminary findings indicate that the course grained units are important hydrogeological conduits with the ability to buffer low flow conditions in proglacial streams during the dry season. We present a new schematic model of how groundwater moves through these important proglacial environments, providing temporal storage of glacial meltwater and precipitation.

Groundwater Risk Management Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

restoration of groundwater to drinking water quality may not always be achievable due to technology limitations and, therefore, has developed a...extent (horizontal and vertical) of groundwater contamination • Future plans for groundwater use in the area, including local water resource planning...exposure (e.g., drinking water supplied by public water system and groundwater beneath the site is restricted for potable purposes) • Land use

Impacts of groundwater management on energy resources and greenhouse gas emissions in California.

PubMed

Hendrickson, Thomas P; Bruguera, Maya

2018-09-15

California faces significant energy and water infrastructure planning challenges in response to a changing climate. Immediately following the most severe recorded drought, the state experienced one of its wettest water years in recorded history. Despite the recent severe wet weather, much of the state's critical groundwater systems have not recovered from the drought. The recent Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) aims to eliminate future depletion risks, but may force California basins to seek alternative water sources by limiting groundwater withdrawals during droughts. These alternative water resources, such as recycled water or desalination, can have significantly higher energy demands in treatment and supply than local groundwater or surface water resources. This research developed potential scenarios of water supply sources for five overdrafted groundwater basins, and modeled the impacts of these scenarios on energy demands and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for water supply systems. Our results reveal that energy demands and GHG emissions in different water supply scenarios can vary substantially between basins, but could increase statewide energy consumption as much as 2% and GHG emissions by 0.5. These results highlight the need to integrate these energy and GHG impacts into water resource management. Better understanding these considerations enables water supply planners to avoid potential unintended consequences (i.e., increased energy demands and GHG emissions) of enhancing drought resilience. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vulnerability assessment of groundwater-dependent ecosystems based on integrated groundwater flow modell construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Ádám; Simon, Szilvia; Galsa, Attila; Havril, Timea; Monteiro Santos, Fernando A.; Müller, Imre; Mádl-Szőnyi, Judit

2017-04-01

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are highly influenced by the amount of groundwater, seasonal variation of precipitation and consequent water table fluctuation and also the anthropogenic activities. They can be regarded as natural surface manifestations of the flowing groundwater. The preservation of environment and biodiversity of these GDEs is an important issue worldwide, however, the water management policy and action plan could not be constructed in absense of proper hydrogeological knowledge. The concept of gravity-driven regional groundwater flow could aid the understanding of flow pattern and interpretation of environmental processes and conditions. Unless the required well data are available, the geological-hydrogeological numerical model of the study area cannot be constructed based only on borehole information. In this case, spatially continuous geophysical data can support groundwater flow model building: systematically combined geophysical methods can provide model input. Integration of lithostratigraphic, electrostratigraphic and hydrostratigraphic information could aid groundwater flow model construction: hydrostratigraphic units and their hydraulic behaviour, boundaries and geometry can be obtained. Groundwater-related natural manifestations, such as GDEs, can be explained with the help of the revealed flow pattern and field mapping of features. Integrated groundwater flow model construction for assessing the vulnerability of GDEs was presented via the case study of the geologically complex area of Tihany Peninsula, Hungary, with the aims of understanding the background and occurrence of groundwater-related environmental phenomena, surface water-groundwater interaction, and revealing the potential effect of anthropogenic activity and climate change. In spite of its important and protected status, fluid flow model of the area, which could support water management and natural protection policy, had not been constructed previously. The 3D

Fracturesis Jointitis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment in Groundwater Communities.

PubMed

Manda, Alex K; Horsman, Eric

2015-01-01

Fracturesis Jointitis is a grammatical disorder characterized by failure or inability to understand the difference between overarching and specific terms of brittle deformation features. The disorder leads to the use of the word "fracture" as a specific type of discontinuity rather than as an overarching term for mechanical breaks in rocks. This condition appears to be prevalent among groundwater practitioners working with fractured rocks. Common signs and symptoms of Fracturesis Jointitis include the use of terms such as "joints and fractures" and "joints, faults and fractures" when describing fractures in rocks. At best, such terms imply that a "fracture" is one of many kinds of features like joints and faults, and at worst that joints and faults are not fractures but something else. Using proper terms to identify specific fracture types is critical because fractures may act as either barriers to groundwater flow (e.g., faults or deformation bands) or conduits for flow (e.g., faults and joints), The treatment for Fracturesis Jointitis involves an education campaign highlighting to the groundwater community the different fracture types that exist, the modes by which fractures propagate and the role that these fractures play in facilitating or hindering groundwater flow. Those afflicted by Fracturesis Jointitis can be cured of the condition by avoiding the word "fractures" in phrases such as "joints and fractures" or by adding descriptive words before the word "fractures" to specify fracture types (e.g., "foliation-parallel" fractures). Only with a concerted education campaign can we rid our community of Fracturesis Jointitis. © 2014, National Ground Water Association.

RCRA Facility Investigation report for Waste Area Grouping 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1. Sections 1 through 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1991-09-01

WAG 6 comprises a shallow land burial facility used for disposal of low-level radioactive wastes (LLW) and, until recently, chemical wastes. As such, the site is subject to regulation under RCRA and the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). To comply with these regulations, DOE, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), developed a strategy for closure and remediation of WAG 6 by 1997. A key component of this strategy was to complete an RFI by September 1991. The primary objectives of the RFI were to evaluate themore » site's potential human health and environmental impacts and to develop a preliminary list of alternatives to mitigate these impacts. The WAG 6 one of three solid waste management units evaluated Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) existing waste disposal records and sampling data and performed the additional sampling and analysis necessary to: describe the nature and extent of contamination; characterize key contaminant transport pathways; and assess potential risks to human health and the environment by developing and evaluating hypothetical receptor scenarios. Estimated excess lifetime cancer risks as a result for exposure to radionuclides and chemicals were quantified for each hypothetical human receptor. For environmental receptors, potential impacts were qualitatively assessed. Taking into account regulatory requirements and base line risk assessment results, preliminary site closure and remediation objectives were identified, and a preliminary list of alternatives for site closure and remediation was developed.« less

Dissolved Organic Matter in Groundwater: a Shadow of its Former Self

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapelle, F.

2017-12-01

The occurrence and dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) are fundamentally different between ground- and surface water systems. The most obvious difference is that primary production, an important source of DOM to many surface waters, it is wholly absent from groundwater systems. Because of that, the composition and bioavailability of DOM is functionally linked to its residence time within the subsurface. While sorption/desorption processes segregate chemical fractions of DOM in both ground- and surface water systems, their effects are magnified by the much higher sediment/water mass ratio characteristic of groundwater systems. These differences, which often act in concert with each other, explain many observed characteristics of DOM in groundwater systems including (1) the low and nearly uniform DOM concentrations (0.5-1.0 mg/L) characteristic of many aquifers, (2) the progressive loss of carbohydrate and amino acid DOM and the enrichment of aromatic DOM, with increasing aquifer residence time (3) the progressive loss of VIS/UV absorption capacity (color) of DOM with increasing aquifer residence time, (4) the negative correlation between dissolved oxygen concentrations and DOM bioavailability, and (5) the positive correlation between DOM bioavailability and the final products of anoxic redox processes. Thus, while the principal sources of DOM to many groundwater systems are surface-derived, the dynamics unique to subsurface environments tend to render that DOM a shadow of its former self.

Assessing groundwater accessibility in the Kharga Basin, Egypt: A remote sensing approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parks, Shawna; Byrnes, Jeffrey; Abdelsalam, Mohamed G.; Laó Dávila, Daniel A.; Atekwana, Estella A.; Atya, Magdy A.

2017-12-01

We used multi-map analysis of remote sensing and ancillary data to identify potentially accessible sites for groundwater resources in the Kharga Basin in the Western Desert of Egypt. This basin is dominated by Cretaceous sandstone formations and extends within the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer. It is dissected by N-S and E-W trending faults, possibly acting as conduits for upward migration of groundwater. Analysis of paleo-drainage using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generated from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data shows that the Kharga was a closed basin that might have been the site of a paleo-lake. Lake water recharged the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer during the wetter Holocene time. We generated the following layers for the multi-map analysis: (1) Fracture density map from the interpretation of Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI), SRTM DEM, and RADARSAT data. (2) Thermal Inertia (TI) map (for moisture content imaging) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. (3) Hydraulic conductivity map from mapping lithological units using the Landsat OLI and previously published data. (4) Aquifer thickness map from previously published data. We quantitatively ranked the Kharga Basin by considering that regions of high fracture density, high TI, thicker aquifer, and high hydraulic conductivity have higher potential for groundwater accessibility. Our analysis shows that part of the southern Kharga Basin is suitable for groundwater extraction. This region is where N-S and E-W trending faults intersect, has relatively high TI and it is underlain by thick aquifer. However, the suitability of this region for groundwater use will be reduced significantly when considering the changes in land suitability and economic depth to groundwater extraction in the next 50 years.

Estimating groundwater recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Healy, Richard W.; Scanlon, Bridget R.

2010-01-01

Understanding groundwater recharge is essential for successful management of water resources and modeling fluid and contaminant transport within the subsurface. This book provides a critical evaluation of the theory and assumptions that underlie methods for estimating rates of groundwater recharge. Detailed explanations of the methods are provided - allowing readers to apply many of the techniques themselves without needing to consult additional references. Numerous practical examples highlight benefits and limitations of each method. Approximately 900 references allow advanced practitioners to pursue additional information on any method. For the first time, theoretical and practical considerations for selecting and applying methods for estimating groundwater recharge are covered in a single volume with uniform presentation. Hydrogeologists, water-resource specialists, civil and agricultural engineers, earth and environmental scientists and agronomists will benefit from this informative and practical book. It can serve as the primary text for a graduate-level course on groundwater recharge or as an adjunct text for courses on groundwater hydrology or hydrogeology.

Human interactions with ground-water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zaporozec, A.

1983-01-01

Ground-Water could be considered as an immense reservoir, from which only a certain amount of water can be withdrawn without affecting the quantity and quality of water. This amount is determined by the characteristics of the environment in which ground-water occurs and by the interactions of ground-water with precipitation, surface water, and people. It should be recognized that quantity and quality of ground-water are intimately related and should be considered accordingly. Quantity refers to usable water and water is usable for any specific purpose only so long as its quality has not deteriorated beyond acceptable limits. Thus an overall quantitative and qualitative management of ground water is inevitable, and its should also involve the uses of ground-water reservoirs for purposes other than water supply. The main objective of ground-water management is to ensure that ground-water resources will be available in appropriate time and in appropriate quantity and quality to meet the most important demands of our society. Traditional, and obvious uses of ground-water are the extraction of water for water supplies (domestic, municipal, agricultural, and industrial) and the natural discharge feeding lakes and maintaining base flow of streams. Not so obvious are the uses of ground-water reservoirs, the very framework within which ground-water occurs and moves, and in which other fluids or materials can be stored. In the last two decades, ground-water reservoirs have been intensively considered for many other purposes than water supplies. Diversified and very often conflicting uses need to be evaluated and dealt with in the most efficient way in order to determine the importance of each possible use, and to assign priorities of these uses. With rising competition for the use of ground-water reservoirs, we will also need to increase the potential for effective planning of ground-water development and protection. Man's development and use of ground-water necessarily

High-fluoride groundwater.

PubMed

Rao, N Subba

2011-05-01

Fluoride (F(-)) is essential for normal bone growth, but its higher concentration in the drinking water poses great health problems and fluorosis is common in many parts of India. The present paper deals with the aim of establishment of facts of the chemical characteristics responsible for the higher concentration of F(-) in the groundwater, after understanding the chemical behavior of F(-) in relation to pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), carbonate hardness (CH), non-carbonate hardness (NCH), and excess alkalinity (EA) in the groundwater observed from the known areas of endemic fluorosis zones of Andhra Pradesh that have abundant sources of F(-)-bearing minerals of the Precambrians. The chemical data of the groundwater shows that the pH increases with increase F(-); the concentration of TH is more than the concentration of TA at low F(-) groundwater, the resulting water is represented by NCH; the TH has less concentration compared to TA at high F(-) groundwater, causing the water that is characterized by EA; and the water of both low and high concentrations of F(-) has CH. As a result, the F(-) has a positive relation with pH and TA, and a negative relation with TH. The operating mechanism derived from these observations is that the F(-) is released from the source into the groundwater by geochemical reactions and that the groundwater in its flowpath is subjected to evapotranspiration due to the influence of dry climate, which accelerates a precipitation of CaCO(3) and a reduction of TH, and thereby a dissolution of F(-). Furthermore, the EA in the water activates the alkalinity in the areas of alkaline soils, leading to enrichment of F(-). Therefore, the alkaline condition, with high pH and EA, and low TH, is a more conducive environment for the higher concentration of F(-) in the groundwater.

75 FR 29601 - Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on a Proposed Highway Project in California

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-26

... Act (RCRA) [42 U.S.C. 6901-6992(k)]. 9. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990 Protection of Wetlands; E.O... Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(aa)-11]; Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16... and Economic: Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000(d)-2000(d)(1)]; Farmland Protection Policy Act...

Response of the microbial community to seasonal groundwater level fluctuations in petroleum hydrocarbon-contaminated groundwater.

PubMed

Zhou, Ai-xia; Zhang, Yu-ling; Dong, Tian-zi; Lin, Xue-yu; Su, Xiao-si

2015-07-01

The effects of seasonal groundwater level fluctuations on the contamination characteristics of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in soils, groundwater, and the microbial community were investigated at a typical petrochemical site in northern China. The measurements of groundwater and soil at different depths showed that significant TPH residue was present in the soil in this study area, especially in the vicinity of the pollution source, where TPH concentrations were up to 2600 mg kg(-1). The TPH concentration in the groundwater fluctuated seasonally, and the maximum variation was 0.8 mg L(-1). The highest TPH concentrations were detected in the silty clay layer and lied in the groundwater level fluctuation zones. The groundwater could reach previously contaminated areas in the soil, leading to higher groundwater TPH concentrations as TPH leaches into the groundwater. The coincident variation of the electron acceptors and TPH concentration with groundwater-table fluctuations affected the microbial communities in groundwater. The microbial community structure was significantly different between the wet and dry seasons. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results showed that in the wet season, TPH, NO3(-), Fe(2+), TMn, S(2-), and HCO3(-) were the major factors correlating the microbial community. A significant increase in abundance of operational taxonomic unit J1 (97% similar to Dechloromonas aromatica sp.) was also observed in wet season conditions, indicating an intense denitrifying activity in the wet season environment. In the dry season, due to weak groundwater level fluctuations and low temperature of groundwater, the microbial activity was weak. But iron and sulfate-reducing were also detected in dry season at this site. As a whole, groundwater-table fluctuations would affect the distribution, transport, and biodegradation of the contaminants. These results may be valuable for the control and remediation of soil and groundwater pollution at this site

Groundwater-saline lakes interaction - The contribution of saline groundwater circulation to solute budget of saline lakes: a lesson from the Dead Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiro, Yael; Weinstein, Yishai; Starinsky, Abraham; Yechieli, Yoseph

2013-04-01

Saline lakes act as base level for both surface water and groundwater. Thus, a change in lake levels is expected to result in changes in the hydrogeological system in its vicinity, exhibited in groundwater levels, location of the fresh-saline water interface, sub-lacustrine groundwater discharge (SGD) and saline water circulation. All these processes were observed in the declining Dead Sea system, whose water level dropped by ~35 meters in the last 50 years. This work focuses mainly on the effect of circulation of Dead Sea water in the aquifer, which continues even in this very rapid base level drop. In general, seawater circulation in coastal aquifers is now recognized as a major process affecting trace element mass balances in coastal areas. Estimates of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) vary over several orders of magnitude (1-1000000 m3/yr per meter shoreline). These estimates are sensitive to fresh-saline SGD ratios and to the temporal and spatial scales of the circulation. The Dead Sea system is an excellent natural field lab for studying seawater-groundwater interaction and large-scale circulation due to the absence of tides and to the minor role played by waves. During Dead Sea water circulation in the aquifer several geochemical reactions occur, ranging from short-term adsorption-desorption reactions and up to long-term precipitation and dissolution reactions. These processes affect the trace element distribution in the saline groundwater. Barite and celestine, which are supersaturated in the lake water, precipitate during circulation in the aquifer, reducing barium (from 5 to 1.5 mg/L), strontium (from 350 to 300 mg/L) and the long-lived 226Ra (from 145 to 60 dpm/L) in the saline groundwater. Redox-controlled reactions cause a decrease in uranium from 2.4 to 0.1 μg/L, and an increase in iron from 1 to 13 mg/L. 228Ra (t1/2=5.75 yr) activity in the Dead Sea is ~1 dpm/L and increase gradually as the saline water flows further inland until reaching

Simulating groundwater-induced sewer flooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mijic, A.; Mansour, M.; Stanic, M.; Jackson, C. R.

2016-12-01

During the last decade, Chalk catchments of southern England experienced severe groundwater flooding. High groundwater levels resulted in the groundwater ingress into the sewer network that led to restricted toilet use and the overflow of diluted, but untreated sewage to road surfaces, rivers and water courses. In response to these events the water and sewerage company Thames Water Utilities Ltd (TWUL) had to allocate significant funds to mitigate the impacts. It was estimated that approximately £19m was spent responding to the extreme wet weather of 2013-14, along with the use of a fleet of over 100 tankers. However, the magnitude of the event was so large that these efforts could not stop the discharge of sewage to the environment. This work presents the analysis of the risk of groundwater-induced sewer flooding within the Chalk catchment of the River Lambourn, Berkshire. A spatially distributed groundwater model was used to assess historic groundwater flood risk and the potential impacts of changes in future climate. We then linked this model to an urban groundwater model to enable us to simulate groundwater-sewer interaction in detail. The modelling setup was used to identify relationships between infiltration into sewers and groundwater levels at specific points on TWUL's sewer network, and to estimate historic and future groundwater flood risk, and how this varies across the catchment. The study showed the significance of understanding the impact of groundwater on the urban water systems, and producing information that can inform a water company's response to groundwater flood risk, their decision making process and their asset management planning. However, the knowledge gained through integrated modelling of groundwater-sewer interactions has highlighted limitations of existing approaches for the simulation of these coupled systems. We conclude this work with number of recommendations about how to improve such hydrological/sewer analysis.

Evaluating Adult Groundwater Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerakis, Argyrios

1998-01-01

One-day groundwater education workshops held to educate soil conservation personnel were assessed for effect on participant knowledge using a quasiexperimental design. Participants were tested on their groundwater knowledge and attitude toward groundwater conservation before and after the training. Participant scores improved significantly in only…

Lessons Learned from Australia: A science-based policy approach to manage California's Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohde, M. M.; Froend, R.; Howard, J.

2016-12-01

New requirements under California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) requires local Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to identify Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) and consider the interests of environmental beneficial uses and users of groundwater when developing their Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Most local water agencies will be identifying and considering GDEs for the first time under SGMA, and will find this challenging due to a lack of in-house biological and ecologic expertise. Uncertainty around what management triggers and thresholds are needed to prevent harm to GDEs is not only endemic to California, but also worldwide due to a lack of science at the intersection of hydrology and ecology. Australia has, however, has done an exceptional job at reducing uncertainty when selecting management triggers and thresholds for GDEs in their water management plans. This has been achieved by integrating risk assessment into an adaptive management framework that uses monitoring programs to inform management strategies. This "learn by doing" approach has helped close knowledge gaps needed to manage GDEs in response to Australia's national sustainable water management legislation. The two main objectives of this paper are to: 1) synthesize Australia's adaptive management approach of GDEs in state water plans, and 2) highlight opportunities for knowledge transfer from Australia into the California context.

Use of the landfill water pollution index (LWPI) for groundwater quality assessment near the landfill sites.

PubMed

Talalaj, Izabela A; Biedka, Pawel

2016-12-01

The purpose of the paper is to assess the groundwater quality near the landfill sites using landfill water pollution index (LWPI). In order to investigate the scale of groundwater contamination, three landfills (E, H and S) in different stages of their operation were taken into analysis. Samples of groundwater in the vicinity of studied landfills were collected four times each year in the period from 2004 to 2014. A total of over 300 groundwater samples were analysed for pH, EC, PAH, TOC, Cr, Hg, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, as required by the UE legal acts for landfill monitoring system. The calculated values of the LWPI allowed the quantification of the overall water quality near the landfill sites. The obtained results indicated that the most negative impact on groundwater quality is observed near the old Landfill H. Improper location of piezometer at the Landfill S favoured infiltration of run-off from road pavement into the soil-water environment. Deep deposition of the groundwater level at Landfill S area reduced the landfill impact on the water quality. Conducted analyses revealed that the LWPI can be used for evaluation of water pollution near a landfill, for assessment of the variability of water pollution with time and for comparison of water quality from different piezometers, landfills or time periods. The applied WQI (Water Quality Index) can also be an important information tool for landfill policy makers and the public about the groundwater pollution threat from landfill.

Threshold Values for Identification of Contamination Predicted by Reduced-Order Models

DOE PAGES

Last, George V.; Murray, Christopher J.; Bott, Yi-Ju; ...

2014-12-31

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP) Project is developing reduced-order models to evaluate potential impacts on underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) if CO2 or brine leaks from deep CO2 storage reservoirs. Threshold values, below which there would be no predicted impacts, were determined for portions of two aquifer systems. These threshold values were calculated using an interwell approach for determining background groundwater concentrations that is an adaptation of methods described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Unified Guidance for Statistical Analysis of Groundwater Monitoring Data at RCRA Facilities.

SOURCE SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS GUIDANCE - A METHODS DIRECTORY

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling and analytical methodologies are needed by EPA and industry for testing stationary sources for specific organic compounds such as those listed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Appendix VIII and Appendix IX and the Clean Air Act of 1990. omputerized...

Particle tracking for selected groundwater wells in the lower Yakima River Basin, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bachmann, Matthew P.

2015-10-21

Generalized groundwater-flow directions in unconsolidated basin-fill deposits were towards the Yakima River, which acts as a local sink for shallow groundwater, and roughly parallel to topographic gradients. Particles backtracked from more shallow aquifer locations traveled shorter distances before reaching the water table than particles from deeper locations. Flowpaths for particles starting at wells completed in the basalt units underlying the basin-fill deposits sometimes were different than for wells with similar lateral locations but more shallow depths. In cases where backtracking particles reached geologic structures simulated as flow barriers, abrupt changes in direction in some particle pathlines suggest significant changes in simulated hydraulic gradients that may not accurately reflect actual conditions. Most groundwater wells sampled had associated zones of contribution within the Toppenish/Benton subbasin between the well and the nearest subbasin margin, but interpretation of these results for any specific well is likely to be complicated by the assumptions and simplifications inherent in the model construction process. Delineated zones of contribution for individual wells are sensitive to the depths assigned to the screened interval of the well, resulting in simulated areal extents of the zones of contribution to a discharging well that are elongated in the direction of groundwater flow.

Alternative Endpoints and Approaches Selected for the Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater at Complex Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deeb, R. A.; Hawley, E.

2011-12-01

This presentation will focus on findings, statistics, and case studies from a recently-completed report for the Department of Defense's Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) (Project ER-0832) on alternative endpoints and alternative remedial strategies for groundwater remediation under a variety of Federal and state cleanup programs, including technical impracticability (TI) and other Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirement (ARAR) waivers, state and local designations such as groundwater management zones, Alternate Concentration Limits (ACLs), use of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) over long timeframes, and more. The primary objective of the project was to provide environmental managers and regulators with tools, metrics, and information needed to evaluate alternative endpoints for groundwater remediation at complex sites. A statistical analysis of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) sites receiving TI waivers will be presented as well as case studies of other types of alternative endpoints and alternative remedial strategies to illustrate the variety of approaches used at complex sites and the technical analyses used to predict and document cost, timeframe, and potential remedial effectiveness. Case studies provide examples of the flexible, site-specific, application of alternative endpoints and alternative remedial strategies that have been used in the past to manage and remediate groundwater contamination at complex sites. For example, at least 13 states consider some designation for groundwater containment in their corrective action policies, such as groundwater management zones, containment zones, and groundwater classification exemption areas. These designations typically indicate that groundwater contamination is present above permissible levels. Soil and groundwater within these zones are managed to protect human health and the environment. Lesson learned for the analyses

Groundwater dynamics in mountain peatlands with contrasting climate, vegetation, and hydrogeological setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millar, David J.; Cooper, David J.; Ronayne, Michael J.

2018-06-01

Hydrological dynamics act as a primary control on ecosystem function in mountain peatlands, serving as an important regulator of carbon fluxes. In western North America, mountain peatlands exist in different hydrogeological settings, across a range climatic conditions, and vary in floristic composition. The sustainability of these ecosystems, particularly those at the low end of their known elevation range, is susceptible to a changing climate via changes in the water cycle. We conducted a hydrological investigation of two mountain peatlands, with differing vegetation, hydrogeological setting (sloping vs basin), and climate (strong vs weak monsoon influence). Growing season saturated zone water budgets were modeled on a daily basis, and subsurface flow characterizations were performed during multiple field campaigns at each site. The sloping peatland expectedly showed a strong lateral groundwater potential gradient throughout the growing season. Alternatively, the basin peatland had low lateral gradients but more pronounced vertical gradients. A zero-flux plane was apparent at a depth of approximately 50 cm below the peat surface at the basin peatland; shallow groundwater above this depth moved upward towards the surface via evapotranspiration. The differences in groundwater flow dynamics between the two sites also influenced water budgets. Higher groundwater inflow at the sloping peatland offset higher rates of evapotranspiration losses from the saturated zone, which were apparently driven by differences in vegetative cover. This research revealed that although sloping peatlands cover relatively small portions of mountain watersheds, they provide unique settings where vegetation directly utilizes groundwater for transpiration, which were several-fold higher than typically reported for surrounding uplands.

Modeling the time-varying interaction between surface water and groundwater bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gliege, Steffen; Steidl, Jörg; Lischeid, Gunnar; Merz, Christoph

2016-04-01

The countless kettle holes (small lakes) in the Late Pleistocene landscapes of Northern Europe have important ecological and hydrological functions. On the one hand they act as depressions in which water and solutes of mainly agriculturally used catchments accumulate. On the other hand they operate as biochemical reactors with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration, and as major sinks for nutrients and contaminants. Even small kettle holes often are hydraulically connected to the uppermost groundwater system: Groundwater discharges into the kettle hole on one side, and the aquifer is recharged from the kettle hole water body on the other side. Thus kettle hole biogeochemical processes are both affected by groundwater and vice versa. Groundwater flow direction and velocity into and out of the kettle hole often is not stable over time. Groundwater flow direction might reverse at the downstream part, resulting in repeated recycling of groundwater and corresponding solute turnover within the kettle holes. A sound understanding of this intricate interplay is a necessary prerequisite for better understanding of the biogeochemistry of this terrestrial-aquatic interface. A numerical experiment was used to quantify the lateral solute exchange between a kettle hole and the surrounding groundwater. A vertical cross section through the real existing catchment of a kettle hole was chosen. Glacial till represents the lower boundary. The heterogeneity of the subsurface was reproduced by various parameterizations of the soil hydraulic properties as well as varying the thickness of the unconfined aquifer or the lateral boundary conditions. In total 24 different parameterizations were implemented in the modeling software HydroGeoSphere (HGS). HGS is suitable to calculate the fluid exchange between surface and subsurface simultaneously and in a physically based way. The simulation runs were done for the period from November 1994 to October 2014. All results were

Federal Register Notice: Final Rule Establishing Consolidated Permit Program Requirements Under Several Environmental Statutes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This final rule establishes consolidated permit program requirements governing the Hazardous Waste Management program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and other related programs.

