Installation Restoration Program Ecological Impact Monitoring
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This fact sheet provides information
on ecological impact monitoring which addresses potential ecological concerns associated
with the cleanup of groundwater plumes emanating
from the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR). The Air Force Center for Environmental
Excellence (AFCEE) initiated the Ecological Studies Program in 1996 to coincide with the
installation of several groundwater treatment systems.
Currently, there are 12 groundwater treatment systems operating at MMR. In 2000, AFCEE integrated the Ecological Studies
Program with performance monitoring (a sampling program that ensures each treatment system
is operating as designed) into a combined program called System Performance and Ecological
Impact Monitoring Program (SPEIM). The purpose of the Ecological Impact Monitoring (EIM) portion of the SPEIM is to monitor and evaluate potential effects of groundwater plumes and the groundwater cleanup activities (i.e. treatment systems) on the various ecosystems on or surrounding MMR. To accomplish this, the following objectives need to be achieved:
Words in italics are defined in the glossary
at the end of this fact sheet. General
Conclusions Ecosystems that depend primarily on
groundwater for their continued health could be affected by groundwater contamination and
related cleanup activities. Based on data through 1999, the currently operating
groundwater treatment systems are not adversely affecting local ecosystems and there is no
indication of consistent or measurable MMR-related contaminants in surface water bodies,
with the following exceptions: [1] Trichloroethylene
(TCE) has been shown to be upwelling into Johns Pond and [2] Ethylene dibromide (EDB) has been shown to be
upwelling in the Quashnet River. EDB also
has been detected in bog ditches adjacent to the Coonamessett River. Background Generally speaking, the EIM compares the quality of groundwater before and after it is discharged from the treatment systems and looks for changes that could potentially affect local ecosystems. The major components of that comparison include the following:
Overview
of Ecological Program Ecological monitoring currently is being
performed on ecosystems associated with seven groundwater plumes which have treatment
systems in place originating from MMR (see map below). They are: Ashumet Valley, Chemical
Spill-10 (CS-10), Fuel Spill-1 (FS-1), Fuel Spill-12 (FS-12), Fuel Spill-28 (FS-28),
Landfill-1 (LF-1) and Storm Drain-5 (SD-5).
Please see an example
below of how a groundwater plume, (in this case, the FS-12 groundwater plume) is monitored
in the Ecological Studies program. Monitoring of ecosystems is done in two
phases. Phase I establishes baseline characterization of
ecosystems that may be affected by groundwater contamination or cleanup activities. Phase I also looks at “reference”
ecosystems, which are not potentially affected by groundwater contamination or its cleanup
activities, and serve as a comparison before a treatment system becomes fully operational. Conditions within the natural state of groundwater
such as fluctuations in the water table, temperature, and pH also are evaluated. Once treatment systems have been
constructed and started up, Phase II is
implemented to assess potential adverse impacts to ecosystems from the operation of the
groundwater treatment systems. The following ecosystems are studied:
Groundwater, surface water and sediments are analyzed for:
Biological resources surveyed include vegetation, amphibians and threatened/endangered species. Baseline Characterization (Phase I) Baseline monitoring is used to
characterize ecosystems prior to groundwater treatment system operation. Phase I data are
collected for up to a year prior to operation of a groundwater treatment system.