Considering groundwater use to improve the assessment of groundwater pumping for irrigation in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massuel, Sylvain; Amichi, Farida; Ameur, Fatah; Calvez, Roger; Jenhaoui, Zakia; Bouarfa, Sami; Kuper, Marcel; Habaieb, Hamadi; Hartani, Tarik; Hammani, Ali

2017-09-01

Groundwater resources in semi-arid areas and especially in the Mediterranean face a growing demand for irrigated agriculture and, to a lesser extent, for domestic uses. Consequently, groundwater reserves are affected and water-table drops are widely observed. This leads to strong constraints on groundwater access for farmers, while managers worry about the future evolution of the water resources. A common problem for building proper groundwater management plans is the difficulty in assessing individual groundwater withdrawals at regional scale. Predicting future trends of these groundwater withdrawals is even more challenging. The basic question is how to assess the water budget variables and their evolution when they are deeply linked to human activities, themselves driven by countless factors (access to natural resources, public policies, market, etc.). This study provides some possible answers by focusing on the assessment of groundwater withdrawals for irrigated agriculture at three sites in North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). Efforts were made to understand the different features that influence irrigation practices, and an adaptive user-oriented methodology was used to monitor groundwater withdrawals. For each site, different key factors affecting the regional groundwater abstraction and its past evolution were identified by involving farmers' knowledge. Factors such as farmer access to land and groundwater or development of public infrastructures (electrical distribution network) are crucial to decode the results of well inventories and assess the regional groundwater abstraction and its future trend. This leads one to look with caution at the number of wells cited in the literature, which could be oversimplified.

Groundwater management based on monitoring of land subsidence and groundwater levels in the Kanto Groundwater Basin, Central Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furuno, K.; Kagawa, A.; Kazaoka, O.; Kusuda, T.; Nirei, H.

2015-11-01

Over 40 million people live on and exploit the groundwater resources of the Kanto Plain. The Plain encompasses metropolitan Tokyo and much of Chiba Prefecture. Useable groundwater extends to the base of the Kanto Plain, some 2500 to 3000 m below sea level. Much of the Kanto Plain surface is at sea level. By the early 1970s, with increasing urbanization and industrial expansion, local overdraft of groundwater resources caused major ground subsidence and damage to commercial and residential structures as well as to local and regional infrastructure. Parts of the lowlands around Tokyo subsided to 4.0 m below sea level; particularly affected were the suburbs of Funabashi and Gyotoku in western Chiba. In the southern Kanto Plain, regulations, mainly by local government and later by regional agencies, led to installation of about 500 monitoring wells and almost 5000 bench marks by the 1990's. Many of them are still working with new monitoring system. Long-term monitoring is important. The monitoring systems are costly, but the resulting data provide continuous measurement of the "health" of the Kanto Groundwater Basin, and thus permit sustainable use of the groundwater resource.

Hydrogeochemical investigation of groundwater in shallow coastal aquifer of Khulna District, Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, S. M. Didar-Ul; Bhuiyan, Mohammad Amir Hossain; Rume, Tanjena; Azam, Gausul

2017-12-01

Groundwater acts as a lifeline in the coastal regions to meet out the domestic, drinking, irrigational and industrial needs. To investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater and its suitability, twenty samples were collected from the shallow tubewells of study area having screen depth 21-54 m. The water quality assessment has been carried out by evaluating the physicochemical parameters such as temperature, pH, EC, TDS and major ions i.e., Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO4 2-, NO3 -, HCO3 -. Results found that, the water is slightly alkaline and brackish in nature. The trends of cations and anions are Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and Cl- > HCO3 - > SO4 2- > NO3 -, respectively and Na-Cl-HCO3 is the dominant groundwater type. The analyzed samples were also characterized with different indices, diagram and permissible limit i.e., electric conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), chloride content (Cl), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), Kelley's ratio (KR), Wilcox diagram and USSL diagram, and results showed that groundwater are not suitable for drinking and irrigational use. The factors responsible for the geochemical characterization were also attempted by using standard plot and it was found that mixing of seawater with entrapped water plays a significant role in the study area.

An Integrated Hydrologic Model and Remote Sensing Synthesis Approach to Study Groundwater Extraction During a Historic Drought in the California Central Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thatch, L. M.; Maxwell, R. M.; Gilbert, J. M.

2017-12-01

Over the past century, groundwater levels in California's San Joaquin Valley have dropped more than 30 meters in some areas due to excessive groundwater extraction to irrigate agricultural lands and feed a growing population. Between 2012 and 2016 California experienced the worst drought in its recorded history, further exacerbating this groundwater depletion. Due to lack of groundwater regulation, exact quantities of extracted groundwater in California are unknown and hard to quantify. We use a synthesis of integrated hydrologic model simulations and remote sensing products to quantify the impact of drought and groundwater pumping on the Central Valley water tables. The Parflow-CLM model was used to evaluate groundwater depletion in the San Joaquin River basin under multiple groundwater extraction scenarios simulated from pre-drought through recent drought years. Extraction scenarios included pre-development conditions, with no groundwater pumping; historical conditions based on decreasing groundwater level measurements; and estimated groundwater extraction rates calculated from the deficit between the predicted crop water demand, based on county land use surveys, and available surface water supplies. Results were compared to NASA's Gravity Recover and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data products to constrain water table decline from groundwater extraction during severe drought. This approach untangles various factors leading to groundwater depletion within the San Joaquin Valley both during drought and years of normal recharge to help evaluate which areas are most susceptible to groundwater overdraft, as well as further evaluating the spatially and temporally variable sustainable yield. Recent efforts to improve water management and ensure reliable water supplies are highlighted by California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) which mandates Groundwater Sustainability Agencies to determine the maximum quantity of groundwater that can be withdrawn through

Modeling stream-groundwater interactions and associated groundwater salinization in an urban floodplain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ledford, S. H.; Lautz, L.

2014-12-01

The salinization of freshwater in the Northeastern United States from road salt application is well documented by the observed long-term increases in chloride concentrations in groundwater over the last fifty years. However, the processes controlling exchange of chloride between surface water and groundwater have not been fully investigated, particularly in urban streams where stream-groundwater interactions can be reduced due to bank armoring and channelization. Our research builds on previous findings that showed the potential for an urban riparian floodplain to buffer seasonal changes in chloride concentrations in an urban stream, resulting in smaller annual ranges of chloride in areas with intact riparian floodplains. A reach of Meadowbrook Creek, in Syracuse, New York, that is disconnected from the groundwater had large seasonal shifts in chloride concentration, varying from 2173 mg/L Cl- in the winter to 161.2 mg/L Cl- in the summer. This is in contrast to a downstream reach of the stream that receives groundwater discharge from a riparian floodplain, where chloride concentrations ranged from 657.0 mg/L in the winter to 252.0 mg/L in the summer. We originally hypothesized that winter snowmelt events caused overbank flooding of saline surface water, which recharged the floodplain groundwater, causing salinization. This saline water was then slowly discharged as baseflow throughout the year and was replaced with freshwater overbank events in the summer. However, a three dimensional model of the floodplain created using Visual MODFLOW indicates that surface water-groundwater interactions, such as hyporheic exchange, may have a greater control on winter salt input than overbank events, while summer flooding recharges the aquifer with freshwater. The model was compared to riparian aquifer samples collected from May 2013 until June 2014 to qualitatively study the impact of different types of surface water-groundwater interactions (e.g. groundwater recharge and

Compliance Groundwater Monitoring of Nonpoint Sources - Emerging Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harter, T.

2008-12-01

Groundwater monitoring networks are typically designed for regulatory compliance of discharges from industrial sites. There, the quality of first encountered (shallow-most) groundwater is of key importance. Network design criteria have been developed for purposes of determining whether an actual or potential, permitted or incidental waste discharge has had or will have a degrading effect on groundwater quality. The fundamental underlying paradigm is that such discharge (if it occurs) will form a distinct contamination plume. Networks that guide (post-contamination) mitigation efforts are designed to capture the shape and dynamics of existing, finite-scale plumes. In general, these networks extend over areas less than one to ten hectare. In recent years, regulatory programs such as the EU Nitrate Directive and the U.S. Clean Water Act have forced regulatory agencies to also control groundwater contamination from non-incidental, recharging, non-point sources, particularly agricultural sources (fertilizer, pesticides, animal waste application, biosolids application). Sources and contamination from these sources can stretch over several tens, hundreds, or even thousands of square kilometers with no distinct plumes. A key question in implementing monitoring programs at the local, regional, and national level is, whether groundwater monitoring can be effectively used as a landowner compliance tool, as is currently done at point-source sites. We compare the efficiency of such traditional site-specific compliance networks in nonpoint source regulation with various designs of regional nonpoint source monitoring networks that could be used for compliance monitoring. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of the site vs. regional monitoring approaches with respect to effectively protecting groundwater resources impacted by nonpoint sources: Site-networks provide a tool to enforce compliance by an individual landowner. But the nonpoint source character of the contamination

The effect of microbial activity and adsorption processes on groundwater dissolved organic carbon character and concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meredith, K.; McDonough, L.; Oudone, P.; Rutlidge, H.; O'Carroll, D. M.; Andersen, M. S.; Baker, A.

2017-12-01

Balancing the terrestrial global carbon budget has proven to be a significant challenge. Whilst the movement of carbon in the atmosphere, rivers and oceans has been extensively studied, the potential for groundwater to act as a carbon source or sink through both microbial activity and sorption to and from mineral surfaces, is poorly understood. To investigate the biodegradable component of groundwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC), groundwater samples were collected from multiple coastal and inland sites. Water quality parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, dissolved oxygen were measured in the field. Samples were analysed and characterised for their biodegradable DOC content using spectrofluorometric and Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) techniques at set intervals within a 28 day period. Further to this, we performed laboratory sorption experiments on our groundwater samples using different minerals to examine the effect of adsorption processes on DOC character and concentration. Calcium carbonate, quartz and iron coated quartz were heated to 400ºC to remove potential carbon contamination, and then added at various known masses (0 mg to 10 g) to 50 mL of groundwater. Samples were then rotated for two hours, filtered at 0.2 μm and analysed by LC-OCD. This research forms part of an ongoing project which will assist in identifying the factors affecting the mobilisation, transport and removal of DOC in uncontaminated groundwater. By quantifying the relative importance of these processes, we can then determine whether the groundwater is a carbon source or sink. Importantly, this information will help guide policy and identify the need to include groundwater resources as part of the carbon economy.

Characterization of Vadose Zone Sediment: RCRA Borehole 299-E33-338 Located Near the B-BX-BY Waste Management Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lindenmeier, Clark W.; Serne, R. Jeffrey; Bjornstad, Bruce N.

2003-09-11

This report summarizes data collected from samples in borehole 299-E33-338 (C3391). Borehole 299-E33-338 was drilled for two purposes. One purpose was for installation of a RCRA ground-water monitoring well and the other was to characterize the in situ soils and background porewater chemistry near WMA B-BX-BY that have been largely uncontaminated by tank farm and crib and trench discharge operations. This borehole was drilled just outside the southeast fence line of the B tank farm. The borehole was drilled between July 23 and August 8, 2001 to a total depth of 80.05 m (275.75 ft) bgs using the cable-tool methodmore » (Horton 2002). The water table was contacted at 77.5 m (254.2 ft) bgs and the top of basalt at 82.6 m (271 ft) bgs. Samples to the top of basalt were collected via a drive barrel/splitspoon, before switching to a hard tool to drill 5 feet into the basalt. Nearly continuous core was obtained down to a depth of ~78.6 m (258 ft) bgs. Two hundred and two 2-ft long by 4-in diameter cores were retrieved, which accounts for ~75% the total length of the borehole. Each 2-ft splitspoon contained two 1-ft lexan-lined core segments. The lithology of this borehole was summarized onto a field geologist's log by a CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. geologist (L. D. Walker); subsequently visual inspection of the cores was performed in the laboratory by K. A. Lindsey (Kennedy/Jenks), K. D. Reynolds (Duratek), and B. N. Bjornstad (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), who also collected 24 samples for paleomagnetic analysis. Subsamples were taken from all 102 cores for moisture content (Table B.1). In addition, 21 core subsamples were collected from a depth of geological interest for mineralogical and geochemical analysis. Data from these samples allow for comparison of uncontaminated versus contaminated soils to better understand the contributions of tank wastes and other wastewaters on the vadose zone in and around WMA B-BX-BY.« less

Impact of Sand and Gravel Mining on Groundwater Resources in La Bassée Alluvial Plain, France.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jost, A.; Wang, S.; Labarthe, B.; Flipo, N.

2016-12-01

The alluvial plain of La Bassée, in the middle reach of the Seine River (France), is both of environmental importance as a major wetland and at the centre of strategic issues regarding inland waterways transport, flood prevention, water and granular resources. The sand and gravel mining industry has been productive for more than five decades over the area and contributes to 40% of the regional production of natural aggregates. Former and active gravel pits cover about 10% of the areal extent of the plain. Gravel pit lakes interact with groundwater from the surrounding alluvial aquifer and the underlying chalk aquifer. By exposing groundwater to the atmosphere, they can act as a sink/source for the groundwater system through atmospheric exchange. We develop a model-based approach using the EauDyssée platform for determining the impact of such lakes on groundwater resources in terms of quantity and how they affect groundwater level and flow paths. Over the alluvial plain area of La Bassée a local model is built, which takes its hydrodynamic parameters from an inverse calibration procedure and its boundary conditions from a coarser regional model run on the whole Seine basin. To efficiently simulate lake-groundwater exchange, the modelling platform was extended by a lake module. The effet of gravel excavation is investigated by quantifying the gravel pit lakes water budget and by simulating groundwater transient response over almost two decades.

Legislative aspects of hazardous waste management.

PubMed Central

Friedman, M

1983-01-01

In the fall of 1976 Congress enacted the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, commonly referred to as RCRA. The objective of the statute is to create an orderly system for the generation, handling and disposal of hazardous waste by means of a comprehensive tracking and record keeping mechanism. RCRA does not regulate directly by statute so much as it delegates rule making authority to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Pursuant to its mandate to develop regulations in accordance with the broad criteria of RCRA, EPA has published extensive regulations. These regulations address hazardous waste generation, transportation, treatment, storage and handling and its final disposal. The statute also offers remedies available to both EPA and the public at large to ensure enforcement of the provisions of RCRA and the EPA regulations. Additionally, it sets guidelines for states to implement their own hazardous waste management programs. This article is intended to introduce this complicated statutory/regulatory package to scientists and health professionals. It outlines the provisions of RCRA and the EPA regulations, abbreviates early judicial decisions interpreting these provisions and sets forth a brief description of various state approaches to hazardous waste management. PMID:6825630

Revised conceptualization of the North China Basin groundwater flow system: Groundwater age, heat and flow simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Guoliang; Han, Dongmei; Currell, Matthew J.; Zheng, Chunmiao

2016-09-01

Groundwater flow in deep sedimentary basins results from complex evolution processes on geological timescales. Groundwater flow systems conceptualized according to topography and/or groundwater table configuration generally assume a near-equilibrium state with the modern landscape. However, the time to reach such a steady state, and more generally the timescales of groundwater flow system evolution are key considerations for large sedimentary basins. This is true in the North China Basin (NCB), which has been studied for many years due to its importance as a groundwater supply. Despite many years of study, there remain contradictions between the generally accepted conceptual model of regional flow, and environmental tracer data. We seek to reconcile these contractions by conducting simulations of groundwater flow, age and heat transport in a three dimensional model, using an alternative conceptual model, based on geological, thermal, isotope and historical data. We infer flow patterns under modern hydraulic conditions using this new model and present the theoretical maximum groundwater ages under such a flow regime. The model results show that in contrast to previously accepted conceptualizations, most groundwater is discharged in the vicinity of the break-in-slope of topography at the boundary between the piedmont and central plain. Groundwater discharge to the ocean is in contrast small, and in general there are low rates of active flow in the eastern parts of the basin below the central and coastal plain. This conceptualization is more compatible with geochemical and geothermal data than the previous model. Simulated maximum groundwater ages of ∼1 Myrs below the central and coastal plain indicate that residual groundwater may be retained in the deep parts of the basin since being recharged during the last glacial period or earlier. The groundwater flow system has therefore probably not reached a new equilibrium state with modern-day hydraulic conditions. The

Isotope hydrology of deep groundwater in Syria: renewable and non-renewable groundwater and paleoclimate impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Charideh, A.; Kattaa, B.

2016-02-01

The Regional Deep Cretaceous Aquifer (RDCA) is the principal groundwater resource in Syria. Isotope and hydrochemical data have been used to evaluate the geographic zones in terms of renewable and non-renewable groundwater and the inter-relation between current and past recharge. The chemical and isotopic character of groundwater together with radiometric 14C data reflect the existence of three different groundwater groups: (1) renewable groundwater, in RDCA outcropping areas, in western Syria along the Coastal and Anti-Lebanon mountains. The mean δ18O value (-7.2 ‰) is similar to modern precipitation with higher 14C values (up to 60-80 pmc), implying younger groundwater (recent recharge); (2) semi-renewable groundwater, which is located in the unconfined section of the RDCA and parallel to the first zone. The mean δ18O value (-7.0 ‰) is also similar to modern precipitation with a 14C range of 15-45 pmc; (3) non-renewable groundwater found in most of the Syrian interior, where the RDCA becomes confined. A considerable depletion in δ18O (-8.0 ‰) relative to the modern rainfall and low values of 14C (<15 pmc) suggest that the large masses of deep groundwater are non-renewable and related to an older recharge period. The wide scatter of all data points around the two meteoric lines in the δ18O-δ2H diagram indicates considerable variation in recharge conditions. There is limited renewable groundwater in the mountain area, and most of the stored deep groundwater in the RDCA is non-renewable, with corrected 14C ages varying between 10 and 35 Kyr BP.

Environmental assessment for the Groundwater Characterization Project, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada; Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1992-08-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to conduct a program to characterize groundwater at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), Nye County, Nevada, in accordance with a 1987 DOE memorandum stating that all past, present, and future nuclear test sites would be treated as Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) sites (Memorandum from Bruce Green, Weapons Design and Testing Division, June 6, 1987). DOE has prepared an environmental assessment (DOE/EA-0532) to evaluate the environmental consequences associated with the proposed action, referred to as the Groundwater Characterization Project (GCP). This proposed action includes constructing access roads and drill pads,more » drilling and testing wells, and monitoring these wells for the purpose of characterizing groundwater at the NTS. Long-term monitoring and possible use of these wells in support of CERCLA, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, is also proposed. The GCP includes measures to mitigate potential impacts on sensitive biological, cultural and historical resources, and to protect workers and the environment from exposure to any radioactive or mixed waste materials that may be encountered. DOE considers those mitigation measures related to sensitive biological, cultural and historic resources as essential to render the impacts of the proposed action not significant, and DOE has prepared a Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) that explains how such mitigations will be planned and implemented. Based on the analyses presented in the EA, DOE has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required and the Department is issuing this FONSI.« less

Framework for a ground-water quality monitoring and assessment program for California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belitz, Kenneth; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Burow, Karen; Jurgens, Bryant C.; John, Tyler

2003-01-01

The State of California uses more ground water than any other State in the Nation. With a population of over 30 million people, an agricultural economy based on intensive irrigation, large urban industrial areas, and naturally elevated concentrations of some trace elements, there is a wide range of contaminant sources that have the potential to contaminate ground water and limit its beneficial uses. In response to the many-and different-potential sources of ground-water contamination, the State of California has evolved an extensive set of rules and programs to protect ground-water quality, and agencies to implement the rules and programs. These programs have in common a focus on compliance with regulations governing chemical use and (or) ground-water quality. Although appropriate for, and successful at, their specific missions, these programs do not at present provide a comprehensive view of ground-water quality in the State of California. In October 2001, The California Assembly passed a bill, AB 599, establishing the Ground-Water- Quality Monitoring Act of 2001.' The goal of AB 599 is to improve Statewide comprehensive ground-water monitoring and increase availability of information about ground-water quality to the public. AB 599 requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in collaboration with an interagency task force (ITF) and a public advisory committee (PAC), to develop a plan for a comprehensive ground-water monitoring program. AB 599 specifies that the comprehensive program should be capable of assessing each ground-water basin in the State through direct and other statistically reliable sampling approaches, and that the program should integrate existing monitoring programs and design new program elements, as necessary. AB 599 also stresses the importance of prioritizing ground-water basins that provide drinking water. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the SWRCB, and in coordination with the ITF and PAC, has

Groundwater inventory and monitoring technical guide: Remote sensing of groundwater

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The application of remotely sensed data in conjunction with in situ data greatly enhances the ability of the USDA Forest Service to meet the demands of field staff, customers, and others for groundwater information. Generally, the use of remotely sensed data to inventory and monitor groundwater reso...

Beach groundwater dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, Diane P.

2002-11-01

An understanding of the interaction between surface and groundwater flows in the swash zone is necessary to understand beach profile evolution. Coastal researchers have recognized the importance of beach watertable and swash interaction to accretion and erosion above the still water level (SWL), but the exact nature of the relationship between swash flows, beach watertable flow and cross-shore sediment transport is not fully understood. This paper reviews research on beach groundwater dynamics and identifies research questions which will need to be answered before swash zone sediment transport can be successfully modelled. After defining the principal terms relating to beach groundwater, the behavior, measurement and modelling of beach groundwater dynamics is described. Research questions related to the mechanisms of surface-subsurface flow interaction are reviewed, particularly infiltration, exfiltration and fluidisation. The implications of these mechanisms for sediment transport are discussed.

Determination of biodegradability kinetics of RCRA compounds using respirometry for structure-activity relationships

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tabak, H.H.; Desai, S.; Govind, R.

1990-01-01

Electrolytic respirometry is attaining prominence in biodegradation studies and is becoming one of the more suitable experimental methods for measuring the biodegradability and the kinetics of biodegradation of toxic organic compounds by the sewage, sludge, and soil microbiota and for determining substrate inhibitory effects to microorganisms in wastewater treatment systems. The purpose of the study was to obtain information on biological treatability of the benzene, phenol, phthalate, ketone organics and of the Superfund CERCLA organics bearing wastes in wastewater treatment systems which will support the development of an EPA technical guidance document on the discharge of the above organics tomore » POTWs. The paper discusses the experimental design and procedural steps for the respirometric biodegradation and toxicity testing approach for individual organics or specific industrial wastes at different concentration levels in a mineral salts medium. A developed multi-level protocol is presented for determination of the biodegradability, microbial acclimation to toxic substrates and first order kinetic parameters of biodegradation for estimation of the Monod kinetic parameter of toxic organic compounds, in order to correlate the extent and rate of biodegradation with a predictive model based on chemical properties and molecular structure of these compounds. Respirometric biodegradation/inhibition and biokinetic data are provided for representative RCRA alkyl benzene and ketone organics.« less

Uranium in groundwater - A synopsis based on a large hydrogeochemical data set.

PubMed

Riedel, Thomas; Kübeck, Christine

2018-02-01

Most of the knowledge on the occurrence of Uranium (U) in groundwater comes from in-situ manipulation experiments in the field, computational modelling studies or from laboratory analyses where individual processes of U mobilization were studied in isolation. Because of Uranium's vital redox chemistry it interacts, often simultaneously, with many other element cycles (e.g., sulfur, carbon, iron, and manganese) making it difficult to predict U concentrations in natural environments. For the present study a large data set was analyzed to predict the occurrence of U in groundwater from basic hydrochemistry. The data set consists of more than 8000 chemical groundwater analyses (including Uranium concentrations) from more than 2000 sampling locations. A strong relation between U concentrations and electric conductivity as well as alkalinity was observed, suggesting that weathering of geogenic source material and desorption from mineral surfaces is the principle mechanism of U release. Except for aquifers with strongly reducing conditions this process leads to a slow but continuous accumulation of U in groundwater in most cases. Importantly, the occurrence of U is modulated by the prevailing redox conditions in an aquifer. Uranium concentrations were moderate under oxic conditions and highest under manganese and nitrate-reducing conditions (heterotrophic as wells as autotrophic nitrate reduction). Only in iron- and sulfate-reducing groundwater the probability of U concentrations above 1 μg l -1 was virtually zero, as these ground waters act as U sinks. The combination of mineral weathering (especially carbonates) with mobilization of U under manganese and nitrate reducing conditions results in the highest risk of detecting U. In contrast, a low risk is associated with low pH (<7) and low mineralization of groundwater, which is the case in granitic catchments, for example. Our results further provide evidence, that agricultural practices such as liming, use of

Enhancing Effective Stakeholder Participation in Local Groundwater Sustainability Planning through Technical Assistance in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weintraub, C.; Christian-Smith, J.; Dobbin, K.; Cullen, K.

2017-12-01

This presentation will share content from UCS's new publication, Getting Involved in Groundwater; A Guide to Effective Engagement in California's Groundwater Sustainability Plans, as well as lessons learned from collaborating with community organizations to provide technical assistance to Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) board members and stakeholders in the San Joaquin Valley on Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) development. California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) mandates extensive stakeholder engagement, presenting an opportunity for unincorporated, low-income communities that have historically been affected by but not included in water decisions. However, implementation requires a concerted, thoughtful effort. Through technical assistance and strategic outreach, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is working to ensure stakeholder engagement in GSP development is robust, diverse, and supported by the best science available. UCS created the GSP stakeholder engagement guide to equip GSA members, scientists and interested community members to meaningfully engage in the GSP development process. The guide serves as a technical primer on SGMA's GSP process and as a resource for understanding groundwater management in California. The guide is just one component of a larger effort to overcome barriers to effective engagement in sustainable groundwater management, especially those presented by technical information. In April, UCS co-hosted a technical assistance workshop for GSA and advisory committee members in Visalia, CA with the Community Water Center (CWC), a local environmental justice non-profit. The workshop was well received and UCS and the CWC were invited to host a second workshop in June. To deepen this engagement and provide one-on-one technical assistance, UCS developed a program to match relevant water experts in the UCS Science Network with GSA members or involved community members in need of specific technical support

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Containers (40 cfr parts 264/265, subpart i; section 261.7) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module reviews two sets of regulatory requirements for containers: requirements that pertain to the management of hazardous waste containers and regulations governing residues of hazardous waste in empty containers. It defines `container` and `empty container` and provides examples and citations for each. It provides an overview of the requirements for the design and operation of hazardous waste containers. It explains the difference between the container standards set out in part 264 and part 265. It states the requirements for rendering a hazardous waste container `RCRA empty`. It explains when container rinsate must be managed as a hazardous waste.

Estimating groundwater discharge into the ocean in the Yucatán Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez Rodriguez, G.; Gutierrez-Jurado, H. A.; Uuh-Sonda, J.

2017-12-01

The Yucatán peninsula is an emerged flat carbonate block abundant in soluble rocks. High permeability and dissolution of the rock, facilitates the development of channels, sinkholes and caves where underground rivers discharge into the ocean. There are no rivers or streams acting as a surface drainage system, all rainfall water entering the peninsula is discharged either as evapotranspiration (ET) or as underground runoff into the ocean. To date there are no estimates of the total groundwater discharge from the peninsula into the sea, and of the spatial distribution of recharge and discharge areas thereby hindering efforts to understand the dynamics of a complex hydrologic system. In this study, we estimate the discharge (Q) by solving the water balance equation (ΔS=PPT-ET-Q) using remote sensing products over a period of 12 years; the change in storage (ΔS) was retrieved from the satellite GRACE; precipitation (PPT) from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission; and evapotranspiration (ET) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Results show that freshwater discharge via evapotranspiration can be a significant portion of the water budget depending on the climatic conditions throughout the year. We observe high recharge-discharge inter-annual variability in the center of the peninsula and some clearly defined recharge and discharge zones around the perimeter. On average the dryer north-east and wetter north-western parts of the peninsula act as recharge zones (where the influx of water is higher than the outflow), while the central-northern part of the peninsula corresponding to agricultural lands, acts as a discharge zone (outflow is higher than influx). The most southern region of the peninsula and the western mangroves are always discharge zones. Finally, our analyses reveal a number of highly subsidized zones, where precipitation levels are consistently lower than evapotranspiration, hence indicating the presence of groundwater dependent

Effect of an offshore sinkhole perforation in a coastal confined aquifer on submarine groundwater discharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fratesi, S.E.; Leonard, V.; Sanford, W.E.

2007-01-01

In order to explore submarine groundwater discharge in the vicinity of karst features that penetrate the confining layer of an offshore, partially confined aquifer, we constructed a three-dimensional groundwater model using the SUTRA (Saturated-Unsaturated TRAnsport) variable-density groundwater flow model. We ran a parameter sensitivity analysis, testing the effects of recharge rates, permeabilities of the aquifer and confining layer, and thickness of the confining layer. In all simulations, less than 20% of the freshwater recharge for the entire model exits through the sinkhole. Recirculated seawater usually accounts for 10-30% of the total outflow from the model. Often, the sinkhole lies seaward of the transition zone and acts as a recharge feature for recirculating seawater. The permeability ratio between aquifer and confining layer influences the configuration of the freshwater wedge the most; as confining layer permeability decreases, the wedge lengthens and the fraction of total discharge exiting through the sinkhole increases. Copyright ?? 2007 IAHS Press.

Groundwater geochemistry and microbial community structure in the aquifer transition from volcanic to alluvial areas.

PubMed

Amalfitano, S; Del Bon, A; Zoppini, A; Ghergo, S; Fazi, S; Parrone, D; Casella, P; Stano, F; Preziosi, E

2014-11-15

Groundwaters may act as sinks or sources of organic and inorganic solutes, depending on the relative magnitude of biochemical mobilizing processes and groundwater-surface water exchanges. The objective of this study was to link the lithological and hydrogeological gradients to the aquatic microbial community structure in the transition from aquifer recharge (volcanic formations) to discharge areas (alluvial deposits). A field-scale analysis was performed along a water table aquifer in which volcanic products decreased in thickness and areal extension, while alluvial deposits became increasingly important. We measured the main groundwater physical parameters and the concentrations of major and trace elements. In addition, the microbial community structure was assessed by estimating the occurrence of total coliforms and Escherichia coli, the prokaryotic abundance, the cytometric and phylogenetic community composition. The overall biogeochemical asset differed along the aquifer flow path. The concentration of total and live prokaryotic cells significantly increased in alluvial waters, together with the percentages of Beta- and Delta-Proteobacteria. The microbial propagation over a theoretical groundwater travel time allowed for the identification of microbial groups shifting significantly in the transition between the two different hydrogeochemical facies. The microbial community structure was intimately associated with geochemical changes, thus it should be further considered in view of a better understanding of groundwater ecology and sustainable management strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Groundwater Discharge of Legacy Nitrogen to River Networks: Linking Regional Groundwater Models to Streambed Groundwater-Surface Water Exchange and Nitrogen Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barclay, J. R.; Helton, A. M.; Briggs, M. A.; Starn, J. J.; Hunt, A.

2017-12-01

Despite years of management, excess nitrogen (N) is a pervasive problem in many aquatic ecosystems. More than half of surface water in the United States is derived from groundwater, and widespread N contamination in aquifers from decades of watershed N inputs suggest legacy N discharging from groundwater may contribute to contemporary N pollution problems in surface waters. Legacy N loads to streams and rivers are controlled by both regional scale flow paths and fine-scale processes that drive N transformations, such as groundwater-surface water exchange across steep redox gradients that occur at stream bed interfaces. Adequately incorporating these disparate scales is a challenge, but it is essential to understanding legacy N transport and making informed management decisions. We developed a regional groundwater flow model for the Farmington River, a HUC-8 basin that drains to the Long Island Sound, a coastal estuary that suffers from elevated N loads despite decades of management, to understand broad patterns of regional transport. To evaluate and refine the regional model, we used thermal infrared imagery paired with vertical temperature profiling to estimate groundwater discharge at the streambed interface. We also analyzed discharging groundwater for multiple N species to quantify fine scale patterns of N loading and transformation via denitrification at the streambed interface. Integrating regional and local estimates of groundwater discharge of legacy N to river networks should improve our ability to predict spatiotemporal patterns of legacy N loading to and transformation within surface waters.

Students' understanding of a groundwater system and attitudes towards groundwater use and conservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yi-Ting; Liu, Shu-Chiu

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' understanding of groundwater as a system, and to further examine whether and how their understanding is related to attitudes towards groundwater use and conservation. A total of 676 junior high school students completed a groundwater survey including a drawing activity and a questionnaire. An additional group of university students with environmental science majors were recruited for the survey for the purpose of determining reasonable expectations and validating interpretations of the results. Analysis of student drawings indicated that students generally held an incomplete and unconnected understanding of the groundwater system. Correlation analysis showed that student levels of understanding were associated with their perceptions of environmental impacts as well as environmental concern regarding groundwater problems. These findings re-emphasised the importance of promoting students' understanding of environmental systems, as well as their ability to think systemically.

SEMINAR PUBLICATION: DESIGN, OPERATION, AND CLOSURE OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS

EPA Science Inventory

This report assists landfill owners and operators in complying with requirements under authority of subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Section 405 of the Clean Water Act. A series of 2-day seminars were presented in 14 different locations during t...

40 CFR 258.1 - Purpose, scope, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....1 Section 258.1 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS General § 258.1 Purpose, scope, and applicability. (a) The... Recovery Act (RCRA or the Act), as amended, for all municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) units and under...

40 CFR 258.1 - Purpose, scope, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....1 Section 258.1 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS General § 258.1 Purpose, scope, and applicability. (a) The... Recovery Act (RCRA or the Act), as amended, for all municipal solid waste landfill (MSWLF) units and under...

77 FR 54863 - Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Revisions to Manifesting Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-06

... and Recovery Act (RCRA) Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA... implement the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest form were promulgated on March, 4, 2005. DATES: Written... governmental jurisdiction that is a government of a city, county, town, school district or special district...

Institutional Controls: A Guide to Planning, Implementing, Maintaining, and Enforcing Institutional Controls at Contaminated Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guide provides information and recommendations that should be useful for planning, implementing, maintaining, and enforcing institutional controls (ICs) for Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, or Superfund); Brownfields; federal facility; underground storage tank (UST); and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) site cleanups.

Integrated groundwater data management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fitch, Peter; Brodaric, Boyan; Stenson, Matt; Booth, Nathaniel; Jakeman, Anthony J.; Barreteau, Olivier; Hunt, Randall J.; Rinaudo, Jean-Daniel; Ross, Andrew

2016-01-01

The goal of a data manager is to ensure that data is safely stored, adequately described, discoverable and easily accessible. However, to keep pace with the evolution of groundwater studies in the last decade, the associated data and data management requirements have changed significantly. In particular, there is a growing recognition that management questions cannot be adequately answered by single discipline studies. This has led a push towards the paradigm of integrated modeling, where diverse parts of the hydrological cycle and its human connections are included. This chapter describes groundwater data management practices, and reviews the current state of the art with enterprise groundwater database management systems. It also includes discussion on commonly used data management models, detailing typical data management lifecycles. We discuss the growing use of web services and open standards such as GWML and WaterML2.0 to exchange groundwater information and knowledge, and the need for national data networks. We also discuss cross-jurisdictional interoperability issues, based on our experience sharing groundwater data across the US/Canadian border. Lastly, we present some future trends relating to groundwater data management.

Groundwater Dynamics in Fossil Fractured Carbonate Aquifers in Eastern Arabian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farag, A. Z. A.; Heggy, E.; Helal, M.; Thirunavukkarasu, D.; Scabbia, G.; Palmer, E. M.

2017-12-01

The Eastern Arabian Peninsula, notably the Qatar Peninsula, represents one of the highest natural groundwater discharge areas for the Arabian platform fossil aquifer system. Groundwater flow dynamics in these aquifers trace the paleoclimatic conditions that have prevailed the Arabian Peninsula during the Quaternary. In such settings, connections between aquifers strongly affect the flow dynamics, water quality and availability as well as karst formation and landscape evolution. Geological structures such as folds, faults and fractures are central to aquifer connectivity, yet their role on groundwater flow is poorly understood. Herein, we performed a detailed mapping of exposed and buried structural features in Qatar using Landsat, Sentinel and ALOS-PalSAR scenes, correlated with field and laboratory measurements to understand their role in aquifer connectivity and groundwater dynamics. Our results suggest that E-W oriented fold-related faults act as vertical conduits along which artesian upward leakages from the deep aquifers (e.g. Aruma and Umm er Radhuma) take place into the shallower aquifers (e.g. Rus and Dammam). Evidence includes: (1) the high potentiometric surfaces of deep aquifers (6 to 25 m amsl) compare to the shallower aquifers (2-3 m amsl for the same region); (2) anomalous elevation of groundwater levels and steeper hydraulic gradients in densely faulted regions; (3) mixed isotopic composition in shallow aquifers (δ18O: -5 to -2 ‰, δ2H: -40 to -10 ‰) between reported deep fossil waters (δ18O: -6.3 ‰, δ2H: -55 ‰) and modern meteoric waters (weighted average: δ18O: -0.6 ‰, δ2H: 4 ‰); (4) abundant meso-crystalline fibrous gypsum veins along fault zones in the Dammam Formation (up to 28 m amsl) in southern Qatar where the anhydritic member of the Rus Formation predominates the subsurface leading to gypsum oversaturation of groundwater. The similarity of crystal morphology (platy crystals under SEM), mineralogical compositions from XRD

Radium isotopes in groundwater around Fuji Volcano, Japan -application for groundwater dating on volcanic area-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, T.; Mahara, Y.

2010-12-01

Young groundwater dating less than 100 years is possible to be obtained from environmental radioactivity with short half life, 3H+3He, 85Kr, or chemical material, CFC-12. The 3H+3He dating method is excellent method to estimate the residence time of shallow groundwater. The one of advantage of the method is small sample volume. The 3He in groundwater is originated by 3 sources, tritiogenic He, mantle He, radiogenic He produced in rock. Especially, as the contribution of the mantle He is greater than the radiogenic and triogenic, when 3H+3He dating apply for groundwater dating on volcanic area, we have to determine ratio of 3 sources. On the other hand, as 85Kr is only originated from atmosphere, it is excellent groundwater dating tracer on volcanic area. However, as 85Kr is ultra low concentration in groundwater, 85Kr is needed to separate from large amount of ground water about 10^5 L. Young groundwater dating by these methods has both advantages and disadvantages, but the disadvantages of the individual methods can be offset by using multiple tracers. Development of a lot of groundwater dating techniques is desired. Therefore, an application of radium isotopes which is simple origin to groundwater dating on volcanic area was tried. Ra-228 and Ra-226 are progenies of Th and U, respectively. The 228Ra/226Ra in ground waters depends on the Th/U in the relevant rocks. As the 228Ra and 226Ra in shallow groundwater on volcanic area are originated from only rock, and the collection of radium isotopes from groundwater is easier than that of 85Kr, implying that it is possible to be good tracer for volcanic area. We aim that groundwater age obtain from 228Ra/226Ra in groundwater and relevant rock on volcanic area. We determined that 228Ra/226Ra observed with river waters and the relevant rocks. The method applied for Kakitagawa around Fuji Volcano, Japan. The relevant rock of Kakitagawa is Mishima lava flow. Our method compared with 3H+3He dating. The residence time of

RCRA, superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Hazardous waste incinerators (40 cfr parts 264/265, subpart o) updated July 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-07-01

The module introduces the concept of burning hazardous wastes in units regulated under RCRA and outlines the requirements for one type of device - the incinerator. It explains what an incinerator is and how incinerators are regulated, and states the conditions under which an owner/operator may be exempt from subpart O. It defines principal organic hazardous constituent (POHC) and describes the criteria under which a POHC is selected. It defines destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) and describes the interaction between compliance with performance standards and compliance with incinerator operating conditions established in the permit. It defines and explains the purposemore » of a `trial burn`.« less

Arkansas Groundwater-Quality Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pugh, Aaron L.; Jackson, Barry T.; Miller, Roger

2014-01-01

Arkansas is the fourth largest user of groundwater in the United States, where groundwater accounts for two-thirds of the total water use. Groundwater use in the State increased by 510 percent between 1965 and 2005 (Holland, 2007). The Arkansas Groundwater-Quality Network is a Web map interface (http://ar.water.usgs.gov/wqx) that provides rapid access to the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Water Information System (NWIS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) STOrage and RETrieval (STORET) databases of ambient water information. The interface enables users to perform simple graphical analysis and download selected water-quality data.

Groundwater monitoring of an open-pit limestone quarry: groundwater characteristics, evolution and their connections to rock slopes.

PubMed

Eang, Khy Eam; Igarashi, Toshifumi; Fujinaga, Ryota; Kondo, Megumi; Tabelin, Carlito Baltazar

2018-03-06

Groundwater flow and its geochemical evolution in mines are important not only in the study of contaminant migration but also in the effective planning of excavation. The effects of groundwater on the stability of rock slopes and other mine constructions especially in limestone quarries are crucial because calcite, the major mineral component of limestone, is moderately soluble in water. In this study, evolution of groundwater in a limestone quarry located in Chichibu city was monitored to understand the geochemical processes occurring within the rock strata of the quarry and changes in the chemistry of groundwater, which suggests zones of deformations that may affect the stability of rock slopes. There are three distinct geological formations in the quarry: limestone layer, interbedded layer of limestone and slaty greenstone, and slaty greenstone layer as basement rock. Although the hydrochemical facies of all groundwater samples were Ca-HCO 3 type water, changes in the geochemical properties of groundwater from the three geological formations were observed. In particular, significant changes in the chemical properties of several groundwater samples along the interbedded layer were observed, which could be attributed to the mixing of groundwater from the limestone and slaty greenstone layers. On the rainy day, the concentrations of Ca 2+ and HCO 3 - in the groundwater fluctuated notably, and the groundwater flowing along the interbedded layer was dominated by groundwater from the limestone layer. These suggest that groundwater along the interbedded layer may affect the stability of rock slopes.

Consent Agreement and Final Order Against Xutapa Properties, LLC for Safe Drinking Water Act Violations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Under Section 1423 (c) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. § 300h-2, the EPA is assessing a civil penalty to Xutapa Properties, LLC for maintaining seven injection wells with the potential to contaminate groundwater resources.

Groundwater Pollution and Vulnerability Assessment.

PubMed

Kurwadkar, Sudarshan

2017-10-01

Groundwater is a critical resource that serve as a source of drinking water to large human population and, provide long-term water for irrigation purposes. In recent years; however, this precious resource being increasingly threatened, due to natural and anthropogenic activities. A variety of contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, perfluorinated compounds, endocrine disruptors, and biological agents detected in the groundwater sources of both developing and developed nations. In this review paper, various studies have been included that documented instances of groundwater pollution and vulnerability to emerging contaminants of concern, pesticides, heavy metals, and leaching potential of various organic and inorganic contaminants from poorly managed residual waste products (biosolids, landfills, latrines, and septic tanks etc.). Understanding vulnerability of groundwater to pollution is critical to maintain the integrity of groundwater. A section on managed artificial recharge studies is included to highlight the sustainable approaches to groundwater conservation, replenishment and sustainability. This review paper is the synthesis of studies published in last one year that either documented the pollution problems or evaluated the vulnerability of groundwater pollution.

Why is the Groundwater Level Rising? A Case Study Using HARTT to Simulate Groundwater Level Dynamic.

PubMed

Yihdego, Yohannes; Danis, Cara; Paffard, Andrew

2017-12-01

  Groundwater from a shallow unconfined aquifer at a site in coastal New South Wales has been causing recent water logging issues. A trend of rising groundwater level has been anecdotally observed over the last 10 years. It was not clear whether the changes in groundwater levels were solely natural variations within the groundwater system or whether human interference was driving the level up. Time series topographic images revealed significant surrounding land use changes and human modification to the environment of the groundwater catchment. A statistical model utilising HARTT (multiple linear regression hydrograph analysis method) simulated the groundwater level dynamics at five key monitoring locations and successfully showed a trend of rising groundwater level. Utilising hydrogeological input from field investigations, the model successfully simulated the rise in the water table over time to the present day levels, whilst taking into consideration rainfall and land changes. The underlying geological/land conditions were found to be just as significant as the impact of climate variation. The correlation coefficient for the monitoring bores (MB), excluding MB4, show that the groundwater level fluctuation can be explained by the climate variable (rainfall) with the lag time between the atypical rainfall and groundwater level ranging from 4 to 7 months. The low R2 value for MB4 indicates that there are factors missing in the model which are primarily related to human interference. The elevated groundwater levels in the affected area are the result of long term cumulative land use changes, instigated by humans, which have directly resulted in detrimental changes to the groundwater aquifer properties.

Groundwater-Quality Data in the South Coast Range-Coastal Study Unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.; Burton, Carmen A.; Land, Michael; Belitz, Kenneth

2010-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 766-square-mile South Coast Range-Coastal (SCRC) study unit was investigated from May to December 2008, as part of the Priority Basins Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basins Project was developed in response to legislative mandates (Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act 1999-00 Fiscal Year; and, the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 [Sections 10780-10782.3 of the California Water Code, Assembly Bill 599]) to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater in California, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The SCRC study unit was the 25th study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA Priority Basins Project. The SCRC study unit was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of untreated groundwater quality in the primary aquifer systems and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of untreated groundwater quality throughout California. The primary aquifer systems (hereinafter referred to as primary aquifers) were defined as that part of the aquifer corresponding to the perforation interval of wells listed in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) database for the SCRC study unit. The quality of groundwater in shallow or deep water-bearing zones may differ from the quality of groundwater in the primary aquifers; shallow groundwater may be more vulnerable to surficial contamination. In the SCRC study unit, groundwater samples were collected from 70 wells in two study areas (Basins and Uplands) in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties. Fifty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and 15 wells were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). In addition to

Suitability of Spatial Interpolation Techniques in Varying Aquifer Systems of a Basaltic Terrain for Monitoring Groundwater Availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katpatal, Y. B.; Paranjpe, S. V.; Kadu, M. S.

2017-12-01

Geological formations act as aquifer systems and variability in the hydrological properties of aquifers have control over groundwater occurrence and dynamics. To understand the groundwater availability in any terrain, spatial interpolation techniques are widely used. It has been observed that, with varying hydrogeological conditions, even in a geologically homogenous set up, there are large variations in observed groundwater levels. Hence, the accuracy of groundwater estimation depends on the use of appropriate interpretation techniques. The study area of the present study is Venna Basin of Maharashtra State, India which is a basaltic terrain with four different types of basaltic layers laid down horizontally; weathered vesicular basalt, weathered and fractured basalt, highly weathered unclassified basalt and hard massive basalt. The groundwater levels vary with topography as different types of basalts are present at varying depths. The local stratigraphic profiles were generated at different types of basaltic terrains. The present study aims to interpolate the groundwater levels within the basin and to check the co-relation between the estimated and the observed values. The groundwater levels for 125 observation wells situated in these different basaltic terrains for 20 years (1995 - 2015) have been used in the study. The interpolation was carried out in Geographical Information System (GIS) using ordinary kriging and Inverse Distance Weight (IDW) method. A comparative analysis of the interpolated values of groundwater levels is carried out for validating the recorded groundwater level dataset. The results were co-related to various types of basaltic terrains present in basin forming the aquifer systems. Mean Error (ME) and Mean Square Errors (MSE) have been computed and compared. It was observed that within the interpolated values, a good correlation does not exist between the two interpolation methods used. The study concludes that in crystalline basaltic

The Downstream Fate of Glacial Runoff and Groundwater in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, J. M.; Gordon, R.; Chavez, D.; Maharaj, L.; Baraer, M.; Mark, B. G.; Lautz, L. K.

2013-12-01

Rapid glacier recession in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, is raising concerns about current and future water resources for the inhabitants of the Rio Santa watershed. Glacier meltwater buffers stream discharge throughout the range, reducing the variability of annual runoff and maintaining stream flows during the dry season. Groundwater is also an important component of dry season runoff as it can contribute as much as 50-70% to outflow in some Rio Santa tributaries. A better understanding of groundwater dynamics in high elevation watersheds is needed, including quantification of recharge, subsurface processes, and available storage. We present the results from recent groundwater studies in the Cordillera Blanca where numerous investigative techniques have been used, including ground penetrating radar, hydraulic conductivity measurements, tracer tests, and hydrochemical mixing models. Our research focuses primarily on the low-relief pampa valley floors across which glacial-melt derived rivers flow. Across the Cordillera, these valley systems cover approximately 65 km2 and are comprised of unconsolidated glacial, talus, and lacustrine deposits and wetlands. The valleys commonly have buried, permeable, talus aquifers that are overlain by relatively impermeable, glaciolacustrine deposits. Glaciofluvial outwash deposits also act as aquifers (hydraulic conductivity of 10-4 m/s). The travel time of water stored in these systems is generally less than 3-4 years and the maximum observed dry season groundwater velocity is 60 cm/day. While groundwater represents an important component of dry season water resources source of water in the Cordillera Blanca, it is also potentially vulnerable to climate change including changes in the precipitation regime and decrease in glacially derived recharge.

Revealed social preference for potable groundwater: An Eastern Iowa case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raunikar, R. P.; Bernknopf, R. L.; Forney, W.; Mishra, S.

2011-12-01

The spatially explicit land use and land cover information provided by Landsat moderate-resolution land imagery (MRLI) is needed to more efficiently balance the production of goods and services over landscapes. For example, economic trade-offs are needed to provide both clean groundwater resources and other non-environmental goods and services produced by activities that affect the vadose zone and thus contribute to contamination of groundwater. These trade-off choices are made by numerous economic agents and are constrained by many social institutions including governmental regulations at many levels, contractual obligations and traditions. In effect, on a social level, society acts as if it values groundwater by foregoing other goods to protect these resources. The result of the protection afforded to groundwater resources is observable by measuring contamination in well samples. This observed level of groundwater contamination risk is the revealed preference of society as a whole for clean groundwater. We observed the risk of groundwater contamination in a sampling of well data from our study area (35 counties of Eastern Iowa.) We used a proportional hazard model to quantify the nitrate contamination survival implied by the panel of 19,873 well data, where remaining below a 10 mg/ml maximum contamination level (MCL) is defined as survival. We tested the data for evidence that the levels of protection provided to these resources is correlated with aquifer and vadose zone characteristics and geographic location and whether it changed over time and with economic and other conditions. We demonstrate the use of a nitrate conditioned hazard function for projecting the survival of wells based on nitrate exposure information over the 1940 to 2010 time period. We discuss results of simulations of the survival process that demonstrate the economic significance of this approach. We find that aquifer survival has been significantly improving over time. The principle of

Financial Assurance Requirements for Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires all treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDFs) to demonstrate that they will have the financial resources to properly close the facility

Estimating the Change of Groundwater Salinization in the Central North China Plain for Sustainable Groundwater Utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, Y.; He, X.; Zheng, C.; Guo, Z.

2017-12-01

Due to the growing demand of food supplies and limited freshwater resources, North China Plain (NCP) is highly dependent on the groundwater resources. Groundwater overdraft has made NCP a closed hydrologic basin, where the connection between surface and groundwater has been cut off, which can lead to salt accumulation in the groundwater system. Thus it is imperative to investigate the overall salt balance in the region for sustainable utilization of groundwater resources, as well as to better understand the salt accumulating processes caused by groundwater pumping and return flow. The central plain of NCP (excluding the piedmont plain and coastal plain) is selected in the present study, where the groundwater salt content is mainly controlled by precipitation, irrigation, groundwater pumping and rock-water interaction in vertical direction; therefore, a conceptual 1-D mixing model is developed for salt balance calculation, where the salt content is expressed by the concentration of Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) in groundwater. Geological structures and regional water balance data are obtained from numerical groundwater models previously developed in the area. The simulation starts in year 1900 with a 50-year time step and groundwater vertical flow velocity starting with 2 m/y. TDS concentration is then calculated through salt input and output in each layer, with consideration of soil salt accumulation, change of precipitation, rock-water interaction etc. The results suggest that in a closed hydrologic basin, groundwater pumping and return flow will gradually increase salt content in the groundwater body from upper layers to lower layers resulting from the flushing of salt accumulated in the top soil layer. After two time steps, the model is able to reproduce the observed TDS concentration in present time with reasonable accuracy; and after six time steps, which correspond to 300 years, the whole central plain of NCP will be under the influence of high salinity, which

Groundwater and organic chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dawson, H.E.

1995-12-01

Groundwater is a major source of drinking water for many communities. Unfortunately, organic chemicals such as dry cleaning fluids, solvent, fuels, and pesticides have contaminated groundwater in many areas, rendering the groundwater useless as a drinking water resource. In many cases, the groundwater cannot be cleaned up with current technologies, particularly if the groundwater has been contaminated with immiscible (low solubility) organic liquids. In this talk, I will describe the path I have followed from geologist to geochemist and finally to environmental engineer. As a geologist, I studied the chemistry of rock metamorphosis. As a geochemist, I explored for goldmore » and other metals. Now as an environmental engineer, I investigate the behavior of organic liquids in the subsurface. While these fields all appear very different, in reality I have always focused on the interaction of rocks or sediments with the fluids with which they come in contact.« less

Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richey, Alexandra S.; Thomas, Brian F.; Lo, Min-Hui; Reager, John T.; Famiglietti, James S.; Voss, Katalyn; Swenson, Sean; Rodell, Matthew

2015-07-01

Groundwater is an increasingly important water supply source globally. Understanding the amount of groundwater used versus the volume available is crucial to evaluate future water availability. We present a groundwater stress assessment to quantify the relationship between groundwater use and availability in the world's 37 largest aquifer systems. We quantify stress according to a ratio of groundwater use to availability, which we call the Renewable Groundwater Stress ratio. The impact of quantifying groundwater use based on nationally reported groundwater withdrawal statistics is compared to a novel approach to quantify use based on remote sensing observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission. Four characteristic stress regimes are defined: Overstressed, Variable Stress, Human-dominated Stress, and Unstressed. The regimes are a function of the sign of use (positive or negative) and the sign of groundwater availability, defined as mean annual recharge. The ability to mitigate and adapt to stressed conditions, where use exceeds sustainable water availability, is a function of economic capacity and land use patterns. Therefore, we qualitatively explore the relationship between stress and anthropogenic biomes. We find that estimates of groundwater stress based on withdrawal statistics are unable to capture the range of characteristic stress regimes, especially in regions dominated by sparsely populated biome types with limited cropland. GRACE-based estimates of use and stress can holistically quantify the impact of groundwater use on stress, resulting in both greater magnitudes of stress and more variability of stress between regions.

Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE

PubMed Central

Richey, Alexandra S.; Thomas, Brian F.; Lo, Min‐Hui; Reager, John T.; Voss, Katalyn; Swenson, Sean; Rodell, Matthew

2015-01-01

Abstract Groundwater is an increasingly important water supply source globally. Understanding the amount of groundwater used versus the volume available is crucial to evaluate future water availability. We present a groundwater stress assessment to quantify the relationship between groundwater use and availability in the world's 37 largest aquifer systems. We quantify stress according to a ratio of groundwater use to availability, which we call the Renewable Groundwater Stress ratio. The impact of quantifying groundwater use based on nationally reported groundwater withdrawal statistics is compared to a novel approach to quantify use based on remote sensing observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission. Four characteristic stress regimes are defined: Overstressed, Variable Stress, Human‐dominated Stress, and Unstressed. The regimes are a function of the sign of use (positive or negative) and the sign of groundwater availability, defined as mean annual recharge. The ability to mitigate and adapt to stressed conditions, where use exceeds sustainable water availability, is a function of economic capacity and land use patterns. Therefore, we qualitatively explore the relationship between stress and anthropogenic biomes. We find that estimates of groundwater stress based on withdrawal statistics are unable to capture the range of characteristic stress regimes, especially in regions dominated by sparsely populated biome types with limited cropland. GRACE‐based estimates of use and stress can holistically quantify the impact of groundwater use on stress, resulting in both greater magnitudes of stress and more variability of stress between regions. PMID:26900185

Key NASA, USAF and federal officials sign a Memorandum of Agreement on groundwater cleanup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

On the site of Launch Complex 34, key participants sign a Memorandum of Agreement, formalizing cooperative efforts of NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and federal agencies in ground-water cleanup initiatives. Seated at the table, from left to right, are Timothy Oppelt, director, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Tom Heenan, assistant manager of environmental management, Savannah River Site, U.S. Department of Energy; Col. James Heald, Vice Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force; Gerald Boyd, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Energy; James Fiore, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Environmental Restoration, Department of Energy; Brig. Gen. Randall R. Starbuck, Commander 45th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force; Roy Bridges Jr., director of John F. Kennedy Space Center; Walter Kovalick Jr., Ph.D., director, Technology Innovation Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the agencies have formed a consortium and are participating in a comparative study of three innovative techniques to be used in cleaning a contaminated area of Launch Complex 34. The study will be used to help improve groundwater cleanup processes nationally.

Key NASA, USAF and federal officials sign a Memorandum of Agreement on groundwater cleanup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

On the site of Launch Complex 34, key participants sign a Memorandum of Agreement, formalizing cooperative efforts of NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and federal agencies in ground-water cleanup initiatives. Seated from left to right are Timothy Oppelt, director, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Tom Heenan, assistant manager of environmental management, Savannah River Site, U.S. Department of Energy; Col. James Heald, Vice Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force; Gerald Boyd, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Energy; James Fiore, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Environmental Restoration, Department of Energy; Brig. Gen. Randall R. Starbuck, Commander 45th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force; Roy Bridges Jr., director of John F. Kennedy Space Center; Walter Kovalick Jr., Ph.D., director, Technology Innovation Office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the agencies have formed a consortium and are participating in a comparative study of three innovative techniques to be used in cleaning a contaminated area of Launch Complex 34. The study will be used to help improve groundwater cleanup processes nationally.

RCRA/UST, superfund, and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Solid and hazardous waste exclusions (40 CFR section 261.4) updated as of July 1995

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-11-01

This module explains each waste exclusion and its scope, so one can apply this knowledge in determining wheather a given waste is or is not regulated under RCRA Subtitle C. It cites the regulatory section for exclusions and identifies materials that are not solid wastes and solid wastes that are not hazardous wastes. It locates the manufacturing process unit exclusion and identifies the sample and treatability study exclusions and their applicability. It outlines and specifies the conditions for meeting the exclusions for household wastes and mixtures of domestic sewage.

Students' Understanding of a Groundwater System and Attitudes towards Groundwater Use and Conservation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Yi-Ting; Liu, Shu-Chiu

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students' understanding of groundwater as a system, and to further examine whether and how their understanding is related to attitudes towards groundwater use and conservation. A total of 676 junior high school students completed a groundwater survey including a drawing activity and a questionnaire. An…

Global scale groundwater flow model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutanudjaja, Edwin; de Graaf, Inge; van Beek, Ludovicus; Bierkens, Marc

2013-04-01

As the world's largest accessible source of freshwater, groundwater plays vital role in satisfying the basic needs of human society. It serves as a primary source of drinking water and supplies water for agricultural and industrial activities. During times of drought, groundwater sustains water flows in streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and thus supports ecosystem habitat and biodiversity, while its large natural storage provides a buffer against water shortages. Yet, the current generation of global scale hydrological models does not include a groundwater flow component that is a crucial part of the hydrological cycle and allows the simulation of groundwater head dynamics. In this study we present a steady-state MODFLOW (McDonald and Harbaugh, 1988) groundwater model on the global scale at 5 arc-minutes resolution. Aquifer schematization and properties of this groundwater model were developed from available global lithological model (e.g. Dürr et al., 2005; Gleeson et al., 2010; Hartmann and Moorsdorff, in press). We force the groundwtaer model with the output from the large-scale hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB (van Beek et al., 2011), specifically the long term net groundwater recharge and average surface water levels derived from routed channel discharge. We validated calculated groundwater heads and depths with available head observations, from different regions, including the North and South America and Western Europe. Our results show that it is feasible to build a relatively simple global scale groundwater model using existing information, and estimate water table depths within acceptable accuracy in many parts of the world.

RCRA Facility Investigation/Remedial Investigation Report for Gunsite 720 Rubble Pit Unit (631-16G) - March 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, E.

1996-03-01

Gunsite 720 Rubble Pit Unit is located on the west side of SRS. In the early to mid 1980`s, while work was being performed in this area, nine empty, partially buried drums, labeled `du Pont Freon 11`, were found. As a result, Gunsite 720 became one of the original waste units specified in the SRS RCRA Facility Assessment (RFA). The drums were excavated on July 30, 1987 and placed on a pallet at the unit. Both the drums and pallet were removed and disposed of in October 1989. The area around the drums was screened during the excavation and themore » liquid (rainwater) that collected in the excavated drums was sampled prior to disposal. No evidence of hazardous materials was found. Based on the review of the analytical data and screening techniques used to evaluate all the chemicals of potential concern at Gunsite 720 Rubble Pit Unit, it is recommended that no further remedial action be performed at this unit.« less

A Guidance Manual: Waste Analysis at Facilities that Generate, Treat, Store, and Dispose of Hazardous Wastes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Discusses how a person can perform waste analyses and develop waste analysis plans (WAPs) in accordance with the federal hazardous waste regulations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Utilizing potential field data to support delineation of groundwater aquifers in the southern Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elawadi, Eslam; Mogren, Saad; Ibrahim, Elkhedr; Batayneh, Awni; Al-Bassam, Abdulaziz

2012-06-01

In this paper potential field data are interpreted to map the undulation of the basement surface, which represents the bottom of the water bearing zones, and to delineate the tectonic framework that controls the groundwater flow and accumulation in the southern Red Sea coastal area of Saudi Arabia. The interpretation reveals that the dominant structural trend is a NW (Red Sea) trend that resulted in a series of faulted tilted blocks. These tilted blocks are dissected by another cross-cut NE trend which shapes and forms a series of fault-bounded small basins. These basins and the bounded structural trends control and shape the flow direction of the groundwater in the study area, i.e. they act as groundwater conduits. Furthermore, the present results indicate that volcanic intrusions are present as subsurface flows, which hinder the groundwater exploration and drilling activities in most of the area; in some localities these volcanic flows crop out at the surface and cover the groundwater bearing formations. Furthermore, the gravity and magnetic data interpretation indicates the possible existence of a large structural basin occupying the southeastern side of the study area. This basin is bounded with NW and NE trending faults and is expected to be a good host for groundwater aquifers; thus it is a promising site for hydrogeological investigation.

Wyoming groundwater-quality monitoring network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boughton, Gregory K.

2011-01-01

A wide variety of human activities have the potential to contaminate groundwater. In addition, naturally occurring constituents can limit the suitability of groundwater for some uses. The State of Wyoming has established rules and programs to evaluate and protect groundwater quality based on identified uses. The Wyoming Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Network (WGQMN) is a cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) and was implemented in 2009 to evaluate the water-quality characteristics of the State's groundwater. Representatives from USGS, WDEQ, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Wyoming Water Development Office, and Wyoming State Engineer's Office formed a steering committee, which meets periodically to evaluate progress and consider modifications to strengthen program objectives. The purpose of this fact sheet is to describe the WGQMN design and objectives, field procedures, and water-quality analyses. USGS groundwater activities in the Greater Green River Basin also are described.

Defining groundwater age: Chapter 3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Torgersen, T.; Purtschert, R.; Phillips, F.M.; Plummer, Niel; Sanford, W.E.; Suckow, A.

2013-01-01

This book investigates applications of selected chemical and isotopic substances that can be used to recognize and interpret age information pertaining to ‘old’ groundwater (defined as water that was recharged on a timescale from approximately 1000 to more than 1 000 000 a). However, as discussed below, only estimates of the ‘age’ of water extracted from wells can be inferred. These groundwater age estimates are interpreted from measured concentrations of chemical and isotopic substances in the groundwater. Even then, there are many complicating factors, as discussed in this book. In spite of these limitations, much can be learned about the physics of groundwater flow and about the temporal aspects of groundwater systems from age interpretations of measured concentrations of environmental tracers in groundwater systems. This chapter puts the concept of ‘age’ into context, including its meaning and interpretation, and attempts to provide a unifying usage for the rest of the book.

Factors affecting ground-water exchange and catchment size for Florida lakes in mantled karst terrain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Terrie Mackin

2002-01-01

In the mantled karst terrain of Florida, the size of the catchment delivering ground-water inflow to lakes is often considerably smaller than the topographically defined drainage basin. The size is determined by a balance of factors that act individually to enhance or diminish the hydraulic connection between the lake and the adjacent surficial aquifer, as well as the hydraulic connection between the surficial aquifer and the deeper limestone aquifer. Factors affecting ground-water exchange and the size of the ground-water catchment for lakes in mantled karst terrain were examined by: (1) reviewing the physical and hydrogeological characteristics of 14 Florida lake basins with available ground-water inflow estimates, and (2) simulating ground-water flow in hypothetical lake basins. Variably-saturated flow modeling was used to simulate a range of physical and hydrogeologic factors observed at the 14 lake basins. These factors included: recharge rate to the surficial aquifer, thickness of the unsaturated zone, size of the topographically defined basin, depth of the lake, thickness of the surficial aquifer, hydraulic conductivity of the geologic units, the location and size of karst subsidence features beneath and onshore of the lake, and the head in the Upper Floridan aquifer. Catchment size and the magnitude of ground-water inflow increased with increases in recharge rate to the surficial aquifer, the size of the topographically defined basin, hydraulic conductivity in the surficial aquifer, the degree of confinement of the deeper Upper Floridan aquifer, and the head in the Upper Floridan aquifer. The catchment size and magnitude of ground-water inflow increased with decreases in the number and size of karst subsidence features in the basin, and the thickness of the unsaturated zone near the lake. Model results, although qualitative, provided insights into: (1) the types of lake basins in mantled karst terrain that have the potential to generate small and large

Basewide Groundwater Operable Unit. Groundwater Operable Unit Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Report. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

technologies were organized into five categories: * In Situ Biological Treatment * In Situ Physical/Chemical Treatment * Ex Situ Biological Groundwater...Technology FIGURE 11-3 PRIMARY SCORING SUMMARY EX SITU BIOLOGICAL GROUNDWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES GROUNDWATER OPERABLE UNIT RIIFS McCLELLAN AIR FORCE... Biological Treatment CometabolicAnaerobic Anaerobic/Aerobic In Situ Physical/Chemical Treatment Sparging/Soil Vapor Extraction Ex Situ Biological

40 CFR 19.4 - Penalty adjustment and table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...,000/4,300 140,000/4,300 33 U.S.C. 1415(a) MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT (MPRSA) 50.... 300j-4(c) SDWA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C. 300j-6(b)(2) SDWA 25,000 25,000 27,500 32,500 42 U.... 6928(g) RCRA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C. 6928(h)(2) RCRA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C...

40 CFR 19.4 - Penalty adjustment and table.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...,000/4,300 140,000/4,300 33 U.S.C. 1415(a) MARINE PROTECTION, RESEARCH, AND SANCTUARIES ACT (MPRSA) 50.... 300j-4(c) SDWA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C. 300j-6(b)(2) SDWA 25,000 25,000 27,500 32,500 42 U.... 6928(g) RCRA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C. 6928(h)(2) RCRA 25,000 27,500 32,500 37,500 42 U.S.C...

Groundwater: A Community Action Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Susan, Ed.; And Others

Designed to be a guide for community action, this booklet examines issues and trends related to groundwater contamination. Basic concepts about groundwater and information about problems affecting it are covered under the categories of (1) what is groundwater? (2) availability and depletion; (3) quality and contamination; (4) public health…

Brackish groundwater in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanton, Jennifer S.; Anning, David W.; Brown, Craig J.; Moore, Richard B.; McGuire, Virginia L.; Qi, Sharon L.; Harris, Alta C.; Dennehy, Kevin F.; McMahon, Peter B.; Degnan, James R.; Böhlke, John Karl

2017-04-05

For some parts of the Nation, large-scale development of groundwater has caused decreases in the amount of groundwater that is present in aquifer storage and that discharges to surface-water bodies. Water supply in some areas, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, is not adequate to meet demand, and severe drought is affecting large parts of the United States. Future water demand is projected to heighten the current stress on groundwater resources. This combination of factors has led to concerns about the availability of freshwater to meet domestic, agricultural, industrial, mining, and environmental needs. To ensure the water security of the Nation, currently [2016] untapped water sources may need to be developed.Brackish groundwater is an unconventional water source that may offer a partial solution to current and future water demands. In support of the national census of water resources, the U.S. Geological Survey completed the national brackish groundwater assessment to better understand the occurrence and characteristics of brackish groundwater in the United States as a potential water resource. Analyses completed as part of this assessment relied on previously collected data from multiple sources; no new data were collected. Compiled data included readily available information about groundwater chemistry, horizontal and vertical extents and hydrogeologic characteristics of principal aquifers (regionally extensive aquifers or aquifer systems that have the potential to be used as a source of potable water), and groundwater use. Although these data were obtained from a wide variety of sources, the compiled data are biased toward shallow and fresh groundwater resources; data representing groundwater that is at great depths and is saline were not as readily available.One of the most important contributions of this assessment is the creation of a database containing chemical characteristics and aquifer information for the known areas with brackish groundwater

Factor weighting in DRASTIC modelling for assessing the groundwater vulnerability in Salatiga groundwater basin, Central Java Province, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kesuma, D. A.; Purwanto, P.; Putranto, T. T.; Rahmani, T. P. D.

2017-06-01

The increase in human population as well as area development in Salatiga Groundwater Basin, Central Java Province, will increase the potency of groundwater contamination in that area. Groundwater quality, especially the shallow groundwater, is very vulnerable to the contamination from industrial waste, fertilizer/agricultural waste, and domestic waste. The first step in the conservation of groundwater quality is by conducting the mapping of the groundwater vulnerability zonation against the contamination. The result of this research was groundwater vulnerability map which showed the areas vulnerable to the groundwater contamination. In this study, groundwater vulnerability map was assessed based on the DRASTIC Method and was processed spatially using Geographic Information System. The DRASTIC method is used to assess the level of groundwater vulnerability based on weighting on seven parameters, which are: depth to the water table (D), recharge (R), aquifer material (A), soil media (S), topography (T), impact of vadose zone (I), and hydraulic conductivity (C). The higher the DRASTIC Index will result in the higher vulnerability level of groundwater contamination in that area. The DRASTIC Indexes in the researched area were 85 - 100 (low vulnerability level), 101 -120 (low to moderate vulnerability level), 121 - 140 (moderate vulnerability level), 141 - 150, (moderate to high vulnerability level), and 151 - 159 (high vulnerability level). The output of this study can be used by local authority as a tool for consideration to arrange the policy for sustainable area development, especially the development in an area affecting the quality of Salatiga Groundwater Basin.

Improving Groundwater Data Interoperability: Results of the Second OGC Groundwater Interoperability Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucido, J. M.; Booth, N.

2014-12-01

Interoperable sharing of groundwater data across international boarders is essential for the proper management of global water resources. However storage and management of groundwater data is often times distributed across many agencies or organizations. Furthermore these data may be represented in disparate proprietary formats, posing a significant challenge for integration. For this reason standard data models are required to achieve interoperability across geographical and political boundaries. The GroundWater Markup Language 1.0 (GWML1) was developed in 2010 as an extension of the Geography Markup Language (GML) in order to support groundwater data exchange within Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI). In 2013, development of GWML2 was initiated under the sponsorship of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) for intended adoption by the international community as the authoritative standard for the transfer of groundwater feature data, including data about water wells, aquifers, and related entities. GWML2 harmonizes GWML1 and the EU's INSPIRE models related to geology and hydrogeology. Additionally, an interoperability experiment was initiated to test the model for commercial, technical, scientific, and policy use cases. The scientific use case focuses on the delivery of data required for input into computational flow modeling software used to determine the flow of groundwater within a particular aquifer system. It involves the delivery of properties associated with hydrogeologic units, observations related to those units, and information about the related aquifers. To test this use case web services are being implemented using GWML2 and WaterML2, which is the authoritative standard for water time series observations, in order to serve USGS water well and hydrogeologic data via standard OGC protocols. Furthermore, integration of these data into a computational groundwater flow model will be tested. This submission will present the GWML2 information model and results

Thermal management of an urban groundwater body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epting, J.; Huggenberger, P.

2012-06-01

This study presents a management concept for the sustainable thermal use of an urban groundwater body. The concept is designed to be applied for shallow thermal groundwater use and is based on (1) a characterization of the present thermal state of the investigated urban groundwater body; (2) the definition of development goals for specific aquifer regions, including future aquifer use and urbanization; and (3) an evaluation of the thermal use potential for these regions. The investigations conducted in the city of Basel (Switzerland) focus on thermal processes down-gradient of thermal groundwater use, effects of heated buildings in the aquifer as well as the thermal influence of river-groundwater interaction. Investigation methods include: (1) short- and long-term data analysis; (2) high-resolution multilevel groundwater temperature monitoring; as well as (3) 3-D numerical groundwater flow and heat-transport modeling and scenario development. The combination of these methods allows quantifying the thermal influence on the investigated urban groundwater body, including the influences of thermal groundwater use and additional heat from urbanization. Subsequently, management strategies for minimizing further groundwater temperature increase, targeting "potential natural" groundwater temperatures for specific aquifer regions and exploiting the thermal use potential are discussed.

Data Validation Standard Operating Procedure for EPA Method 1613 Revision B, Tetra-through Octa-chlorinated Dioxins and Furans by Isotope Dillution (High Resolution Gas Chromatography/High Resolution Mass Spectrometry)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Method used for isomer specific determination todetect the Tetra- through octa- chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans associatedwith the CWA, RCRA, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the SDWA

Proposed plan for remedial action for the Groundwater Operable Unit at the Chemical Plant Area of the Weldon Spring Site, Weldon Spring, Missouri

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-08-10

This Proposed Plan addresses the remediation of groundwater contamination at the chemical plant area of the Weldon Spring site in Weldon Spring, Missouri. The site is located approximately 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis in St. Charles County . Remedial activities at the site will be conducted in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of the Army (DA), conducted a joint remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) to allow for a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater conditions at the Weldon Spring chemical plant areamore » and the Weldon Spring ordnance works area, which is an Army site adjacent to the chemical plant area. Consistent with DOE policy, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) values have been incorporated into the CERCLA process. That is, the analysis conducted and presented in the RVFS reports included an evaluation of environmental impacts that is comparable to that performed under NEPA. This Proposed Plan summarizes information about chemical plant area groundwater that is presented in the following documents: (1) The Remedial Investigation (RI), which presents information on the nature and extent of contamination; (2) The Baseline Risk Assessment (BRA), which evaluates impacts to human health and the environment that could occur if no cleanup action of the groundwater were taken (DOE and DA 1997a); and (3) The Feasibility Study (FS) and the Supplemental FS, which develop and evaluate remedial action alternatives for groundwater remediation.« less

77 FR 50207 - Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Project: I-5: Glendale-Hugo Paving/Sexton Climbing Lane...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-20

...-1996a]; Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA) [7 U.S.C. 4201- 4209]. 7. Wetlands and Water Resources... Recovery Act (RCRA), [42 U.S.C. 6901- 6992(k)]. 9. Executive Orders: E.O. 11990 Protection of Wetlands; E.O..., as amended [16 U.S.C. 470(f) et seq.]; Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1977 [16 U.S.C. 470...

Facility Search Help | ECHO | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Search for compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

INCINERATION OF SOLID WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

The concern over solid waste disposal and dump-site clean-up has resulted in the passage of three major U.S. environmental laws. They are the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, Public Law 94-580, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976, Public Law 94-4...

78 FR 65390 - Exemption From Licensing for Disposal of Low-Activity Radioactive Waste at the US Ecology Idaho...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... Disposal of Low-Activity Radioactive Waste at the US Ecology Idaho Resource Conservation and Recovery Act..., Pennsylvania, at the US Ecology Idaho (USEI) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Subtitle C disposal... from the US Ecology, Inc. (US Ecology), dated July 7, 2013 (ADAMS Accession No. ML13198A017), for...

H-Area Seepage Basins groundwater monitoring report. Fourth quarter 1992 and 1992 summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-03-01

During fourth quarter 1992, the groundwater at the H-Area Seepage Basins (HASB) was monitored in compliance with South Carolina Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, R61-79.265, Subpart F. Samples were collected from 130 wells that monitor the three separate hydrostratigraphic units that make up the uppermost aquifer beneath the HASB. A detailed description of the uppermost aquifer is included in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Post-Closure Care Permit Application for the H-Area Hazardous Waste Management Facility submitted to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in December 1990. Historically, as well as currently, tritium, nitrate, total alpha-emittingmore » radium, gross alpha, and mercury have been the primary constituents observed above final Primary Drinking Water Standards (PDWS) in groundwater at the HASB. Isoconcentration/isoactivity maps included in this report indicate both the concentration/activity and extent of the primary contaminants in each of the three hydrostratigraphic units during first and fourth quarter 1992. Water-level maps indicate that the groundwater flow rates and directions at the HASB have remained relatively constant since the basins ceased to be active in 1988.« less

75 FR 53717 - Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-01

... U.S.C. 6901-6992k, at Air Products' chemical manufacturing facility in Pasadena, Texas. The... neighboring Agrifos Fertilizer, Inc. (``Agrifos'') facility for disposal violated several provisions of RCRA...

Response of groundwater level and surface-water/groundwater interaction to climate variability: Clarence-Moreton Basin, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Tao; Raiber, Matthias; Pagendam, Dan; Gilfedder, Mat; Rassam, David

2018-03-01

Understanding the response of groundwater levels in alluvial and sedimentary basin aquifers to climatic variability and human water-resource developments is a key step in many hydrogeological investigations. This study presents an analysis of groundwater response to climate variability from 2000 to 2012 in the Queensland part of the sedimentary Clarence-Moreton Basin, Australia. It contributes to the baseline hydrogeological understanding by identifying the primary groundwater flow pattern, water-level response to climate extremes, and the resulting dynamics of surface-water/groundwater interaction. Groundwater-level measurements from thousands of bores over several decades were analysed using Kriging and nonparametric trend analysis, together with a newly developed three-dimensional geological model. Groundwater-level contours suggest that groundwater flow in the shallow aquifers shows local variations in the close vicinity of streams, notwithstanding general conformance with topographic relief. The trend analysis reveals that climate variability can be quickly reflected in the shallow aquifers of the Clarence-Moreton Basin although the alluvial aquifers have a quicker rainfall response than the sedimentary bedrock formations. The Lockyer Valley alluvium represents the most sensitively responding alluvium in the area, with the highest declining (-0.7 m/year) and ascending (2.1 m/year) Sen's slope rates during and after the drought period, respectively. Different surface-water/groundwater interaction characteristics were observed in different catchments by studying groundwater-level fluctuations along hydrogeologic cross-sections. The findings of this study lay a foundation for future water-resource management in the study area.

Simulation of the Groundwater-Flow System in Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix Counties, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juckem, Paul F.

2009-01-01

water withdrawals. Tributary rivers act as 'partially penetrating' hydraulic boundaries such that groundwater can flow underneath them through the deep sandstone aquifers. The model also demonstrates the effects of development on groundwater in the study area. Water-level declines since predevelopment (no withdrawal wells) are most pronounced where pumping is greatest and flow between layered aquifers is impeded by confining units or faults. The maximum simulated water-level decline is about 40 feet in the deep Mount Simon aquifer below the city of Hudson, Wisconsin. Three inset models were extracted from the regional model to demonstrate the process and additional capabilities of the U.S. Geological Survey MODFLOW code. Although the inset models were designed to provide information about the groundwater-flow system, results from the inset models are presented for demonstration purposes only and are not sufficiently detailed or calibrated to be used for decisionmaking purposes without refinement. Simulation of groundwater/lake-water interaction around Twin Lakes near Roberts, in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, showed that groundwater represents approximately 5 to 20 percent of the overall lake-water budget. Groundwater-contributing areas to streams in western Pierce County are generally similar in size to the surface-water-contributing areas but do not necessarily correspond to the same land area. Transient streamflow simulations of Osceola Creek in Polk County demonstrate how stream base flow can be influenced not only by seasonal precipitation and recharge variability but also by systematic changes to the system, such as groundwater withdrawal from wells.

Climate Sensitivity to Shallow Groundwater Dynamics Inferred from Historical Groundwater Level Observations and Climate Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyoum, W. M.; Wahls, B.