Measurements are done up to four to six times per year, if possible. Ecosystems most likely to be potentially
affected by operation of the treatment systems were selected for monitoring. Similar types of ecosystems also were selected to
be used as reference ecosystems. Baseline conditions in reference ecosystems are compared
to conditions of potentially affected ecosystems. The differences between the two
ecosystems are evaluated further. This comparison is used to determine possible effects on
an ecosystem from the operation of the treatment system. Operational Monitoring (Phase II) Operational monitoring is used to
determine if groundwater treatment systems may be affecting ecosystems. A two-tiered
process is used to assess ecological parameters. Tier I parameters are directly measurable effects associated with the operation of the treatment system. Currently, Tier I parameters are:
Tier
II parameters are those which are
affected indirectly by the operation of a groundwater treatment system (e.g. natural state
of a water body, aquatic biological resources). To measure potential effects of a
treatment system on ecosystems, Tier I and Tier II parameters are measured against a
reference ecosystem and compared to baseline conditions. If no reference ecosystem is
identified, Phase II results are compared to Phase I results to determine if a treatment
system may be affecting an ecosystem. Ecological criteria guidelines have been developed for the Tier I and Tier II parameters for use in identifying changes that, if exceeded, may require a corrective or preventive response. These guidelines were developed jointly with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Technical Review and Evaluation Team (TRET). These ecological criteria guidelines are used both in designing groundwater treatment systems (in order to prevent or minimize adverse impacts to nearby ecosystems), and in evaluating whether or not the system is adversely affecting the local ecosystem. Example of General Ecological Studies Outline (ex. Fuel Spill-12 (FS-12)) Potentially
Impacted Areas: Snake Pond is the only ecosystem that was monitored for the FS-12
area. However, neighboring Weeks Pond
initially was monitored as a potentially impacted area, but was eliminated because groundwater recharge to Weeks Pond
initially flowed through Snake Pond. Therefore,
impacts associated with plume contaminants and the treatment system would initially be
observed in Snake Pond. Reference
Areas: Triangle and Peters Ponds Contaminants
of concern: ethylene dibromide (EDB) and benzene Phase I activities: The following activities were conducted during Phase I:
Phase II activities: The following activities were conducted during Phase II:
Results to date: Most of the Tier I and II parameters were within acceptable ecological guidelines. Those not within guidelines were attributed to natural variation.
Key cleanup system features: The FS-12 treatment system consists of 25 extraction wells, a treatment plant, and 23 reinjection wells. The system treats 800 gallons per minute (over one million gallons per day). Reports Currently, reports are prepared quarterly
during Phase I and semiannually during Phase II. Reports
that include the assessment or evaluation of data are produced annually. Because startup time for each treatment system
varies, reports are issued on slightly different schedules. For
More Information: Information pertaining to plume cleanup
can be found in several plume-specific fact sheets and other AFCEE publications available
at local libraries or on this website. Doug Karson, Community Involvement
Specialist Jim Murphy, Community Involvement
Coordinator Ellie Grillo, Community Involvement
Coordinator dissolved
organic carbon— The fraction of total organic
carbon in water that passes through a 0.45 micron pore-diameter filter. ecosystem—A
system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. ethylene dibromide (EDB)—An additive formerly used in aviation gas to control the build-up of lead in engines. field
parameters—Measurements made in the field for pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific
conductivity, oxidation-reduction potential, and turbidity. groundwater
plume—That portion of groundwater containing contaminants that exceed federal
and state drinking water levels or other risk-based levels. Contaminated water can result when fuels,
solvents, or other contaminants are spilled or released to the ground. When these materials filter and move downward
through the sandy Cape Cod soil, they enter the water table, contaminating the
groundwater. As the groundwater moves, the
contaminants are carried along with it, creating a groundwater plume. pH— A measure of the degree of the acidity or the alkalinity of a solution as measured on a scale ("pH scale") of 0 to 14. 7 is neutral, while 0 is more acidic, and 14 is more basic. piezometer—A
small, hand-driven monitoring well that is used to sample groundwater that is near the
ground surface. seepage
meter—A small device used to determine inflow and outflow rates of groundwater to
a pond. staff
gauge—A measuring device that is placed in a pond or river to record water level
fluctuations. System
Performance and Ecological Impact Monitoring (SPEIM) Program—The merged program
of the Ecological Studies Program and the Performance
Monitoring Program. The SPEIM program helps
to determine if the extraction wells are capturing the plume as designed, if the treatment
plant is operating efficiently, and whether there are any impacts to the surrounding
ecosystems. Technical
Review and Evaluation Team (TRET)—A group of hydrogeological and ecological
experts from MADEP, EPA, HAZWRAP/Oak Ridge National Laboratories, Waste Policy Institute
(WPI), AFCEE, the Cape Cod Commission, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the University
of Utah, Kansas State University, the Barnstable County Science Advisory Panel, the Woods
Hole Oceanic Institution, and other local scientists. The TRET is tasked with advising the
remedial project managers, AFCEE, and its contractors on technical and scientific issues
of concern. Trichloroethylene
(TCE)—A solvent used to dissolve or disperse another substance such as oil, and
is often used in degreasing metal. volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—Any organic compound that evaporates readily to the atmosphere. |
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