2017-12-01

The effect of land surface processes (e.g., change in vegetation and snow cover, and change in soil moisture) on climate is well understood. However, the connection between shallow groundwater fluctuation and regional climate variability is still unresolved. This project focuses on sensitivity of climate to shallow groundwater dynamics by analyzing the impact of shallow groundwater on soil moisture and precipitation. The study use co-located measurements of daily soil moisture, depth to groundwater level (DGWL), and climate (precipitation (R) and air temperature) data. Statistical relationship between soil moisture and DGWL at different depth established. Frequency, mean and cumulative climate extremes (R90, R99, R < 1mm) examined and compared with depth to groundwater level information at Bellville station, IL. Result indicate soil moisture has a strong inverse relationship with depth to groundwater level (r -0.75) when DGWL is between 0 to 2 m (critical depth) depth from the ground. Beyond this depth, there is no statistically significant correlation or trend between soil moisture and GWL. Within this critical depth, soil moisture is more or less constant during wet days (R ≥ 1mm) even though DGWL is fluctuating. However, soil moisture decrease exponentially as DGWL declining during dry days (R < 1mm). Thus, soil moisture is highly likely dependent on groundwater feedback in the critical depth. Comparison of DGWL with frequency and cumulative of subsequent summer and fall extreme precipitation (DGWL leading by 4-7 months) indicate higher frequency and magnitude of extreme wet precipitation (Rm > 150 mm) occur when DGWL is within the critical depth. As DGWL decreases below 2 m, frequency and magnitude of extreme precipitation diminishes. On the other hand, DGWL has no significant relationship with subsequent extreme dry condition, there is no statistically significant trend between frequency of R < 1mm and DGWL. Generally, depth to groundwater level influence

Quantifying shallow and deep groundwater inputs to rivers with groundwater dating in hydrological observatories.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aquilina, Luc; Marçais, Jean; Gauvain, Alexandre; Kolbe, Tamara; de Dreuzy, Jean-Raynald; Labasque, Thierry; Abbott, Benjamin W.; Vergnaud, Virginie; Chatton, Eliot; Thomas, Zahra; Ruiz, Laurent; Bour, Olivier; Pinay, Gilles

2017-04-01

River water derives in part from groundwater—water that has spent some time in the subsurface (e.g. soil, unsaturated zone, saturated zone). However, because groundwater residence times vary from months to millennia, determining the proportion of shallow and deep groundwater contribution can be challenging. Groundwater dating with anthropogenic gases and natural geochemical tracers can decipher the origin of groundwater contribution to rivers, particularly when repeat samplings are carried out in different hydrological conditions. Here, we present two different applications of this approach from three hydrological observatories (H+ hydrogeological network; Aghrys and Armorique observatories) in western France, all these observatories belonging to the OZCAR national network. We carried out a regional investigation of mean groundwater ages in hard rock aquifers in Brittany, using long-term chronicles from hydrological observatories and regional monitoring sites. We determined the mean residence-time (RT) and annual renewal rate (RR) of four compartments of these aquifers: the direct contribution of a very young water component (i.e. RT less than 1-2 yr), the upper variably saturated zone (RR 27-33%), the weathered layer (RR 1.8-2.1%) and the fractured zone (RR 0.1%). From these values and a nitrate chronicle, we were able to determine the respective contributions of each compartment to the largest river in Brittany, the Vilaine, which drains 30% of the region. We found that the deep fractured compartment with very slow renewal times contributed to 25-45% of river water in winter and 30-60% in summer. The very young water which includes direct precipitation and soil fluxes constituted 40-65% of the winter river water (Aquilina et al., 2012). To complement these estimates, we investigated the relationship between dissolved silica and groundwater age in the Armorique hydrological observatory in northern Brittany. We computed the silica concentration expected along the

Coastal groundwater discharge for the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts calculated with three-dimensional groundwater flow models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Befus, K. M.; Kroeger, K. D.; Smith, C. G.; Swarzenski, P. W.

2017-12-01

Fresh groundwater discharge to coastal environments contribute to the physical and chemical conditions of coastal waters. At regional scales, groundwater fluxes remain poorly constrained, representing uncertainty in both water and chemical budgets that have implications for downstream ecosystem health and for how human activities alter coastal hydrologic processes. Coastal groundwater discharges remain widely unconstrained due to the interconnectedness of highly heterogeneous hydrogeologic frameworks and hydrologic conditions. We use regional-scale, three-dimensional groundwater flow models with the best available hydrostratigraphic framework data to calculate the magnitude of groundwater discharging from coastal aquifers to coastal waterbodies along the eastern U.S. In addition, we constrain the inland areas that contribute to coastal groundwater discharges using particle tracking. We find that 27 km3/yr of groundwater enters coastal waters of the eastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico and was over 175,000 km2. The contributing areas to coastal groundwater discharge extended kilometers inland and often were supplied by recharge occurring tens of kilometers inland. These results suggest that coastal groundwater discharges rely on larger contributing areas and potentially transport more dissolved constituents than previously calculated, which are important factors for constraining the role of groundwater in coastal chemical budgets and its impacts on coastal ecosystems.

Groundwater pumping by heterogeneous users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saak, Alexander E.; Peterson, Jeffrey M.

2012-08-01

Farm size is a significant determinant of both groundwater-irrigated farm acreage and groundwater-irrigation-application rates per unit land area. This paper analyzes the patterns of groundwater exploitation when resource users in the area overlying a common aquifer are heterogeneous. In the presence of user heterogeneity, the common resource problem consists of inefficient dynamic and spatial allocation of groundwater because it impacts income distribution not only across periods but also across farmers. Under competitive allocation, smaller farmers pump groundwater faster if farmers have a constant marginal periodic utility of income. However, it is possible that larger farmers pump faster if the Arrow-Pratt coefficient of relative risk-aversion is sufficiently decreasing in income. A greater farm-size inequality may either moderate or amplify income inequality among farmers. Its effect on welfare depends on the curvature properties of the agricultural output function and the farmer utility of income. Also, it is shown that a flat-rate quota policy that limits the quantity of groundwater extraction per unit land area may have unintended consequences for the income distribution among farmers.

Hazardous Waste Management System - Removal of Strontium Sulfide From the List of Hazardous Waste - Federal Register Notice, February 25, 1991

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Environmental Protection Agency is correcting an amendment to regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to remove strontium sulfide (CAS No. 1314-96-1) from 40 CFR 261.33.

Liners and Leak Detection Systems for Hazardous Waste Land Disposal Units - Federal Register Notice, January 29, 1992

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA is amending its current regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) concerning liner and leachate collection and removal systems for hazardous waste surface impoundments, landfills, and waste piles.

Compliance Assistance Tools for Demolition

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about how to comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), find contacts for asbestos National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), and get construction industry specific compliance assistance

Water Resources and Groundwater in a Glaciated Andean Watershed (Cordillera Blanca, Peru)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, J. M.; Gordon, R.; Baraer, M.; Lautz, L.; Mark, B. G.; Wigmore, O.; Chavez, D.; Aubry-Wake, C.

2014-12-01

It is estimated that almost 400 million people live in watersheds where glaciers provide at least 10% of the runoff, yet many questions remain regarding the impact of climate change and glacier recession on water resources derived from these high mountain watersheds. We present research from the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, an area with the highest density of glaciers in the tropics. While glacier meltwater buffers stream discharge throughout the range, groundwater is a major component of dry season runoff, contributing up to 50-70% of outflow in some tributaries. In order to predict future changes to water resources it is critical to understand how groundwater can offset future hydrologic stress by maintaining stream baseflow, including recharge mechanisms, subsurface pathways, storage, and net fluxes to rivers. We present a synthesis of results based on hydrologic modeling, drilling/piezometers, geophysics, and artificial and natural hydrologic tracers. Our findings show that 'pampas', low-relief mountain valleys, are critical for baseflow generation by storing groundwater on interannual timescales. Pampas have a total area of ~65 km2 and are comprised of unconsolidated glacial, talus, lacustrine and wetland (bofedales) deposits. The valleys commonly have buried talus aquifers that are overlain by low permeability, glaciolacustrine deposits. Glaciofluvial outwash deposits and small wetlands also act as unconfined aquifers. These groundwater systems appear to be primarily recharged by wet season precipitation, and at higher elevations also by glacial meltwater. Additionally a ubiquitous feature in the valleys are springs, often located at the base of talus deposits, which generate a large hydrologic flux within the hydrologic systems. While glaciers are the most visible and vulnerable component of the Andean waterscape, we argue that it is crucial to understand the complete mountain hydrologic cycle, including groundwater, in order to understand the ongoing

Death Valley regional groundwater flow system, Nevada and California-Hydrogeologic framework and transient groundwater flow model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belcher, Wayne R.; Sweetkind, Donald S.

2010-01-01

A numerical three-dimensional (3D) transient groundwater flow model of the Death Valley region was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey for the U.S. Department of Energy programs at the Nevada Test Site and at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Decades of study of aspects of the groundwater flow system and previous less extensive groundwater flow models were incorporated and reevaluated together with new data to provide greater detail for the complex, digital model. A 3D digital hydrogeologic framework model (HFM) was developed from digital elevation models, geologic maps, borehole information, geologic and hydrogeologic cross sections, and other 3D models to represent the geometry of the hydrogeologic units (HGUs). Structural features, such as faults and fractures, that affect groundwater flow also were added. The HFM represents Precambrian and Paleozoic crystalline and sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic to Cenozoic intrusive rocks, Cenozoic volcanic tuffs and lavas, and late Cenozoic sedimentary deposits of the Death Valley regional groundwater flow system (DVRFS) region in 27 HGUs. Information from a series of investigations was compiled to conceptualize and quantify hydrologic components of the groundwater flow system within the DVRFS model domain and to provide hydraulic-property and head-observation data used in the calibration of the transient-flow model. These studies reevaluated natural groundwater discharge occurring through evapotranspiration (ET) and spring flow; the history of groundwater pumping from 1913 through 1998; groundwater recharge simulated as net infiltration; model boundary inflows and outflows based on regional hydraulic gradients and water budgets of surrounding areas; hydraulic conductivity and its relation to depth; and water levels appropriate for regional simulation of prepumped and pumped conditions within the DVRFS model domain. Simulation results appropriate for the regional extent and scale of the model were provided

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act closure report: Area 2 Bitcutter and Postshot Containment Shops Injection Wells, Correction Action Unit 90

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This Closure Report provides documentation of the activities conducted during the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) closure of the Bitcutter and Postshot Containment Shops Injection Wells located in Area 2 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS), Oak Spring Quadrangle (USGS, 1986), Township 10 South, Range 53 East, Nye County, Nevada. This report discusses the Bitcutter Shop Inside Injection Well (CAU 90-A) closure-in-place and the Bitcutter Shop Outside Injection Well (CAU 90-B) and Postshot Containment Shop Injection Well (CAU 90-C) clean closures. This Closure Report provides background information about the unit, the results of the characterization activities and actions conductedmore » to determine the closure design. It also provides a discussion of the drainage analysis, preliminary closure activities, final closure activities, waste management activities, and the Post-Closure Care requirements.« less

Hydraulic fracturing near domestic groundwater wells.

PubMed

Jasechko, Scott; Perrone, Debra

2017-12-12

Hydraulic fracturing operations are generating considerable discussion about their potential to contaminate aquifers tapped by domestic groundwater wells. Groundwater wells located closer to hydraulically fractured wells are more likely to be exposed to contaminants derived from on-site spills and well-bore failures, should they occur. Nevertheless, the proximity of hydraulic fracturing operations to domestic groundwater wells is unknown. Here, we analyze the distance between domestic groundwater wells (public and self-supply) constructed between 2000 and 2014 and hydraulically fractured wells stimulated in 2014 in 14 states. We show that 37% of all recorded hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014 exist within 2 km of at least one recently constructed (2000-2014) domestic groundwater well. Furthermore, we identify 11 counties where most ([Formula: see text]50%) recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014. Our findings suggest that understanding how frequently hydraulic fracturing operations impact groundwater quality is of widespread importance to drinking water safety in many areas where hydraulic fracturing is common. We also identify 236 counties where most recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more recorded oil and gas wells producing during 2014. Our analysis identifies hotspots where both conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells frequently exist near recorded domestic groundwater wells that may be targeted for further water-quality monitoring.

Compendium of ordinances for groundwater protection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1990-08-01

Groundwater is an extremely important resource in the Tennessee Valley. Nearly two-thirds of the Tennessee Valley's residents rely, at least in part, on groundwater supplies for drinking water. In rural areas, approximately ninety-five percent of residents rely on groundwater for domestic supplies. Population growth and economic development increase the volume and kinds of wastes requiring disposal which can lead to groundwater contamination. In addition to disposal which can lead to groundwater contamination. In addition to disposal problems associated with increases in conventional wastewater and solid waste, technological advancements in recent decades have resulted in new chemicals and increased usage inmore » agriculture, industry, and the home. Unfortunately, there has not been comparable progress in identifying the potential long-term effects of these chemicals, in managing them to prevent contamination of groundwater, or in developing treatment technologies for removing them from water once contamination has occurred. The challenge facing residence of the Tennessee Valley is to manage growth and economic and technological development in ways that will avoid polluting the groundwater resource. Once groundwater has been contaminated, cleanup is almost always very costly and is sometimes impractical or technically infeasible. Therefore, prevention of contamination -- not remedial treatment--is the key to continued availability of usable groundwater. This document discusses regulations to aid in this prevention.« less

Hydraulic fracturing near domestic groundwater wells

PubMed Central

Jasechko, Scott; Perrone, Debra

2017-01-01

Hydraulic fracturing operations are generating considerable discussion about their potential to contaminate aquifers tapped by domestic groundwater wells. Groundwater wells located closer to hydraulically fractured wells are more likely to be exposed to contaminants derived from on-site spills and well-bore failures, should they occur. Nevertheless, the proximity of hydraulic fracturing operations to domestic groundwater wells is unknown. Here, we analyze the distance between domestic groundwater wells (public and self-supply) constructed between 2000 and 2014 and hydraulically fractured wells stimulated in 2014 in 14 states. We show that 37% of all recorded hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014 exist within 2 km of at least one recently constructed (2000–2014) domestic groundwater well. Furthermore, we identify 11 counties where most (>50%) recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014. Our findings suggest that understanding how frequently hydraulic fracturing operations impact groundwater quality is of widespread importance to drinking water safety in many areas where hydraulic fracturing is common. We also identify 236 counties where most recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more recorded oil and gas wells producing during 2014. Our analysis identifies hotspots where both conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells frequently exist near recorded domestic groundwater wells that may be targeted for further water-quality monitoring. PMID:29180405

Flow and geochemistry of groundwater beneath a back-barrier lagoon: The subterranean estuary at Chincoteague Bay, Maryland, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bratton, J.F.; Böhlke, J.K.; Krantz, D.E.; Tobias, C.R.

2009-01-01

To better understand large-scale interactions between fresh and saline groundwater beneath an Atlantic coastal estuary, an offshore drilling and sampling study was performed in a large barrier-bounded lagoon, Chincoteague Bay, Maryland, USA. Groundwater that was significantly fresher than overlying bay water was found in shallow plumes up to 8??m thick extending more than 1700??m offshore. Groundwater saltier than bay surface water was found locally beneath the lagoon and the barrier island, indicating recharge by saline water concentrated by evaporation prior to infiltration. Steep salinity and nutrient gradients occur within a few meters of the sediment surface in most locations studied, with buried peats and estuarine muds acting as confining units. Groundwater ages were generally more than 50??years in both fresh and brackish waters as deep as 23??m below the bay bottom. Water chemistry and isotopic data indicate that freshened plumes beneath the estuary are mixtures of water originally recharged on land and varying amounts of estuarine surface water that circulated through the bay floor, possibly at some distance from the sampling location. Ammonium is the dominant fixed nitrogen species in saline groundwater beneath the estuary at the locations sampled. Isotopic and dissolved-gas data from one location indicate that denitrification within the subsurface flow system removed terrestrial nitrate from fresh groundwater prior to discharge along the western side of the estuary. Similar situations, with one or more shallow semi-confined flow systems where groundwater geochemistry is strongly influenced by circulation of surface estuary water through organic-rich sediments, may be common on the Atlantic margin and elsewhere.

100-D Ponds closure plan. Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petersen, S.W.

1997-09-01

The 100-D Ponds is a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) unit on the Hanford Facility that received both dangerous and nonregulated waste. This Closure Plan (Rev. 1) for the 100-D Ponds TSD unit consists of a RCRA Part A Dangerous Waste Permit Application (Rev. 3), a RCRA Closure Plan, and supporting information contained in the appendices to the plan. The closure plan consists of eight chapters containing facility description, process information, waste characteristics, and groundwater monitoring data. There are also chapters containing the closure strategy and performance standards. The strategy for the closure of the 100-D Ponds TSD unit ismore » clean closure. Appendices A and B of the closure plan demonstrate that soil and groundwater beneath 100-D Ponds are below cleanup limits. All dangerous wastes or dangerous waste constituents or residues associated with the operation of the ponds have been removed, therefore, human health and the environment are protected. Discharges to the 100-D Ponds, which are located in the 100-DR-1 operable unit, were discontinued in June 1994. Contaminated sediment was removed from the ponds in August 1996. Subsequent sampling and analysis demonstrated that there is no contamination remaining in the ponds, therefore, this closure plan is a demonstration of clean closure.« less

Ground-water as a nuisance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Straskraba, V.

1984-03-01

In certain circumstances, ground-water causes geotechnical problems and can be considered a nuisance rather than a blessing. The cases where ground-water creates considerable complications include construction, tunnelling, mining, landslides, and land subsidence. The development of hydrogeology as a science has proved over the years to substantially reduce the severe problems and disasterous problems caused by ground-water.

Pesticides in Wyoming Groundwater, 2008-10

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eddy-Miller, Cheryl A.; Bartos, Timothy T.; Taylor, Michelle L.

2013-01-01

Groundwater samples were collected from 296 wells during 1995-2006 as part of a baseline study of pesticides in Wyoming groundwater. In 2009, a previous report summarized the results of the baseline sampling and the statistical evaluation of the occurrence of pesticides in relation to selected natural and anthropogenic (human-related) characteristics. During 2008-10, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, resampled a subset (52) of the 296 wells sampled during 1995-2006 baseline study in order to compare detected compounds and respective concentrations between the two sampling periods and to evaluate the detections of new compounds. The 52 wells were distributed similarly to sites used in the 1995-2006 baseline study with respect to geographic area and land use within the geographic area of interest. Because of the use of different types of reporting levels and variability in reporting-level values during both the 1995-2006 baseline study and the 2008-10 resampling study, analytical results received from the laboratory were recensored. Two levels of recensoring were used to compare pesticides—a compound-specific assessment level (CSAL) that differed by compound and a common assessment level (CAL) of 0.07 microgram per liter. The recensoring techniques and values used for both studies, with the exception of the pesticide 2,4-D methyl ester, were the same. Twenty-eight different pesticides were detected in samples from the 52 wells during the 2008-10 resampling study. Pesticide concentrations were compared with several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or health advisories for finished (treated) water established under the Safe Drinking Water Act. All detected pesticides were measured at concentrations smaller than U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards or health advisories where applicable (many pesticides did not have standards or advisories). One or more pesticides

Modeling Effects of Groundwater Basin Closure, and Reversal of Closure, on Groundwater Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauloo, R.; Guo, Z.; Fogg, G. E.

2017-12-01

Population growth, the expansion of agriculture, and climate uncertainties have accelerated groundwater pumping and overdraft in aquifers worldwide. In many agricultural basins, a water budget may be stable or not in overdraft, yet disconnected ground and surface water bodies can contribute to the formation of a "closed" basin, where water principally exits the basin as evapotranspiration. Although decreasing water quality associated with increases in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) have been documented in aquifers across the United States in the past half century, connections between water quality declines and significant changes in hydrologic budgets leading to closed basin formation remain poorly understood. Preliminary results from an analysis with a regional-scale mixing model of the Tulare Lake Basin in California indicate that groundwater salinization resulting from open to closed basin conversion can operate on a decades-to-century long time scale. The only way to reverse groundwater salinization caused by basin closure is to refill the basin and change the hydrologic budget sufficiently for natural groundwater discharge to resume. 3D flow and transport modeling, including the effects of heterogeneity based on a hydrostratigraphic facies model, is used to explore rates and time scales of groundwater salinization and its reversal under different water and land management scenarios. The modeling is also used to ascertain the extent to which local and regional heterogeneity need to be included in order to appropriately upscale the advection-dispersion equation in a basin scale groundwater quality management model. Results imply that persistent managed aquifer recharge may slow groundwater salinization, and complete reversal may be possible at sufficiently high water tables.

Groundwater-Quality Data in the South Coast Interior Basins Study Unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mathany, Timothy M.; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Ray, Mary C.; Belitz, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Groundwater quality in the approximately 653-square-mile South Coast Interior Basins (SCI) study unit was investigated from August to December 2008, as part of the Priority Basins Project of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basins Project was developed in response to Legislative mandates (Supplemental Report of the 1999 Budget Act 1999-00 Fiscal Year; and, the Groundwater-Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 [Sections 10780-10782.3 of the California Water Code, Assembly Bill 599]) to assess and monitor the quality of groundwater used as public supply for municipalities in California, and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). SCI was the 27th study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA Priority Basins Project. This study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of untreated groundwater used for public water supplies within SCI, and to facilitate statistically consistent comparisons of groundwater quality throughout California. Samples were collected from 54 wells within the three study areas [Livermore, Gilroy, and Cuyama] of SCI in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. Thirty-five of the wells were selected using a spatially distributed, randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study unit (grid wells), and 19 were selected to aid in evaluation of specific water-quality issues (understanding wells). The groundwater samples were analyzed for organic constituents [volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides and pesticide degradates, polar pesticides and metabolites, and pharmaceutical compounds], constituents of special interest [perchlorate and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)], naturally occurring inorganic constituents [trace elements, nutrients, major and minor ions, silica, total dissolved solids (TDS), and alkalinity

Calibrating Treasure Valley Groundwater Model using MODFLOW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernandez, J.; Tan, K.

2016-12-01

In Idaho, groundwater plays an especially important role in the state. According to the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, groundwater supplies 95% of the state's drinking water (2011). The USGS estimates that Idaho withdraws 117 million cubic meters (95,000 acre-feet) per year from groundwater sources for domestic usage which includes drinking water. The same report from the USGS also estimates that Idaho withdraws 5,140 million cubic meters (4,170,000 acre-feet) per year from groundwater sources for irrigation usage. Quantifying and managing that resource and estimating groundwater levels in the future is important for a variety of socio-economic reasons. As the population within the Treasure Valley continues to grow, the demand of clean usable groundwater increases. The objective of this study was to develop and calibrate a groundwater model with the purpose of understanding short- and long-term effects of existing and alternative land use scenarios on groundwater changes. Hydrologic simulations were done using the MODFLOW-2000 model. The model was calibrated for predevelopment period by reproducing and comparing groundwater levels of the years before 1925 using steady state boundary conditions representing no change in the land use. Depending on the reliability of the groundwater source, the economic growth of the area can be constrained or allowed to flourish. Mismanagement of the groundwater source can impact its sustainability, quality and could hamper development by increasing operation and maintenance costs. Proper water management is critical because groundwater is such a limited resource.

Global-scale modeling of groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döll, P.; Fiedler, K.

2008-05-01

Long-term average groundwater recharge, which is equivalent to renewable groundwater resources, is the major limiting factor for the sustainable use of groundwater. Compared to surface water resources, groundwater resources are more protected from pollution, and their use is less restricted by seasonal and inter-annual flow variations. To support water management in a globalized world, it is necessary to estimate groundwater recharge at the global scale. Here, we present a best estimate of global-scale long-term average diffuse groundwater recharge (i.e. renewable groundwater resources) that has been calculated by the most recent version of the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model WGHM (spatial resolution of 0.5° by 0.5°, daily time steps). The estimate was obtained using two state-of-the-art global data sets of gridded observed precipitation that we corrected for measurement errors, which also allowed to quantify the uncertainty due to these equally uncertain data sets. The standard WGHM groundwater recharge algorithm was modified for semi-arid and arid regions, based on independent estimates of diffuse groundwater recharge, which lead to an unbiased estimation of groundwater recharge in these regions. WGHM was tuned against observed long-term average river discharge at 1235 gauging stations by adjusting, individually for each basin, the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and total runoff. We estimate that global groundwater recharge was 12 666 km3/yr for the climate normal 1961-1990, i.e. 32% of total renewable water resources. In semi-arid and arid regions, mountainous regions, permafrost regions and in the Asian Monsoon region, groundwater recharge accounts for a lower fraction of total runoff, which makes these regions particularly vulnerable to seasonal and inter-annual precipitation variability and water pollution. Average per-capita renewable groundwater resources of countries vary between 8 m3/(capita yr) for Egypt to more than 1 million m3

Global-scale modeling of groundwater recharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döll, P.; Fiedler, K.

2007-11-01

Long-term average groundwater recharge, which is equivalent to renewable groundwater resources, is the major limiting factor for the sustainable use of groundwater. Compared to surface water resources, groundwater resources are more protected from pollution, and their use is less restricted by seasonal and inter-annual flow variations. To support water management in a globalized world, it is necessary to estimate groundwater recharge at the global scale. Here, we present a best estimate of global-scale long-term average diffuse groundwater recharge (i.e. renewable groundwater resources) that has been calculated by the most recent version of the WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model WGHM (spatial resolution of 0.5° by 0.5°, daily time steps). The estimate was obtained using two state-of-the art global data sets of gridded observed precipitation that we corrected for measurement errors, which also allowed to quantify the uncertainty due to these equally uncertain data sets. The standard WGHM groundwater recharge algorithm was modified for semi-arid and arid regions, based on independent estimates of diffuse groundwater recharge, which lead to an unbiased estimation of groundwater recharge in these regions. WGHM was tuned against observed long-term average river discharge at 1235 gauging stations by adjusting, individually for each basin, the partitioning of precipitation into evapotranspiration and total runoff. We estimate that global groundwater recharge was 12 666 km3/yr for the climate normal 1961-1990, i.e. 32% of total renewable water resources. In semi-arid and arid regions, mountainous regions, permafrost regions and in the Asian Monsoon region, groundwater recharge accounts for a lower fraction of total runoff, which makes these regions particularly vulnerable to seasonal and inter-annual precipitation variability and water pollution. Average per-capita renewable groundwater resources of countries vary between 8 m3/(capita yr) for Egypt to more than 1 million m3

Applications of Satellite Data to Support Improvements in Irrigation and Groundwater Management in California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melton, Forrest S.

2017-01-01

use of ET data in support of a range of water management applications, including implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in CA. By providing a shared basis for decision making, we anticipate that the OpenET platform will accelerate implementation of solutions for sustainable groundwater management.

Applications of Satellite Data to Support Improvements in Irrigation and Groundwater Management in California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melton, F. S.; Huntington, J. L.; Johnson, L.; Guzman, A.; Morton, C.; Zaragoza, I.; Dexter, J.; Rosevelt, C.; Michaelis, A.; Nemani, R. R.; Cahn, M.; Temesgen, B.; Trezza, R.; Frame, K.; Eching, S.; Grimm, R.; Hall, M.

2017-12-01

use of ET data in support of a range of water management applications, including implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act in CA. By providing a shared basis for decision making, we anticipate that the OpenET platform will accelerate implementation of solutions for sustainable groundwater management.

40 CFR 124.10 - Public notice of permit actions and public comment period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... issued or is required to issue a RCRA, UIC, PSD (or other permit under the Clean Air Act), NPDES, 404... (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS PROCEDURES FOR DECISIONMAKING General Program Requirements § 124.10 Public notice... Act for the same facility or activity (including EPA when the draft permit is prepared by the State...

Temperature-driven groundwater convection in cold climates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engström, Maria; Nordell, Bo

2016-08-01

The aim was to study density-driven groundwater flow and analyse groundwater mixing because of seasonal changes in groundwater temperature. Here, density-driven convection in groundwater was studied by numerical simulations in a subarctic climate, i.e. where the water temperature was <4 °C. The effects of soil permeability and groundwater temperature (i.e. viscosity and density) were determined. The influence of impermeable obstacles in otherwise homogeneous ground was also studied. An initial disturbance in the form of a horizontal groundwater flow was necessary to start the convection. Transient solutions describe the development of convective cells in the groundwater and it took 22 days before fully developed convection patterns were formed. The thermal convection reached a maximum depth of 1.0 m in soil of low permeability (2.71 · 10-9 m2). At groundwater temperature close to its density maximum (4 °C), the physical size (in m) of the convection cells was reduced. Small stones or frost lenses in the ground slightly affect the convective flow, while larger obstacles change the size and shape of the convection cells. Performed simulations show that "seasonal groundwater turnover" occurs. This knowledge may be useful in the prevention of nutrient leakage to underlying groundwater from soils, especially in agricultural areas where no natural vertical groundwater flow is evident. An application in northern Sweden is discussed.

76 FR 19127 - Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-06

..., including Exide Illinois, Inc., Exide Delaware, LLC, RBD Liquidation, LLC, Dixie Metals Company, and Refined... Conservation and Recovery Act (``RCRA''), 42 U.S.C. 6973, for the following 21 sites: (1) Hamburg Lead...

Documents Related to the Decision Not to List Fourteen Solvents as Hazardous Waste

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Links to federal register notices and fact sheets about the decision to not list wastes generated from the use of 14 solvents as hazardous wastes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste - CERCLA Hazardous Substance Designation - Reportable Quantity Adjustment - Coke By-Products Wastes - Federal Register Notice, August 18, 1992

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is amending its regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by listing as hazardous seven wastes generated during the production, recovery, and refining of coke by-products produced from coal.

The transformation of organic carbon during river-groundwater exchange: An example from the Murray-Darling Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshavarzi, M.; Baker, A.; Andersen, M. S.; Kelly, B. F. J.

2016-12-01

Groundwater systems connected to rivers can act as carbon sinks and sources, but little is known about the distribution, transformation, and retention of organic carbon in rivers connected to aquifers as few studies are available. The characterisation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) using optical absorbance in connected water systems has potential to provide novel insights about the organic component of carbon fluxes. Here, the optical absorbance of the river and groundwater samples is investigated in a river reach that is hydraulically connected to an adjoining alluvial and karst aquifer system, within a semi-arid agricultural catchment in New South Wales, Australia. Water samples were collected from the river and groundwater within monitoring boreholes and intercepted by caves. These water samples were analysed for absorbance, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and inorganic chemical constituents. Groundwater samples collected close to the river have DOM characteristics similar to the river water, indicating losing conditions. While, groundwater samples collected further away from the river have lower DOC and absorbance, higher SUVA, and a lower and more variable spectral slope, compared to the river. We infer that this change in DOM character reveals the presence of sedimentary OM, which provides a source of relatively high molecular weight DOM that is subsequently transformed. In a dry period, when there was low flow in the river, three downstream river-water samples exhibited low absorbance and spectral slope similar to the groundwater, while the contemporaneous upstream river-water samples had higher absorbance and spectral slope. This suggests gaining conditions and a contribution of groundwater organic carbon into the river. It is concluded that optical analyses can be used to study organic carbon fluxes to differentiate and quantify the source of organic matter, and identify losing and gaining streams.

Applications of Groundwater Helium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kulongoski, Justin T.; Hilton, David R.

2011-01-01

Helium abundance and isotope variations have widespread application in groundwater-related studies. This stems from the inert nature of this noble gas and the fact that its two isotopes ? helium-3 and helium-4 ? have distinct origins and vary widely in different terrestrial reservoirs. These attributes allow He concentrations and 3He/4He isotope ratios to be used to recognize and quantify the influence of a number of potential contributors to the total He budget of a groundwater sample. These are atmospheric components, such as air-equilibrated and air-entrained He, as well as terrigenic components, including in situ (aquifer) He, deep crustal and/or mantle He and tritiogenic 3He. Each of these components can be exploited to reveal information on a number of topics, from groundwater chronology, through degassing of the Earth?s crust to the role of faults in the transfer of mantle-derived volatiles to the surface. In this review, we present a guide to how groundwater He is collected from aquifer systems and quantitatively measured in the laboratory. We then illustrate the approach of resolving the measured He characteristics into its component structures using assumptions of endmember compositions. This is followed by a discussion of the application of groundwater He to the types of topics mentioned above using case studies from aquifers in California and Australia. Finally, we present possible future research directions involving dissolved He in groundwater.

Hydrogeology and groundwater quality of Highlands County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spechler, Rick M.

2010-01-01

Groundwater is the main source of water supply in Highlands County, Florida. As the demand for water in the county increases, additional information about local groundwater resources is needed to manage and develop the water supply effectively. To address the need for additional data, a study was conducted to evaluate the hydrogeology and groundwater quality of Highlands County. Total groundwater use in Highlands County has increased steadily since 1965. Total groundwater withdrawals increased from about 37 million gallons per day in 1965 to about 107 million gallons per day in 2005. Much of this increase in water use is related to agricultural activities, especially citrus cultivation, which increased more than 300 percent from 1965 to 2005. Highlands County is underlain by three principal hydrogeologic units. The uppermost water-bearing unit is the surficial aquifer, which is underlain by the intermediate aquifer system/intermediate confining unit. The lowermost hydrogeologic unit is the Floridan aquifer system, which consists of the Upper Floridan aquifer, as many as three middle confining units, and the Lower Floridan aquifer. The surficial aquifer consists primarily of fine-to-medium grained quartz sand with varying amounts of clay and silt. The aquifer system is unconfined and underlies the entire county. The thickness of the surficial aquifer is highly variable, ranging from less than 50 to more than 300 feet. Groundwater in the surficial aquifer is recharged primarily by precipitation, but also by septic tanks, irrigation from wells, seepage from lakes and streams, and the lateral groundwater inflow from adjacent areas. The intermediate aquifer system/intermediate confining unit acts as a confining layer (except where breached by sinkholes) that restricts the vertical movement of water between the surficial aquifer and the underlying Upper Floridan aquifer. The sediments have varying degrees of permeability and consist of permeable limestone, dolostone, or

From submarine to lacustrine groundwater discharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewandowski, Jörg; Meinikmann, Karin; Pöschke, Franziska; Nützmann, Gunnar; Rosenberry, Donald O.

2017-01-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and its role in marine nutrient cycling are well known since the last decade. The freshwater equivalent, lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD), is often still disregarded, although first reports of LGD are more than 50 years old. We identify nine different reasons why groundwater has long been disregarded in both freshwater and marine environments such as invisibility of groundwater discharge, the size of the interface and its difficult accessibility. Although there are some fundamental differences in the hydrology of SGD and LGD, caused primarily by seawater recirculation that occurs only in cases of SGD, there are also a lot of similarities such as a focusing of discharge to near-shore areas. Nutrient concentrations in groundwater near the groundwater–surface water interface might be anthropogenically enriched. Due to spatial heterogeneity of aquifer characteristics and biogeochemical processes, the quantification of groundwater-borne nutrient loads is challenging. Both nitrogen and phosphorus might be mobile in near-shore aquifers and in a lot of case studies large groundwater-borne nutrient loads have been reported.

Air modelling as an alternative to sampling for low-level radioactive airborne releases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morgenstern, M.Y.; Hueske, K.

1995-05-01

This paper describes our efforts to assess the effect of airborne releases at one DOE laboratory using air modelling based on historical data. Among the facilities affected by these developments is Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. RCRA, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) in 1984, requires all facilities which involve the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste obtain a RCRA/HSWA waste facility permit. LANL complied with CEARP by initiating a process of identifying potential release sites associated with LANL operations prior to filing a RCRA/HSWA permit application. In the process of preparingmore » the RCRA/HSWA waste facility permit application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a total of 603 Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) were identified as part of the requirements of the HSWA Module VIH permit requirements. The HSWA Module VIII permit requires LANL to determine whether there have been any releases of hazardous waste or hazardous constituents from SWMUs at the facility dating from the 1940`s by performing a RCRA Facility Investigation to address known or suspected releases from specified SWMUs to affected media (i.e. soil, groundwater, surface water, and air). Among the most troublesome of the potential releases sites are those associated with airborne radioactive releases. In order to assess health risks associated with radioactive contaminants in a manner consistent with exposure standards currently in place, the DOE and LANL have established Screening Action Levels (SALs) for radioactive soil contamination. The SALs for each radionuclide in soil are derived from calculations based on a residential scenario in which individuals are exposed to contaminated soil via inhalation and ingestion as well as external exposure to gamma emitters in the soil. The applicable SALs are shown.« less

Calendar Year 2016 Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Copland, John R.; Jackson, Timmie Okchumpulla; Li, Jun

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM) is a government-owned/contractoroperated laboratory. National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc., manages and operates SNL/NM for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the site. Two types of groundwater surveillance monitoring are conducted at SNL/NM: (1) on a site-wide basis as part of the SNL/NM Long-Term Stewardship (LTS) Program’s Groundwater Monitoring Program (GMP) Groundwater Surveillance Task and (2) on a site-specific groundwater monitoring at LTS/Environmental Restoration (ER) Operationsmore » sites with ongoing groundwater investigations. This Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report summarizes data collected during groundwater monitoring events conducted at GMP locations and at the following SNL/NM sites through December 31, 2016: Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern (AOC); Chemical Waste Landfill; Mixed Waste Landfill; Technical Area-V Groundwater AOC; and the Tijeras Arroyo Groundwater AOC. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and DOE Order 436.1, Departmental Sustainability, and DOE Order 231.1B, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting.« less

Groundwater Remedies Selected at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Groundwater remediation continues to be a priority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and remedies that have been specified in RODs for groundwater remediation include treatment (including groundwater pump and treat [P&T] and in situ treat

Inland area contingency plan and maps for Pennsylvania (on CD-ROM). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-01

EPA Region III has assembled on this CD a multitude of environmental data, in both visual and textual formats. While targeted for Facility Response Planning under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, this information will prove helpful to anyone in the environmental arena. Specifically, the CD will aid contingency planning and emergency response personnel. Combining innovative GIS technology with EPA`s state-specific data allows you to display maps, find and identify map features, look at tabular information about map features, and print out maps. The CD was designed to be easy to use and incorporates example maps as well as helpmore » sections describing the use of the environmental data on the CD, and introduces you to the IACP Viewer and its capabilities. These help features will make it easy for you to conduct analysis, produce maps, and browse the IACP Plan. The IACP data are included in two formats: shapefiles, which can be viewed with the IACP Viewer or ESRI`s ArcView software (Version 2.1 or higher), and ARC/INFO export files, which can be imported into ARC/INFO or converted to other GIS data formats. Point Data Sources: Sensitive Areas, Surface Drinking Water Intakes, Groundwater Intakes, Groundwater Supply Facilities, NPL (National Priority List) Sites, FRP (Facility Response Plan) Facilities, NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Facilities, Hospitals, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) Sites, TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) Sites, CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) Sites Line Data Sources: TIGER Roads, TIGER Railroads, TIGER Hydrography, Pipelines Polygon Data Sources: State Boundaries, County Boundaries, Watershed Boundaries (8-digit HUC), TIGER Hydrography, Public Lands, Populated Places, IACP Boundaries, Coast Guard Boundaries, Forest Types, US Congressional Districts, One-half Mile Buffer of Surface Drinking Water Intakes.« less

Inland area contingency plan and maps for Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, District of Columbia (on CD-ROM). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-01

EPA Region III has assembled on this CD a multitude of environmental data, in both visual and textual formats. While targeted for Facility Response Planning under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, this information will prove helpful to anyone in the environmental arena. Specifically, the CD will aid contingency planning and emergency response personnel. Combining innovative GIS technology with EPA`s state-specific data allows you to display maps, find and identify map features, look at tabular information about map features, and print out maps. The CD was designed to be easy to use and incorporates example maps as well as helpmore » sections describing the use of the environmental data on the CD, and introduces you to the IACP Viewer and its capabilities. These help features will make it easy for you to conduct analysis, produce maps, and browse the IACP Plan. The IACP data are included in two formats: shapefiles, which can be viewed with the IACP Viewer or ESRI`s ArcView software (Version 2.1 or higher), and ARC/INFO export files, which can be imported into ARC/INFO or converted to other GIS data formats. Point Data Sources: Sensitive Areas, Surface Drinking Water Intakes, Groundwater Intakes, Groundwater Supply Facilities, NPL (National Priority List) Sites, FRP (Facility Response Plan) Facilities, NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Facilities, Hospitals, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) Sites, TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) Sites, CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) Sites Line Data Sources: TIGER Roads, TIGER Railroads, TIGER Hydrography, Pipelines Polygon Data Sources: State Boundaries, County Boundaries, Watershed Boundaries (8-digit HUC), TIGER Hydrography, Public Lands, Populated Places, IACP Boundaries, Coast Guard Boundaries, Forest Types, US Congressional Districts, One-half Mile Buffer of Surface Drinking Water Intakes.« less

Inland area contingency plan and maps for Virginia (on CD-ROM). Data file

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-12-01

EPA Region III has assembled on this CD a multitude of environmental data, in both visual and textual formats. While targeted for Facility Response Planning under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, this information will prove helpful to anyone in the environmental arena. Specifically, the CD will aid contingency planning and emergency response personnel. Combining innovative GIS technology with EPA`s state-specific data allows you to display maps, find and identify map features, look at tabular information about map features, and print out maps. The CD was designed to be easy to use and incorporates example maps as well as helpmore » sections describing the use of the environmental data on the CD, and introduces you to the IACP Viewer and its capabilities. These help features will make it easy for you to conduct analysis, produce maps, and browse the IACP Plan. The IACP data are included in two formats: shapefiles, which can be viewed with the IACP Viewer or ESRI`s ArcView software (Version 2.1 or higher), and ARC/INFO export files, which can be imported into ARC/INFO or converted to other GIS data formats. Point Data Sources: Sensitive Areas, Surface Drinking Water Intakes, Groundwater Intakes, Groundwater Supply Facilities, NPL (National Priority List) Sites, FRP (Facility Response Plan) Facilities, NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Facilities, Hospitals, RCRA (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) Sites, TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) Sites, CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) Sites Line Data Sources: TIGER Roads, TIGER Railroads, TIGER Hydrography, Pipelines Polygon Data Sources: State Boundaries, County Boundaries, Watershed Boundaries (8-digit HUC), TIGER Hydrography, Public Lands, Populated Places, IACP Boundaries, Coast Guard Boundaries, Forest Types, US Congressional Districts, One-half Mile Buffer of Surface Drinking Water Intakes.« less

Monitoring probe for groundwater flow

DOEpatents

Looney, Brian B.; Ballard, Sanford

1994-01-01

A monitoring probe for detecting groundwater migration. The monitor features a cylinder made of a permeable membrane carrying an array of electrical conductivity sensors on its outer surface. The cylinder is filled with a fluid that has a conductivity different than the groundwater. The probe is placed in the ground at an area of interest to be monitored. The fluid, typically saltwater, diffuses through the permeable membrane into the groundwater. The flow of groundwater passing around the permeable membrane walls of the cylinder carries the conductive fluid in the same general direction and distorts the conductivity field measured by the sensors. The degree of distortion from top to bottom and around the probe is precisely related to the vertical and horizontal flow rates, respectively. The electrical conductivities measured by the sensors about the outer surface of the probe are analyzed to determine the rate and direction of the groundwater flow.

A high-resolution global-scale groundwater model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Graaf, I. E. M.; Sutanudjaja, E. H.; van Beek, L. P. H.; Bierkens, M. F. P.

2015-02-01

Groundwater is the world's largest accessible source of fresh water. It plays a vital role in satisfying basic needs for drinking water, agriculture and industrial activities. During times of drought groundwater sustains baseflow to rivers and wetlands, thereby supporting ecosystems. Most global-scale hydrological models (GHMs) do not include a groundwater flow component, mainly due to lack of geohydrological data at the global scale. For the simulation of lateral flow and groundwater head dynamics, a realistic physical representation of the groundwater system is needed, especially for GHMs that run at finer resolutions. In this study we present a global-scale groundwater model (run at 6' resolution) using MODFLOW to construct an equilibrium water table at its natural state as the result of long-term climatic forcing. The used aquifer schematization and properties are based on available global data sets of lithology and transmissivities combined with the estimated thickness of an upper, unconfined aquifer. This model is forced with outputs from the land-surface PCRaster Global Water Balance (PCR-GLOBWB) model, specifically net recharge and surface water levels. A sensitivity analysis, in which the model was run with various parameter settings, showed that variation in saturated conductivity has the largest impact on the groundwater levels simulated. Validation with observed groundwater heads showed that groundwater heads are reasonably well simulated for many regions of the world, especially for sediment basins (R2 = 0.95). The simulated regional-scale groundwater patterns and flow paths demonstrate the relevance of lateral groundwater flow in GHMs. Inter-basin groundwater flows can be a significant part of a basin's water budget and help to sustain river baseflows, especially during droughts. Also, water availability of larger aquifer systems can be positively affected by additional recharge from inter-basin groundwater flows.

2011 Mound Site Groundwater Plume Rebound Exercise and Follow-Up - 13440

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hooten, Gwendolyn; Cato, Rebecca; Lupton, Greg

2013-07-01

The Mound Site facility near Miamisburg, Ohio, opened in 1948 to support early atomic weapons programs. It grew into a research, development, and production facility performing work in support of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) weapons and energy programs. The plant was in operation until 1995. During the course of operation, an onsite landfill was created. The landfill was located over a finger of a buried valley aquifer, which is a sole drinking water source for much of the Miami Valley. In the 1980's, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were discovered in groundwater at the Mound site. The site wasmore » placed on the National Priorities List on November 21, 1989. DOE signed a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Federal Facility Agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The agreement became effective in October 1990. The area that included the landfill was designated Operational Unit 1 (OU-1). In 1995, a Record of Decision was signed that called for the installation and operation of a pump and treatment (P and T) system in order to prevent the VOCs in OU-1 groundwater from being captured by the onsite water production wells. In addition to the P and T system, a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system was installed in 1997 to accelerate removal of VOCs from groundwater in the OU-1 area. The SVE system was successful in removing large amounts of VOCs and continued to operate until 2007, when the amount of VOCs removed became minimal. A rebound study was started in February 2003 to determine how the groundwater system and contaminants would respond to shutting down the P and T system. The rebound test was stopped in February 2004 because predetermined VOC threshold concentrations were exceeded down-gradient of the landfill. The P and T and SVE systems were restarted after the termination of the rebound test. In 2006, the remediation of the Mound site was

NORTH CAROLINA GROUNDWATER RECHARGE RATES 1994

EPA Science Inventory

North Carolina Groundwater Recharge Rates, from Heath, R.C., 1994, Ground-water recharge in North Carolina: North Carolina State University, as prepared for the NC Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources (NC DEHNR) Division of Enviromental Management Groundwater S...

Stygofauna enhance prokaryotic transport in groundwater ecosystems.

PubMed

Smith, Renee J; Paterson, James S; Launer, Elise; Tobe, Shanan S; Morello, Eliesa; Leijs, Remko; Marri, Shashikanth; Mitchell, James G

2016-09-06

More than 97% of the world's freshwater reserves are found in aquifers, making groundwater one of the most important resources on the planet. Prokaryotic communities in groundwater underpin the turnover of energy and matter while also maintaining groundwater purity. Thus, knowledge of microbial transport in the subsurface is crucial for maintaining groundwater health. Here, we describe for the first time the importance of stygofauna as vectors for prokaryotes. The "hitch-hiking" prokaryotes associated with stygofauna may be up to 5 orders of magnitude higher in abundance and transported up to 34× faster than bulk groundwater flow. We also demonstrate that prokaryotic diversity associated with stygofauna may be higher than that of the surrounding groundwater. Stygofauna are a newly recognized prokaryotic niche in groundwater ecosystems that have the potential to transport remediating, water purifying and pathogenic prokaryotes. Therefore, stygofauna may influence ecosystem dynamics and health at a microbial level, and at a larger scale could be a new source of prokaryotic diversity in groundwater ecosystems.

Online Hazardous Waste Cleanup Technical Resources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This issue paper is intended to give the reader examples of some online technical resources that can assist with hazardous waste cleanups in the Superfund, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Brownfields programs.

Engineering Forum Issue Paper: Online Hazardous Waste Cleanup Technical Resources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This issue paper is intended to give the reader examples of some online technical resources that can assist with hazardous waste cleanups in the Superfund, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Brownfields programs.

Final Regulatory Determination for Special Wastes From Mineral Processing (Mining Waste Exclusion) - Federal Register Notice, June 13, 1991

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This action presents the Agency's final regulatory determination required by section 3001(b)(3)(C) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for 20 special wastes from the processing of ores and minerals.

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1994

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates innovative technologies for the remediation of contaminated Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective actions sites. Historically t...

Final Rule: 2013 Conditional Exclusions From Solid Waste and Hazardous Waste for Solvent-Contaminated Wipes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is a regulation page for the final rule EPA issued on July 31, 2013 that modifies the hazardous waste management regulations for solvent-contaminated wipes under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

Key NASA, USAF and federal officials sign a Memorandum of Agreement on groundwater cleanup

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Walter W. Kovalick Jr., Ph.D., director of Technology Innovation Office for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, addresses representatives from Kennedy Space Center, the 45th Space Wing, and various federal environmental agencies gathered to attend a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing, taking place at the site of Launch Complex 34. The MOA formalizes the cooperative efforts of the federal agencies in ground-water cleanup initiatives. NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the agencies have formed a consortium and are participating in a comparative study of three innovative techniques to be used in cleaning a contaminated area of Launch Complex 34. The study will be used to help improve groundwater cleanup processes nationally. Other attendees included Timothy Oppelt, director, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Tom Heenan, assistant manager of environmental management, Savannah River Site, U.S. Department of Energy; Col. James Heald, Vice Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, U.S. Air Force; Gerald Boyd, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Science and Technology, U.S. Department of Energy; James Fiore, acting deputy assistant secretary, Office of Environmental Restoration, Department of Energy; Brig. Gen. Randall R. Starbuck, Commander 45th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force; and Roy Bridges Jr., director of John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Use of precipitation and groundwater isotopes to interpret regional hydrology on a tropical volcanic island: Kilauea volcano area, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scholl, M.A.; Ingebritsen, S.E.; Janik, C.J.; Kauahikaua, J.P.

1996-01-01

Isotope tracer methods were used to determine flow paths, recharge areas, and relative age for groundwater in the Kilauea volcano area of the Island of Hawaii. A network of up to 66 precipitation collectors was emplaced in the study area and sampled twice yearly for a 3-year period. Stable isotopes in rainfall show three distinct isotopic gradients with elevation, which are correlated with trade wind, rain shadow, and highelevation climatological patterns. Temporal variations in precipitation isotopes are controlled more by the frequency of storms than by seasonal temperature fluctuations. Results from this study suggest that (1) sampling network design must take into account areal variations in rainfall patterns on islands and in continental coastal areas and (2) isotope/elevation gradients on other tropical islands may be predictable on the basis of similar climatology. Groundwater was sampled yearly in coastal springs, wells, and a few high-elevation springs. Areal contrasts in groundwater stable isotopes and tritium indicate that the volcanic rift zones compartmentalize the regional groundwater system, isolating the groundwater south of Kilauea's summit and rift zones. Part of the Southwest Rift Zone appears to act as a conduit for water from higher elevation, but there is no evidence for downrift flow in the springs and shallow wells sampled in the lower East Rift Zone.

Use of Precipitation and Groundwater Isotopes to Interpret Regional Hydrology on a Tropical Volcanic Island: Kilauea Volcano Area, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholl, M. A.; Ingebritsen, S. E.; Janik, C. J.; Kauahikaua, J. P.

1996-12-01

Isotope tracer methods were used to determine flow paths, recharge areas, and relative age for groundwater in the Kilauea volcano area of the Island of Hawaii. A network of up to 66 precipitation collectors was emplaced in the study area and sampled twice yearly for a 3-year period. Stable isotopes in rainfall show three distinct isotopic gradients with elevation, which are correlated with trade wind, rain shadow, and highelevation climatological patterns. Temporal variations in precipitation isotopes are controlled more by the frequency of storms than by seasonal temperature fluctuations. Results from this study suggest that (1) sampling network design must take into account areal variations in rainfall patterns on islands and in continental coastal areas and (2) isotope/elevation gradients on other tropical islands may be predictable on the basis of similar climatology. Groundwater was sampled yearly in coastal springs, wells, and a few high-elevation springs. Areal contrasts in groundwater stable isotopes and tritium indicate that the volcanic rift zones compartmentalize the regional groundwater system, isolating the groundwater south of Kilauea's summit and rift zones. Part of the Southwest Rift Zone appears to act as a conduit for water from higher elevation, but there is no evidence for downrift flow in the springs and shallow wells sampled in the lower East Rift Zone.

Optimal designs of bioretention cells in shallow groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, K.; Chui, T. F. M.

2017-12-01

Bioretention cells, as one representative low impact development practices, have been proved to be effective in controlling surface runoff, removing pollutants and recharging groundwater. However, they are often not recommended in shallow groundwater areas due to potential groundwater pollution, reduction in runoff control performance and groundwater drainage through the underdrain. Most design guidelines only require a minimum distance between bioretention cell bottom and seasonal high groundwater table without guiding the design of bioretention cells to mitigate the problem of shallow groundwater. This study therefore proposed some design recommendations of bioretention cells for different rainfall runoff loads, native soil types and initial water table depths. A variably saturated flow model was employed to conduct event-based simulations on one single hypothetical bioretention cell in shallow groundwater, which was calibrated using experimental and simulation data of an on-site bioretention cell. A wide range of climatic and geophysical factors (i.e. initial groundwater depths, native soils, rainfall runoff loads) and bioretention designs (i.e. media soil types and underdrain sizes) were considered. Surface runoff reduction, time before groundwater mound formation, as well as maximum height of groundwater mound were evaluated. Less-permeable media types (i.e. sandy loam) are recommended in areas with many extreme rainfall events (i.e. 40 - 70 mm/h or larger) and of shallower groundwater, which can better protect groundwater from mounding and possibly contamination although may slightly compromise the runoff control performance. For areas having seasonal high groundwater table of 0 - 1 m below bioretention bottom, underdrain is recommended to maintain good infiltration capacity without draining groundwater. However, underdrain is not recommended for areas of groundwater table always near or above the bioretention bottom, only if an impermeable sheet is added

Evaluation of alternative groundwater-management strategies for the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project, Oregon and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wagner, Brian J.; Gannett, Marshall W.

2014-01-01

The water resources of the upper Klamath Basin, in southern Oregon and northern California, are managed to achieve various complex and interconnected purposes. Since 2001, irrigators in the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Irrigation Project (Project) have been required to limit surface-water diversions to protect habitat for endangered freshwater and anadromous fishes. The reductions in irrigation diversions have led to an increased demand for groundwater by Project irrigators, particularly in drought years. The potential effects of sustained pumping on groundwater and surface-water resources have caused concern among Federal and state agencies, Indian tribes, wildlife groups, and groundwater users. To aid in the development of a viable groundwater-management strategy for the Project, the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the Klamath Water and Power Agency and the Oregon Water Resources Department, developed a groundwater-management model that links groundwater simulation with techniques of constrained optimization. The overall goal of the groundwater-management model is to determine the patterns of groundwater pumping that, to the extent possible, meet the supplemental groundwater demands of the Project. To ensure that groundwater development does not adversely affect groundwater and surface-water resources, the groundwater-management model includes constraints to (1) limit the effects of groundwater withdrawal on groundwater discharge to streams and lakes that support critical habitat for fish listed under the Endangered Species Act, (2) ensure that drawdowns do not exceed limits allowed by Oregon water law, and (3) ensure that groundwater withdrawal does not adversely affect agricultural drain flows that supply a substantial portion of water for irrigators and wildlife refuges in downslope areas of the Project. Groundwater-management alternatives were tested and designed within the framework of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (currently [2013

Quantifying the contribution of groundwater on water consumption in arid crop land with shallow groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Z.; Liu, Z.; Wang, X.; Qu, Z.

2016-12-01

Groundwater from the shallow aquifers can supply substantial water for evapotranspiration of crops. However, it is difficult to quantify to the contribution of groundwater on crop's water consumption. In present study, regional scale evapotranspiration and the groundwater contribution to evapotranspiration were estimated by the soil water balance equation in Hetao irrigation distric with shallow aquifers, China. Estimates used an 8-year (2006-2013) hydrological dataset including soil moisture, the depth to water table, irrigation amounts, rainfall data, and drainage water flow. The 8-year mean evapotranspiration was estimated to be 664 mm. The mean groundwater supported evapotranspiration (ETg) was estimated to be 228 mm, with variation from 145 mm to 412 mm during the crop growth period. Analysis of the positive correlation between evapotranspiration and the sum of irrigation and rainfall, and the analysis of the negative correlation between ETg/ET and the sum of irrigation and rainfall, reflect the need of groundwater to meet the evapotranspiration demand. Approximately 20% to 40% of the evapotranspiration is from the shallow aquifers in the study area. Furthermore, a new method estimating daily ETg during the crop growing season was developed. The effects of crop growth stage, climate condition, groundwater depth and soil moisture are considered in the model. The method was tested with controlled lysimeter experiments of winter wheat including five controlled water table depths and four soil profiles of different textures. The simulated ETg is a good agreement with the measured data for four soil profiles and different depths to groundwater table. These results could be useful for the government to understand the significant role of the groundwater and make reasonable water use policy in the semiarid agricultural regions.

Building groundwater modeling capacity in Mongolia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Valder, Joshua F.; Carter, Janet M.; Anderson, Mark T.; Davis, Kyle W.; Haynes, Michelle A.; Dorjsuren Dechinlhundev,

2016-06-16

Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia (fig. 1), is dependent on groundwater for its municipal and industrial water supply. The population of Mongolia is about 3 million people, with about one-half the population residing in or near Ulaanbaatar (World Population Review, 2016). Groundwater is drawn from a network of shallow wells in an alluvial aquifer along the Tuul River. Evidence indicates that current water use may not be sustainable from existing water sources, especially when factoring the projected water demand from a rapidly growing urban population (Ministry of Environment and Green Development, 2013). In response, the Government of Mongolia Ministry of Environment, Green Development, and Tourism (MEGDT) and the Freshwater Institute, Mongolia, requested technical assistance on groundwater modeling through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Scientists from the USGS and USACE provided two workshops in 2015 to Mongolian hydrology experts on basic principles of groundwater modeling using the USGS groundwater modeling program MODFLOW-2005 (Harbaugh, 2005). The purpose of the workshops was to bring together representatives from the Government of Mongolia, local universities, technical experts, and other key stakeholders to build in-country capacity in hydrogeology and groundwater modeling.A preliminary steady-state groundwater-flow model was developed as part of the workshops to demonstrate groundwater modeling techniques to simulate groundwater conditions in alluvial deposits along the Tuul River in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar. ModelMuse (Winston, 2009) was used as the graphical user interface for MODFLOW for training purposes during the workshops. Basic and advanced groundwater modeling concepts included in the workshops were groundwater principles; estimating hydraulic properties; developing model grids, data sets, and MODFLOW input files; and viewing and evaluating MODFLOW output files. A key to success was

Isolation and identification of Trichoderma harzianum from groundwater: An effective biosorbent for defluoridation of groundwater.

PubMed

Koshle, Shalini; Mahesh, S; Swamy, S Nanjunda

2016-01-01

The ability of non-viable form of Trichoderma harzianum, isolated from fluoride rich groundwater, was investigated as biosorbent for defluoridation of groundwater. Biosorption experiments were carried out at laboratory scale for removal of fluoride from groundwater. Significant effect of operational parameters on fluoride biosorption using Trichoderma harzianum as biosorbent was evaluated by varying operational parameters such as: initial fluoride concentration (2-8 mgl(-1)), biosorbent dose (0.4-1.6g/100ml), groundwater pH (6-10), temperature (30-50 degrees C) and biosorption time (30-120 min). The fluoride adsorption isotherms were modeled by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Our result showed that fluoride biosorption, significantly increased with increase in groundwater pH, biosorbent dose, temperature and biosorption time, whereas increase in initial fluoride concentration reduced fluoride removal. The fluoride biosorption was rapid and maximum fluoride uptake was attained with 1.6g 100ml(-1) biosorbent within 60 min. Optimal pH 10 and temperature 50 degrees C gave maximum defluoridation efficiency. Freundlich isotherm fits well for defluoridation of groundwater using Trichoderma harzianum as biosorbent which indicated that biosorbent surface sites were heterogeneous in nature and fitted into heterogeneous site binding model.

Monitoring probe for groundwater flow

DOEpatents

Looney, B.B.; Ballard, S.

1994-08-23

A monitoring probe for detecting groundwater migration is disclosed. The monitor features a cylinder made of a permeable membrane carrying an array of electrical conductivity sensors on its outer surface. The cylinder is filled with a fluid that has a conductivity different than the groundwater. The probe is placed in the ground at an area of interest to be monitored. The fluid, typically saltwater, diffuses through the permeable membrane into the groundwater. The flow of groundwater passing around the permeable membrane walls of the cylinder carries the conductive fluid in the same general direction and distorts the conductivity field measured by the sensors. The degree of distortion from top to bottom and around the probe is precisely related to the vertical and horizontal flow rates, respectively. The electrical conductivities measured by the sensors about the outer surface of the probe are analyzed to determine the rate and direction of the groundwater flow. 4 figs.

Groundwater subsidies and penalties to corn yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zipper, S. C.; Booth, E.; Loheide, S. P.

2013-12-01

Proper water management is critical to closing yield gaps (observed yield below potential yield) as global populations continue to expand. However, the impacts of shallow groundwater on crop production and surface processes are poorly understood. The presence of groundwater within or just below the root zone has the potential to cause (via oxygen stress in poorly drained soils) or eliminate (via water supply in dry regions) yield gaps. The additional water use by a plant in the presence of shallow groundwater, compared to free drainage conditions, is called the groundwater subsidy; the depth at which the groundwater subsidy is greatest is the optimal depth to groundwater (DTGW). In wet years or under very shallow water table conditions, the groundwater subsidy is likely to be negative due to increased oxygen stress, and can be thought of as a groundwater penalty. Understanding the spatial dynamics of groundwater subsidies/penalties and how they interact with weather is critical to making sustainable agricultural and land-use decisions under a range of potential climates. Here, we examine patterns of groundwater subsidies and penalties in two commercial cornfields in the Yahara River Watershed, an urbanizing agricultural watershed in south-central Wisconsin. Water table levels are generally rising in the region due to a long-term trend of increasing precipitation over the last several decades. Biophysical indicators tracked throughout both the 2012 and 2013 growing seasons show a strong response to variable groundwater levels on a field scale. Sections of the field with optimal DTGW exhibit consistently higher stomatal conductance rates, taller canopies and higher leaf area index, higher ET rates, and higher pollination success rates. Patterns in these biophysical lines of evidence allow us to pinpoint specific periods within the growing season that plants were experiencing either oxygen or water stress. Most importantly, groundwater subsidies and penalties are

Modelling the effect of buried valleys on groundwater flow: case study in Ventspils vicinity, Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delina, Aija; Popovs, Konrads; Bikse, Janis; Retike, Inga; Babre, Alise; Kalvane, Gunta

2015-04-01

Buried subglacial valleys are widely distributed in glaciated regions and they can have great influence on groundwater flow and hence on groundwater resources. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of the buried valleys on groundwater flow in a confined aquifer (Middle Devonian Eifelian stage Arukila aquifer, D2ar) applying numerical modelling. The study area is located at vicinity of Ventspils Town, near wellfield Ogsils where number of the buried valleys with different depth and filling material are present. Area is located close to the Baltic Sea at Piejūra lowland Rinda plain and regional groundwater flow is towards sea. Territory is covered by thin layer of Quaternary sediments in thicknesses of 10 to 20 meters although Prequaternary sediments are exposed at some places. Buried valleys are characterized as narrow, elongated and deep formations that is be filled with various, mainly Pleistocene glacigene sediments - either till loam of different ages or sand and gravel or interbedding of both above mentioned. The filling material of the valleys influences groundwater flow in the confined aquifers which is intercepted by the valleys. It is supposed that glacial till loam filled valleys serves as a barrier to groundwater flow and as a recharge conduit when filled with sand and gravel deposits. Numerical model was built within MOSYS modelling system (Virbulis et al. 2012) using finite element method in order to investigate buried valley influence on groundwater flow in the study area. Several conceptual models were tested in numerical model depending on buried valley filling material: sand and gravel, till loam or mixture of them. Groundwater flow paths and travel times were studied. Results suggested that valley filled with glacial till is acting as barrier and it causes sharp drop of piezometric head and downward flow. Valley filled with sand and gravel have almost no effect on piezometric head distribution, however it this case buried valleys

Groundwater in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickerson, Daniel L.; Penick, John E.; Dawkins, Karen R.; Van Sickle, Meta

2007-01-01

Although clean, potable groundwater constitutes one of our most valuable resources, few students or science educators hold complete and appropriate understandings regarding the concept. Recent studies that focus on secondary students' and preservice science teachers' understandings of groundwater found little difference between the groups'…

Hydrogeology, water quality, and ground-water development alternatives in the Beaver-Pasquiset ground-water reservoir, Rhode Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dickerman, D.C.; Ozbilgin, M.M.

1985-01-01

In a 23 sq mi study area, the Beaver-Pasquiset groundwater reservoir within the Pawcatuck River basin in southern Rhode Island, stratified drift is the only principal geologic unit capable of producing yields > 350 gal/min. Transmissivity of the aquifer ranges from 7,200 to 24,300 sq ft/day. Water table conditions prevail in the aquifer, which is in good hydraulic connection with perennial streams and ponds. A digital model of two-dimensional groundwater flow was used to simulate the interaction between surface water and groundwater, and to evaluate the impact of alternative schemes of groundwater development on groundwater levels, pond levels, and streamflow in the Beaver-Pasquiset groundwater reservoir. Transient simulations of theoretical pumpage were made for a drought period (1963-66) and a wet period (1976-78). The areas most favorable for development of high-capacity wells (350 gal/min or more) are along the Beaver River and near Pasquiset Pond. The water is soft and generally contains < 100 mg/L dissolved solids. Locally, groundwater contains elevated concentrations of iron and manganese (7.5 and 3.7 mg/L, respectively), southeast of Pasquiset Pond, and will require treatment if used for public supply. The groundwater reservoir was simulated with a two-dimensional finite-difference model using a block-centered grid consisting of 33 rows and 75 columns. Differences between measured and simulated water table altitudes for the final steady state run for 21 selected observation wells averaged +0.07 ft. Combined pumping rates for simulation of groundwater development alternatives at eight sites ranged from 3.25 to 7.00 Mgal/d. Pumping rates for individual wells ranged from 0.25 to 1.50 Mgal/d. Transient simulations suggest that the Beaver-Pasquiset groundwater reservoir is capable of sustaining a pumping rate of 4.25 Mgal/d during years of average groundwater recharge with minimal impact on groundwater levels, pond levels, and streamflow. During extreme drought

Impact of textile dyeing industries effluent on groundwater quality in Karur Amaravathi River basin, Tamil Nadu (India)--a field study.

PubMed

Rajamanickam, R; Nagan, S

2010-10-01

Karur is an industrial town located on the bank of river Amaravathi. There are 487 textile processing units in operation and discharge about 14610 kilo litres per day of treated effluent into the river. The groundwater quality in the downstream is deteriorated due to continuous discharge of effluent. In order to assess the present quality of groundwater, 13 open wells were identified in the river basin around Karur and samples were collected during pre-monsoon, post monsoon and summer, and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. TDS, total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, chlorides and sulphates exceeded the desirable limit. Amaravathi River water samples were also colleted at the upstream and downstream of Karur and the result shows the river is polluted. During summer season, there is no flow in the river and the river acts as a drainage for the effluent. Hence, there is severe impact on the groundwater quality in the downstream. The best option to protect the groundwater quality in the river basin is that the textile processing units should adopt zero liquid discharge (ZLD) system and completely recycle the treated effluent.

Age Distribution of Groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, U.; Daughney, C. J.

2012-04-01

Groundwater at the discharge point comprises a mixture of water from different flow lines with different travel time and therefore has no discrete age but an age distribution. The age distribution can be assessed by measuring how a pulse shaped tracer moves through the groundwater system. Detection of the time delay and the dispersion of the peak in the groundwater compared to the tracer input reveals the mean residence time and the mixing parameter. Tritium from nuclear weapons testing in the early 1960s resulted in a peak-shaped tritium input to the whole hydrologic system on earth. Tritium is the ideal tracer for groundwater because it is an isotope of hydrogen and therefore is part of the water molecule. Tritium time series data that encompass the passage of the bomb tritium pulse through the groundwater system in all common hydrogeologic situations in New Zealand demonstrate a semi-systematic pattern between age distribution parameters and hydrologic situation. The data in general indicate high fraction of mixing, but in some cases also indicate high piston flow. We will show that still, 45 years after the peak of the bomb tritium, it is possible to assess accurately the parameters of age distributions by measuring the tail of the bomb tritium.

Controlling groundwater pumping online.

PubMed

Zekri, Slim

2009-08-01

Groundwater over-pumping is a major problem in several countries around the globe. Since controlling groundwater pumping through water flow meters is hardly feasible, the surrogate is to control electricity usage. This paper presents a framework to restrict groundwater pumping by implementing an annual individual electricity quota without interfering with the electricity pricing policy. The system could be monitored online through prepaid electricity meters. This provides low transaction costs of individual monitoring of users compared to the prohibitive costs of water flow metering and monitoring. The public groundwater managers' intervention is thus required to determine the water and electricity quota and watch the electricity use online. The proposed framework opens the door to the establishment of formal groundwater markets among users at very low transaction costs. A cost-benefit analysis over a 25-year period is used to evaluate the cost of non-action and compare it to the prepaid electricity quota framework in the Batinah coastal area of Oman. Results show that the damage cost to the community, if no active policy is implemented, amounts to (-$288) million. On the other hand, the implementation of a prepaid electricity quota with an online management system would result in a net present benefit of $199 million.

Fact Sheet: Water Monitoring Reveals More Well Contamination

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Wedron Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action program to work with hazardous waste facilities to investigate and clean up any release of hazardous waste into the soil, ground water, surface water and air.

40 CFR 124.10 - Public notice of permit actions and public comment period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... issued or is required to issue a RCRA, UIC, PSD (or other permit under the Clean Air Act), NPDES, 404... which may affect aircraft operations or for purposes associated with seaplane operations; (vii) For PSD...

76 FR 46355 - Notice of Final Federal Agency Actions on Proposed Highway in California

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-02

... (Caltrans), pursuant to 23 USC 327, and Other Federal Agencies. SUMMARY: The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is... (CERCLA) [42 USC 9601-9675]; Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) 11. E.O. 11988...

A fuzzy-logic based decision-making approach for identification of groundwater quality based on groundwater quality indices.

PubMed

Vadiati, M; Asghari-Moghaddam, A; Nakhaei, M; Adamowski, J; Akbarzadeh, A H

2016-12-15

Due to inherent uncertainties in measurement and analysis, groundwater quality assessment is a difficult task. Artificial intelligence techniques, specifically fuzzy inference systems, have proven useful in evaluating groundwater quality in uncertain and complex hydrogeological systems. In the present study, a Mamdani fuzzy-logic-based decision-making approach was developed to assess groundwater quality based on relevant indices. In an effort to develop a set of new hybrid fuzzy indices for groundwater quality assessment, a Mamdani fuzzy inference model was developed with widely-accepted groundwater quality indices: the Groundwater Quality Index (GQI), the Water Quality Index (WQI), and the Ground Water Quality Index (GWQI). In an effort to present generalized hybrid fuzzy indices a significant effort was made to employ well-known groundwater quality index acceptability ranges as fuzzy model output ranges rather than employing expert knowledge in the fuzzification of output parameters. The proposed approach was evaluated for its ability to assess the drinking water quality of 49 samples collected seasonally from groundwater resources in Iran's Sarab Plain during 2013-2014. Input membership functions were defined as "desirable", "acceptable" and "unacceptable" based on expert knowledge and the standard and permissible limits prescribed by the World Health Organization. Output data were categorized into multiple categories based on the GQI (5 categories), WQI (5 categories), and GWQI (3 categories). Given the potential of fuzzy models to minimize uncertainties, hybrid fuzzy-based indices produce significantly more accurate assessments of groundwater quality than traditional indices. The developed models' accuracy was assessed and a comparison of the performance indices demonstrated the Fuzzy Groundwater Quality Index model to be more accurate than both the Fuzzy Water Quality Index and Fuzzy Ground Water Quality Index models. This suggests that the new hybrid fuzzy

One-Week Module on Stochastic Groundwater Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mays, David C.

2010-01-01

This article describes a one-week introduction to stochastic groundwater modeling, intended for the end of a first course on groundwater hydrology, or the beginning of a second course on stochastic hydrogeology or groundwater modeling. The motivation for this work is to strengthen groundwater education, which has been identified among the factors…

Groundwater nitrate contamination: Factors and indicators

PubMed Central

Wick, Katharina; Heumesser, Christine; Schmid, Erwin

2012-01-01

Identifying significant determinants of groundwater nitrate contamination is critical in order to define sensible agri-environmental indicators that support the design, enforcement, and monitoring of regulatory policies. We use data from approximately 1200 Austrian municipalities to provide a detailed statistical analysis of (1) the factors influencing groundwater nitrate contamination and (2) the predictive capacity of the Gross Nitrogen Balance, one of the most commonly used agri-environmental indicators. We find that the percentage of cropland in a given region correlates positively with nitrate concentration in groundwater. Additionally, environmental characteristics such as temperature and precipitation are important co-factors. Higher average temperatures result in lower nitrate contamination of groundwater, possibly due to increased evapotranspiration. Higher average precipitation dilutes nitrates in the soil, further reducing groundwater nitrate concentration. Finally, we assess whether the Gross Nitrogen Balance is a valid predictor of groundwater nitrate contamination. Our regression analysis reveals that the Gross Nitrogen Balance is a statistically significant predictor for nitrate contamination. We also show that its predictive power can be improved if we account for average regional precipitation. The Gross Nitrogen Balance predicts nitrate contamination in groundwater more precisely in regions with higher average precipitation. PMID:22906701

Classification management plan of groundwater quality in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chun Ming; Chen, Yu Ying; Pan, Shih Cheng; Li, Hui Jun; Hsiao, Fang Ke

2017-04-01

Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration has been monitoring regional water quality for 14 years. Since the beginning of 2002 till now, there are 453 regional groundwater monitoring wells in ten groundwater subregions in Taiwan, and the monitoring of groundwater quality has been carried out for a long time. Currently, water quality monitoring project has reached 50 items, while the number of water quality monitoring data has reached more than 20,000. In order to use the monitoring data efficiently, this study constructed the localized groundwater quality indicators of Taiwan. This indicator takes into account the different users' point of view, incorporating the Taiwan groundwater pollution monitoring standards (Category II), irrigation water quality standard and drinking water source water quality standard. 50 items of water quality monitoring projects were simplified and classified. The groundwater quality parameters were divided into five items, such as potability for drinking water, salting, external influence, health influences and toxicity hazard. The weight of the five items of groundwater was calculated comprehensively, and the groundwater quality of each monitoring well was evaluated with three grades of good, ordinary, and poor. According to the monitoring results of the groundwater monitoring wells in October to December of 2016, about 70% of groundwater quality in Taiwan is in good to ordinary grades. The areas with poor groundwater quality were mostly distributed in coastal, agriculture and part of the urban areas. The conductivity or ammonia nitrogen concentration was higher in those regions, showing that groundwater may be salinized or affected by external influences. Groundwater quality indicators can clearly show the current comprehensive situation of the groundwater environment in Taiwan and can be used as a tool for groundwater quality classification management. The indicators can coordinate with the Taiwan land planning policy in the

40 CFR 265.91 - Ground-water monitoring system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Ground-water monitoring system. 265.91... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Ground-Water Monitoring § 265.91 Ground-water monitoring system. (a) A ground-water monitoring system must be capable of yielding ground-water samples for analysis and must consist of: (1...

40 CFR 265.91 - Ground-water monitoring system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Ground-water monitoring system. 265.91... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Ground-Water Monitoring § 265.91 Ground-water monitoring system. (a) A ground-water monitoring system must be capable of yielding ground-water samples for analysis and must consist of: (1...

40 CFR 265.91 - Ground-water monitoring system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Ground-water monitoring system. 265.91... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Ground-Water Monitoring § 265.91 Ground-water monitoring system. (a) A ground-water monitoring system must be capable of yielding ground-water samples for analysis and must consist of: (1...

40 CFR 265.91 - Ground-water monitoring system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Ground-water monitoring system. 265.91... DISPOSAL FACILITIES Ground-Water Monitoring § 265.91 Ground-water monitoring system. (a) A ground-water monitoring system must be capable of yielding ground-water samples for analysis and must consist of: (1...

Hydrogeological controls of groundwater - land surface interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bresciani, Etienne; Batelaan, Okke; Goderniaux, Pascal

2017-04-01

Interaction of groundwater with the land surface impacts a wide range of climatic, hydrologic, ecologic and geomorphologic processes. Many site-specific studies have successfully focused on measuring and modelling groundwater-surface water interaction, but upscaling or estimation at catchment or regional scale appears to be challenging. The factors controlling the interaction at regional scale are still poorly understood. In this contribution, a new 2-D (cross-sectional) analytical groundwater flow solution is used to derive a dimensionless criterion that expresses the conditions under which the groundwater outcrops at the land surface (Bresciani et al., 2016). The criterion gives insights into the functional relationships between geology, topography, climate and the locations of groundwater discharge along river systems. This sheds light on the debate about the topographic control of groundwater flow and groundwater-surface water interaction, as effectively the topography only influences the interaction when the groundwater table reaches the land surface. The criterion provides a practical tool to predict locations of groundwater discharge if a limited number of geomorphological and hydrogeological parameters (recharge, hydraulic conductivity and depth to impervious base) are known, and conversely it can provide regional estimates of the ratio of recharge over hydraulic conductivity if locations of groundwater discharge are known. A case study with known groundwater discharge locations located in South-West Brittany, France shows the feasibility of regional estimates of the ratio of recharge over hydraulic conductivity. Bresciani, E., Goderniaux, P. and Batelaan, O., 2016, Hydrogeological controls of water table-land surface interactions. Geophysical Research Letters 43(18): 9653-9661. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL070618

Transfer of European Approach to Groundwater Monitoring in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.

2007-12-01

Major groundwater development in North China has been a key factor in the huge economic growth and the achievement of self sufficiency in food production. Groundwater accounts for more than 70 percent of urban water supply and provides important source of irrigation water during dry period. This has however caused continuous groundwater level decline and many associated problems: hundreds of thousands of dry wells, dry river beds, land subsidence, seawater intrusion and groundwater quality deterioration. Groundwater levels in the shallow unconfined aquifers have fallen 10m up to 50m, at an average rate of 1m/year. In the deep confined aquifers groundwater levels have commonly fallen 30m up to 90m, at an average rate of 3 to 5m/year. Furthermore, elevated nitrate concentrations have been found in shallow groundwater in large scale. Pesticides have been detected in vulnerable aquifers. Urgent actions are necessary for aquifer recovery and mitigating groundwater pollution. Groundwater quantity and quality monitoring plays a very important role in formulating cost-effective groundwater protection strategies. In 2000 European Union initiated a Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) to protect all waters in Europe. The objective is to achieve good water and ecological status by 2015 cross all member states. The Directive requires monitoring surface and groundwater in all river basins. A guidance document for monitoring was developed and published in 2003. Groundwater monitoring programs are distinguished into groundwater level monitoring and groundwater quality monitoring. Groundwater quality monitoring is further divided into surveillance monitoring and operational monitoring. The monitoring guidance specifies key principles for the design and operation of monitoring networks. A Sino-Dutch cooperation project was developed to transfer European approach to groundwater monitoring in China. The project aims at building a China Groundwater Information Centre. Case studies

“Groundwater hydrology” is redundant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

While in the Netherlands a few months ago, I mentioned “groundwater hydrology” to a very well-educated, very literary, and non-hydrologic old friend. She shuddered and told me in no uncertain words that this was a horrible term, completely redundant like a round circle, or as the linguists call it, a pleonasm. This is, of course, because hydrology already means water science (from the Greek words udor, or hydor for water, and logos for science), so that groundwater hydrology really stands for groundwater water science, and surface water hydrology for surface water science.These are pleonasms of the first kind and insults to any language purist, which all of us should strive to be! So I propose that henceforth groundwater hydrology be called subterranean hydrology. Other possibilities would be subsurface hydrology, but this sounds too shallow, or underground hydrology, which, however, could give the impression of some clandestine activity. Besides, subterranean hydrology would be in keeping with the words for groundwater in Latin-based languages (eau souterrain in French, acqua sotierranea in Italian, and aguas subterraneas in Spanish). Also, subterranean hydrology includes the vadose zone, which, of course, groundwater hydrology as such does not. Surface water hydrology would simply be called surface hydrology, and anything above that atmospheric hydrology.

Simulation of the ground-water flow system and proposed withdrawals in the northern part of Vekol Valley, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hollett, K.J.; Marie, J.R.

1987-01-01

Pursuant to the Ak-Chin Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act (Public Law 95-328-enacted on July 28, 1978) a study was undertaken to assess the effect of proposed groundwater withdrawal from Federal lands near the reservation. The first area to be evaluated was the northern part of the Vekol Valley. The evaluation was made using a numerical model based on detailed geohydrologic concepts developed during the study. The numerical model, which was calibrated to steady-state and transient groundwater conditions in the northern part of Vekol Valley, adequately duplicated the conceptual model and was used to estimate the effect of withdrawing approximately 174,000 acre-ft from the system during a 25-yr period. At the end of the 25-yr period, the water level was drawn down an average of about 95 ft, and about 150,5000 acre-ft of water was removed from storage. The 150,500 acre-ft of water represents 43% of the estimated recoverable groundwater in storage. (Author 's abstract)

Groundwater and Distribution Workbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekman, John E.

Presented is a student manual designed for the Wisconsin Vocational, Technical and Adult Education Groundwater and Distribution Training Course. This program introduces waterworks operators-in-training to basic skills and knowledge required for the operation of a groundwater distribution waterworks facility. Arranged according to the general order…

Assessment and uncertainty analysis of groundwater risk.

PubMed

Li, Fawen; Zhu, Jingzhao; Deng, Xiyuan; Zhao, Yong; Li, Shaofei

2018-01-01

Groundwater with relatively stable quantity and quality is commonly used by human being. However, as the over-mining of groundwater, problems such as groundwater funnel, land subsidence and salt water intrusion have emerged. In order to avoid further deterioration of hydrogeological problems in over-mining regions, it is necessary to conduct the assessment of groundwater risk. In this paper, risks of shallow and deep groundwater in the water intake area of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project in Tianjin, China, were evaluated. Firstly, two sets of four-level evaluation index system were constructed based on the different characteristics of shallow and deep groundwater. Secondly, based on the normalized factor values and the synthetic weights, the risk values of shallow and deep groundwater were calculated. Lastly, the uncertainty of groundwater risk assessment was analyzed by indicator kriging method. The results meet the decision maker's demand for risk information, and overcome previous risk assessment results expressed in the form of deterministic point estimations, which ignore the uncertainty of risk assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stygofauna enhance prokaryotic transport in groundwater ecosystems

PubMed Central

Smith, Renee J.; Paterson, James S.; Launer, Elise; Tobe, Shanan S.; Morello, Eliesa; Leijs, Remko; Marri, Shashikanth; Mitchell, James G.

2016-01-01

More than 97% of the world’s freshwater reserves are found in aquifers, making groundwater one of the most important resources on the planet. Prokaryotic communities in groundwater underpin the turnover of energy and matter while also maintaining groundwater purity. Thus, knowledge of microbial transport in the subsurface is crucial for maintaining groundwater health. Here, we describe for the first time the importance of stygofauna as vectors for prokaryotes. The “hitch-hiking” prokaryotes associated with stygofauna may be up to 5 orders of magnitude higher in abundance and transported up to 34× faster than bulk groundwater flow. We also demonstrate that prokaryotic diversity associated with stygofauna may be higher than that of the surrounding groundwater. Stygofauna are a newly recognized prokaryotic niche in groundwater ecosystems that have the potential to transport remediating, water purifying and pathogenic prokaryotes. Therefore, stygofauna may influence ecosystem dynamics and health at a microbial level, and at a larger scale could be a new source of prokaryotic diversity in groundwater ecosystems. PMID:27597322

Stygofauna enhance prokaryotic transport in groundwater ecosystems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Renee J.; Paterson, James S.; Launer, Elise

More than 97% of the world’s freshwater reserves are found in aquifers, making groundwater one of the most important resources on the planet. Prokaryotic communities in groundwater underpin the turnover of energy and matter while also maintaining groundwater purity. Thus, knowledge of microbial transport in the subsurface is crucial for maintaining groundwater health. Here, we describe for the first time the importance of stygofauna as vectors for prokaryotes. The “hitch-hiking” prokaryotes associated with stygofauna may be up to 5 orders of magnitude higher in abundance and transported up to 34× faster than bulk groundwater flow. We also demonstrate that prokaryoticmore » diversity associated with stygofauna may be higher than that of the surrounding groundwater. Stygofauna are a newly recognized prokaryotic niche in groundwater ecosystems that have the potential to transport remediating, water purifying and pathogenic prokaryotes. Furthermore, stygofauna may influence ecosystem dynamics and health at a microbial level, and at a larger scale could be a new source of prokaryotic diversity in groundwater ecosystems.« less

Stygofauna enhance prokaryotic transport in groundwater ecosystems

DOE PAGES

Smith, Renee J.; Paterson, James S.; Launer, Elise; ...

2016-09-06

More than 97% of the world’s freshwater reserves are found in aquifers, making groundwater one of the most important resources on the planet. Prokaryotic communities in groundwater underpin the turnover of energy and matter while also maintaining groundwater purity. Thus, knowledge of microbial transport in the subsurface is crucial for maintaining groundwater health. Here, we describe for the first time the importance of stygofauna as vectors for prokaryotes. The “hitch-hiking” prokaryotes associated with stygofauna may be up to 5 orders of magnitude higher in abundance and transported up to 34× faster than bulk groundwater flow. We also demonstrate that prokaryoticmore » diversity associated with stygofauna may be higher than that of the surrounding groundwater. Stygofauna are a newly recognized prokaryotic niche in groundwater ecosystems that have the potential to transport remediating, water purifying and pathogenic prokaryotes. Furthermore, stygofauna may influence ecosystem dynamics and health at a microbial level, and at a larger scale could be a new source of prokaryotic diversity in groundwater ecosystems.« less

The study of using earth tide response of groundwater level and rainfall recharge to identify groundwater aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, W. J.; Hsu, C. H.; Chang, L. C.; Chiang, C. J.; Wang, Y. S.; Lu, W. C.

2017-12-01

Hydrogeological framework is the most important basis for groundwater analysis and simulation. Conventionally, the core drill is a most commonly adopted skill to acquire the core's data with the help of other research methods to artificially determine the result. Now, with the established groundwater station network, there are a lot of groundwater level information available. Groundwater level is an integrated presentation of the hydrogeological framework and the external pumping and recharge system. Therefore, how to identify the hydrogeological framework from a large number of groundwater level data is an important subject. In this study, the frequency analysis method and rainfall recharge mechanism were used to identify the aquifer where the groundwater level's response frequency and amplitude react to the earth tide. As the earth tide change originates from the gravity caused by the paths of sun and moon, it leads to soil stress and strain changes, which further affects the groundwater level. The scale of groundwater level's change varies with the influence of aquifer pressure systems such as confined or unconfined aquifers. This method has been applied to the identification of aquifers in the Cho-Shui River Alluvial Fan. The results of the identification are compared to the records of core drill and they both are quite consistent. It is shown that the identification methods developed in this study can considerably contribute to the identification of hydrogeological framework.

Degradation of sucralose in groundwater and implications for age dating contaminated groundwater.

PubMed

Robertson, W D; Van Stempvoort, D R; Spoelstra, J; Brown, S J; Schiff, S L

2016-01-01

The artificial sweetener sucralose has been in use in Canada and the US since about 2000 and in the EU since 2003, and is now ubiquitous in sanitary wastewater in many parts of the world. It persists during sewage treatment and in surface water environments and as such, has been suggested as a powerful tracer of wastewater. In this study, longer-term persistence of sucralose was examined in groundwater by undertaking a series of three sampling snapshots of a well constrained wastewater plume in Canada (Long Point septic system) over a 6-year period from 2008 to 2014. A shrinking sucralose plume in 2014, compared to earlier sampling, during this period when sucralose use was likely increasing, provides clear evidence of degradation. However, depletion of sucralose from a mean of 40 μg/L in the proximal plume zone, occurred at a relatively slow rate over a period of several months to several years. Furthermore, examination of septic tank effluent and impacted groundwater at six other sites in Canada, revealed that sucralose was present in all samples of septic tank effluent (6-98 μg/L, n = 32) and in all groundwater samples (0.7-77 μg/L, n = 64). Even though sucralose degradation is noted in the Long Point plume, its ubiquitous presence in the groundwater plumes at all seven sites implies a relatively slow rate of decay in many groundwater septic plume environments. Thus, sucralose has the potential to be used as an indicator of 'recent' wastewater contamination. The presence of sucralose identifies groundwater that was recharged after 2000 in Canada and the US and after 2003 in the EU and many Asian countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dissolved Organic Carbon 14C in Southern Nevada Groundwater and Implications for Groundwater Travel Times

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hershey, Ronald L.; Fereday, Wyall; Thomas, James M

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) carbon-14 ( 14C) ages must be corrected for complex chemical and physical reactions and processes that change the amount of 14C in groundwater as it flows from recharge to downgradient areas. Because of these reactions, DIC 14C can produce unrealistically old ages and long groundwater travel times that may, or may not, agree with travel times estimated by other methods. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) 14C ages are often younger than DIC 14C ages because there are few chemical reactions or physical processes that change the amount of DOC 14C in groundwater. However, there are several issuesmore » that create uncertainty in DOC 14C groundwater ages including limited knowledge of the initial (A 0) DOC 14C in groundwater recharge and potential changes in DOC composition as water moves through an aquifer. This study examines these issues by quantifying A 0 DOC 14C in recharge areas of southern Nevada groundwater flow systems and by evaluating changes in DOC composition as water flows from recharge areas to downgradient areas. The effect of these processes on DOC 14C groundwater ages is evaluated and DOC and DIC 14C ages are then compared along several southern Nevada groundwater flow paths. Twenty-seven groundwater samples were collected from springs and wells in southern Nevada in upgradient, midgradient, and downgradient locations. DOC 14C for upgradient samples ranged from 96 to 120 percent modern carbon (pmc) with an average of 106 pmc, verifying modern DOC 14C ages in recharge areas, which decreases uncertainty in DOC 14C A 0 values, groundwater ages, and travel times. The HPLC spectra of groundwater along a flow path in the Spring Mountains show the same general pattern indicating that the DOC compound composition does not change along this flow path. Although DOC concentration decreases from recharge-area to downgradient groundwater, the organic compounds are similar, indicating that DOC 14C is unaffected by other processes such

The European 2015 drought from a groundwater perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Loon, Anne; Kumar, Rohini; Mishra, Vimal

2017-04-01

In 2015 central and eastern Europe were affected by severe drought. Impacts of the drought were felt across many sectors, incl. agriculture, drinking water supply, electricity production, navigation, fisheries, and recreation. This drought event has recently been studied from meteorological and streamflow perspective, but no analysis of the groundwater drought has been performed. This is not surprising because real-time groundwater level observations often are not available. In this study we use previously established spatially-explicit relationships between meteorological drought and groundwater drought to quantify the 2015 groundwater drought over two regions in southern Germany and eastern Netherlands. We also tested the applicability of the Gravity Recovery Climate Experiment (GRACE) Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS) and GRACE-based groundwater anomalies to capture the spatial variability of the 2003 and 2015 drought events. We use the monthly groundwater observations from 2040 wells to establish the spatially varying optimal accumulation period between the Standardized Groundwater Index (SGI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at a 0.250 gridded scale. The resulting optimal accumulation periods range between 1 and more than 24 months, indicating strong spatial differences in groundwater response time to meteorological input over the region. Based on these optimal accumulation periods, we found that in Germany a uniform severe groundwater drought persisted for several months (i.e. SGI below the drought threshold of 20th percentile for almost all grid cells in August, September and October 2015), whereas the Netherlands appeared to have relatively high groundwater levels (never below the drought threshold of 20th percentile). The differences between this event and the European 2003 benchmark drought are striking. The 2003 groundwater drought was less uniformly pronounced, both in the Netherlands and Germany, with the regional

Overpumping leads to California groundwater arsenic threat.

PubMed

Smith, Ryan; Knight, Rosemary; Fendorf, Scott

2018-06-05

Water resources are being challenged to meet domestic, agricultural, and industrial needs. To complement finite surface water supplies that are being stressed by changes in precipitation and increased demand, groundwater is increasingly being used. Sustaining groundwater use requires considering both water quantity and quality. A unique challenge for groundwater use, as compared with surface water, is the presence of naturally occurring contaminants within aquifer sediments, which can enter the water supply. Here we find that recent groundwater pumping, observed through land subsidence, results in an increase in aquifer arsenic concentrations in the San Joaquin Valley of California. By comparison, historic groundwater pumping shows no link to current groundwater arsenic concentrations. Our results support the premise that arsenic can reside within pore water of clay strata within aquifers and is released due to overpumping. We provide a quantitative model for using subsidence as an indicator of arsenic concentrations correlated with groundwater pumping.

Instructions and Form for Hazardous Waste Generators, Transporters and Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities to Obtain an EPA Identification Number (EPA Form 8700-12/Site Identification Form)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This booklet is designed to help you determine if you are subject to requirements under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) for notifying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of your regulated waste activities.

Spatial variability analysis of combining the water quality and groundwater flow model to plan groundwater and surface water management in the Pingtung plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ching-Fang; Chen, Jui-Sheng; Jang, Cheng-Shin

2014-05-01

As a result of rapid economic growth in the Pingtung Plain, the use of groundwater resources has changed dramatically. The groundwater is quite rich in the Pingtung plain and the most important water sources. During the several decades, a substantial amount of groundwater has been pumped for the drinking, irrigation and aquaculture water supplies. However, because the sustainable use concept of groundwater resources is lack, excessive pumping of groundwater causes the occurrence of serious land subsidence and sea water intrusion. Thus, the management and conservation of groundwater resources in the Pingtung plain are considerably critical. This study aims to assess the conjunct use effect of groundwater and surface water in the Pingtung plain on recharge by reducing the amount of groundwater extraction. The groundwater quality variability and groundwater flow models are combined to spatially analyze potential zones of groundwater used for multi-purpose in the Pingtung Plain. First, multivariate indicator kriging (MVIK) is used to analyze spatial variability of groundwater quality based on drinking, aquaculture and irrigation water quality standards, and probabilistically delineate suitable zones in the study area. Then, the groundwater flow model, Processing MODFLOW (PMWIN), is adopted to simulate groundwater flow. The groundwater flow model must be conducted by the calibration and verification processes, and the regional groundwater recovery is discussed when specified water rights are replaced by surface water in the Pingtung plain. Finally, the most suitable zones of reducing groundwater use are determined for multi-purpose according to combining groundwater quality and quantity. The study results can establish a sound and low-impact management plan of groundwater resources utilization for the multi-purpose groundwater use, and prevent decreasing ground water tables, and the occurrence of land subsidence and sea water intrusion in the Pingtung plain.

REMOVAL OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS FROM GROUNDWATER.

EPA Science Inventory

More are than lOO million Americans depend on groundwater as a source of drinking water. hree quarters of U.S. cities get their water supplies totally or in part from groundwater and one-third of the largest cities rely on groundwater for at least part of their potable water supp...

Cryptic flows: using multiple tracers to relate dissolved oxygen to hyporheic and groundwater flowpaths in intermittent salmonid streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woelfle-Erskine, C. A.; Larsen, L.; Gomez-Velez, J. D.

2016-12-01

Intermittent streams provide important habitat for aquatic species, including endangered salmonid fishes, but during prolonged dry periods may become depleted in dissolved oxygen (DO). The rate of depletion and the consequent length of time a pool remains habitable depend on DO and carbon concentrations in groundwater and hyporheic flow, and within-pool metabolic rates. We performed repeat surveys, habitat characterization, and ecohydrologic sampling on two intermittent tributaries of Salmon Creek (Sonoma Co., CA) to elucidate controls on salmonid over-summer survival at the pool scale. Pools exhibited heterogeneity within and across stream reaches in salmonid recruitment and survival during the summer dry period. In classification tree analysis, high conductivity (>310 mS/cm) and low DO (<2 ppm) were negatively associated with salmonid survival, with high pool conductivity resulting from either groundwater inflow or evapo-concentration. To distinguish between surface, hyporheic, and groundwater contributions, we measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs), radon (222Rn), and stable isotopes (18O and D) in pools, hyporheic flow, and wells and springs in local aquifers. Radon concentrations in pools ranged from 1.5-2.3 Bq/l, 3-4 orders of magnitude higher than expected for water in equilibrium with air, suggesting substantial groundwater inflow. We developed a five-component PARAFAC model from the EEMs and used with the isotope data to perform an end-member mixing analysis to track water sources and flowpaths. These analyses suggested high separability among groundwaters from aquifers separated by faults and between groundwater and surface water, with groundwater of different age and flowpath length discharging to different pools. Pools with shallow groundwater or hyporheic flow sustained DO concentrations above the threshold for salmonid survival, with shallow groundwater unexpectedly acting as a source

Subsurface warming across the Veluwe area (Netherlands) driven by climate change, urbanisation, groundwater abstraction and aquifer energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bense, Victor; de Kleijn, Christian; van Daal, Jonathan

2017-04-01

Atmospheric warming, urbanisation, land-use changes, groundwater abstraction and aquifer thermal energy storage can induce significant changes in the subsurface thermal regime. These need to better understood and monitored in order for humanity to make efficient use of the subsurface as a thermal reservoir, but also to understand how this space acts as a heat sink during the current warming of the climate. This work aims to improve our understanding of the relative importance, spatiotemporal characteristics and mechanisms of how various environmental processes and anthropogenic activities control changes in subsurface thermal regimes. Such changes are poignantly illustrated by temperature-depth profiles recently obtained in 30 boreholes upto several hundreds of meters deep that are present in the unconsolidated sedimentary aquifer system of the Veluwe area, Netherlands. A comparison to similar data collected in 1978-1980 shows that since then across the entire study area subsurface warming has occurred to depths upto 250 m. The availability of historic land-use maps, hydrogeological and meteorological data for this area allow for a detailed analysis of the observed subsurface warming patterns, which is aided by numerical models of coupled groundwater and heat flow. On a regional scale and across the entire first 100-150 m into the subsurface, the classic thermal signatures of variations in land-use, groundwater recharge and discharge fluxes, are increasingly overprinted by those of regional atmospheric warming and urbanisation. In the topographically higher, forested groundwater recharge areas groundwater is significantly cooler (upto 6 K) than in the open agricultural lands where groundwater is discharging. The presence of a thick (upto 30-40 m) unsaturated zone in the recharge area probably enhances this striking contrast in groundwater temperature in addition to the effects of groundwater recharge and the presence of forest. Locally and at larger depths, however

Geophysical Characterization of Groundwater-Fault Dynamics at San Andreas Oasis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faherty, D.; Polet, J.; Osborn, S. G.

2017-12-01

undocumented fault bounding the opposite margin of the oasis and trending subparallel to the HSF. We thus speculate that the Hidden Springs Fault and this possible secondary fault act as partial barriers to lateral subsurface flow and form a structural wedge, localizing groundwater beneath the oasis.

Megacity pumping and preferential flow threaten groundwater quality

PubMed Central

Khan, Mahfuzur R.; Koneshloo, Mohammad; Knappett, Peter S. K.; Ahmed, Kazi M.; Bostick, Benjamin C.; Mailloux, Brian J.; Mozumder, Rajib H.; Zahid, Anwar; Harvey, Charles F.; van Geen, Alexander; Michael, Holly A.

2016-01-01

Many of the world's megacities depend on groundwater from geologically complex aquifers that are over-exploited and threatened by contamination. Here, using the example of Dhaka, Bangladesh, we illustrate how interactions between aquifer heterogeneity and groundwater exploitation jeopardize groundwater resources regionally. Groundwater pumping in Dhaka has caused large-scale drawdown that extends into outlying areas where arsenic-contaminated shallow groundwater is pervasive and has potential to migrate downward. We evaluate the vulnerability of deep, low-arsenic groundwater with groundwater models that incorporate geostatistical simulations of aquifer heterogeneity. Simulations show that preferential flow through stratigraphy typical of fluvio-deltaic aquifers could contaminate deep (>150 m) groundwater within a decade, nearly a century faster than predicted through homogeneous models calibrated to the same data. The most critical fast flowpaths cannot be predicted by simplified models or identified by standard measurements. Such complex vulnerability beyond city limits could become a limiting factor for megacity groundwater supplies in aquifers worldwide. PMID:27673729

Groundwater and Terrestrial Water Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodell, Matthew; Chambers, Don P.; Famiglietti, James S.

2011-01-01

Most people think of groundwater as a resource, but it is also a useful indicator of climate variability and human impacts on the environment. Groundwater storage varies slowly relative to other non-frozen components of the water cycle, encapsulating long period variations and trends in surface meteorology. On seasonal to interannual timescales, groundwater is as dynamic as soil moisture, and it has been shown that groundwater storage changes have contributed to sea level variations. Groundwater monitoring well measurements are too sporadic and poorly assembled outside of the United States and a few other nations to permit direct global assessment of groundwater variability. However, observational estimates of terrestrial water storage (TWS) variations from the GRACE satellites largely represent groundwater storage variations on an interannual basis, save for high latitude/altitude (dominated by snow and ice) and wet tropical (surface water) regions. A figure maps changes in mean annual TWS from 2009 to 2010, based on GRACE, reflecting hydroclimatic conditions in 2010. Severe droughts impacted Russia and the Amazon, and drier than normal weather also affected the Indochinese peninsula, parts of central and southern Africa, and western Australia. Groundwater depletion continued in northern India, while heavy rains in California helped to replenish aquifers that have been depleted by drought and withdrawals for irrigation, though they are still below normal levels. Droughts in northern Argentina and western China similarly abated. Wet weather raised aquifer levels broadly across western Europe. Rains in eastern Australia caused flooding to the north and helped to mitigate a decade long drought in the south. Significant reductions in TWS seen in the coast of Alaska and the Patagonian Andes represent ongoing glacier melt, not groundwater depletion. Figures plot time series of zonal mean and global GRACE derived non-seasonal TWS anomalies (deviation from the mean of

Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater movement, and water budget of the Kitsap Peninsula, west-central Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, Wendy B.; Frans, Lonna M.; Olsen, Theresa D.

2014-01-01

-permeability confining units that separate discontinuous bodies of aquifer material and act as local groundwater-flow barriers. Groundwater-level fluctuations observed during the monitoring period (2011–12) in wells completed in unconsolidated hydrogeologic units indicated seasonal variations ranging from 1 to about 20 feet. The largest fluctuation of 33 feet occurred in a well that was completed in the bedrock unit. Streamgage discharge measurements made during 2012 indicate that groundwater discharge to creeks in the area ranged from about 0.41 to 33.3 cubic feet per second. During 2012, which was an above-average year of precipitation, the groundwater system received an average of about 664,610 acre-feet of recharge from precipitation and 22,122 acre-feet of recharge from return flows. Most of this annual recharge (66 percent) discharged to streams, and only about 4 percent was withdrawn from wells. The remaining groundwater recharge (30 percent) left the groundwater system as discharge to Hood Canal and Puget Sound.

Groundwater data network interoperability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brodaric, Boyan; Booth, Nathaniel; Boisvert, Eric; Lucido, Jessica M.

2016-01-01

Water data networks are increasingly being integrated to answer complex scientific questions that often span large geographical areas and cross political borders. Data heterogeneity is a major obstacle that impedes interoperability within and between such networks. It is resolved here for groundwater data at five levels of interoperability, within a Spatial Data Infrastructure architecture. The result is a pair of distinct national groundwater data networks for the United States and Canada, and a combined data network in which they are interoperable. This combined data network enables, for the first time, transparent public access to harmonized groundwater data from both sides of the shared international border.

Groundwater contamination in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tase, Norio

1992-07-01

Problems on groundwater contamination in Japan are briefly summarized in this paper. Although normal physical conditions in Japan restrict the possibilities of groundwater contamination, human activities are threatening groundwater resources. A survey by the Environment Agency of Japan showed nationwide spreading of organic substances, such as trichloroethylene as well as nitrogen compounds. Synthetic detergents have also been detected even in rural areas and in deep confined aquifers, although their concentrations are not as high. Public awareness of agrichemical or pesticides abuse, especially from golf courses, is apparent. Other problems such as nitrate-nitrogen, leachate from landfills, and the leaking of underground storage tanks are also discussed.

Hydroeconomic modeling of sustainable groundwater management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacEwan, Duncan; Cayar, Mesut; Taghavi, Ali; Mitchell, David; Hatchett, Steve; Howitt, Richard

2017-03-01

In 2014, California passed legislation requiring the sustainable management of critically overdrafted groundwater basins, located primarily in the Central Valley agricultural region. Hydroeconomic modeling of the agricultural economy, groundwater, and surface water systems is critically important to simulate potential transition paths to sustainable management of the basins. The requirement for sustainable groundwater use by 2040 is mandated for many overdrafted groundwater basins that are decoupled from environmental and river flow effects. We argue that, for such cases, a modeling approach that integrates a biophysical response function from a hydrologic model into an economic model of groundwater use is preferable to embedding an economic response function in a complex hydrologic model as is more commonly done. Using this preferred approach, we develop a dynamic hydroeconomic model for the Kings and Tulare Lake subbasins of California and evaluate three groundwater management institutions—open access, perfect foresight, and managed pumping. We quantify the costs and benefits of sustainable groundwater management, including energy pumping savings, drought reserve values, and avoided capital costs. Our analysis finds that, for basins that are severely depleted, losses in crop net revenue are offset by the benefits of energy savings, drought reserve value, and avoided capital costs. This finding provides an empirical counterexample to the Gisser and Sanchez Effect.

Human health and groundwater

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The high quality of most groundwaters, consequent upon the self-purification capacity of subsurface strata, has long been a key factor in human health and wellbeing. More than 50% of the world’s population now rely on groundwater for their supply of drinking water – and in most circumstances a prope...

The distribution and hydrogeological controls of fluoride in the groundwater of central Ethiopian rift and adjacent highlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayenew, Tenalem

2008-05-01

Occurrence of fluoride (F) in groundwater has drawn worldwide attention, since it has considerable impact on human health. In Ethiopia high concentrations of F in groundwaters used for community water supply have resulted in extensive dental and skeletal fluorosis. As a part of a broader study, the distribution of F in groundwater has been investigated, and compared with bedrock geology and pertinent hydrochemical variables. The result indicates extreme spatial variations. High F concentration is often associated with active and sub-active regional thermal fields and acidic volcanics within high temperature rift floor. Variations in F can also be related to changes in calcium concentration resulting from dissolution of calcium minerals and mixing with waters of different chemical composition originated from variable hydrogeological environment across the rift valley. The concentration of F dramatically declines from the rift towards the highlands with the exception of scattered points associated with thermal springs confined in local volcanic centers. There are also interactions of F-rich alkaline lakes and the surrounding groundwater. Meteoric waters recharging volcanic aquifers become enriched with respect to F along the groundwater flow path from highland recharge areas to rift discharge areas. Locally wells drilled along large rift faults acting as conduits of fresh highland waters show relatively lower F. These areas are likely to be possible sources of better quality waters within the rift. The result of this study has important implications on site selection for water well drilling.

Review: groundwater in Alaska (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Callegary, J.B.; Kikuchi, C.P.; Koch, Joshua C.; Lilly, M.R.; Leake, S.A.

2013-01-01

Groundwater in the US state of Alaska is critical to both humans and ecosystems. Interactions among physiography, ecology, geology, and current and past climate have largely determined the location and properties of aquifers as well as the timing and magnitude of fluxes to, from, and within the groundwater system. The climate ranges from maritime in the southern portion of the state to continental in the Interior, and arctic on the North Slope. During the Quaternary period, topography and rock type have combined with glacial and periglacial processes to develop the unconsolidated alluvial aquifers of Alaska and have resulted in highly heterogeneous hydrofacies. In addition, the long persistence of frozen ground, whether seasonal or permanent, greatly affects the distribution of aquifer recharge and discharge. Because of high runoff, a high proportion of groundwater use, and highly variable permeability controlled in part by permafrost and seasonally frozen ground, understanding groundwater/surface-water interactions and the effects of climate change is critical for understanding groundwater availability and the movement of natural and anthropogenic contaminants.

Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program Groundwater Monitoring Data Compendium, Revision 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This document is a compendium of water quality and hydrologic characterization data obtained through December 2005 from the network of groundwater monitoring wells and surface water sampling stations (including springs and building sumps) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee that have been sampled since January 2003. The primary objectives of this document, hereafter referenced as the Y-12 Groundwater Protection Program (GWPP) Compendium, are to: (1) Serve as a single-source reference for monitoring data that meet the requirements of the Y-12 GWPP, as defined in the Y-12 GWPP Management Plan (BWXTmore » Y-12 L.L.C. [BWXT] 2004); (2) Maintain a detailed analysis and evaluation of the monitoring data for each applicable well, spring, and surface water sampling station, with a focus on results for the primary inorganic, organic, and radiological contaminants in groundwater and surface water at Y-12; and (3) Ensure retention of ''institutional knowledge'' obtained over the long-term (>20-year) history of groundwater and surface water monitoring at Y-12 and the related sources of groundwater and surface water contamination. To achieve these goals, the Y-12 GWPP Compendium brings together salient hydrologic, geologic, geochemical, water-quality, and environmental compliance information that is otherwise disseminated throughout numerous technical documents and reports prepared in support of completed and ongoing environmental contamination assessment, remediation, and monitoring activities performed at Y-12. The following subsections provide background information regarding the overall scope and format of the Y-12 GWPP Compendium and the planned approach for distribution and revision (i.e., administration) of this ''living'' document.« less

Analyze Trends: State Hazardous Waste Dashboard | ECHO ...

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

ICIS-NPDES Biosolids Annual Report Download Summary ...

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

NPDES eRule Readiness and Data Completeness ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

ICIS-Air Download Summary and Data Element Dictionary ...

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

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EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

Technical Users Background Document | ECHO | US EPA

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.

Hypoxia Task Force Scope and Methodology | ECHO | US ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ECHO, Enforcement and Compliance History Online, provides compliance and enforcement information for approximately 800,000 EPA-regulated facilities nationwide. ECHO includes permit, inspection, violation, enforcement action, and penalty information about facilities regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) Stationary Source Program, Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Elimination Discharge System (NPDES), and/or Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Information also is provided on surrounding demographics when available.