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Contaminants in Groundwater near Superfund sites in Pennsylvania

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By Pennsylvania Water Science Center December 31, 2024

USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of Superfund and other hazardous-waste sites in Pennsylvania, in cooperation with EPA. Additional cooperative support has been provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, National Park Service, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, and local government agencies.

Highlights

  • Many Superfund sites in southeastern Pennsylvania are underlain by Newark Basin fractured-sedimentary-rock aquifers, which historically have been used for industrial and drinking-water supply
  • Field testing characterized the highly heterogeneous and anisotropic strata showing the predominant role of dipping bed-oriented fractures in contaminant migration
  • Measured water levels in wells were used to construct water-level maps, and aquifer testing revealed high-permeability hydraulic connections between wells
  • Groundwater-flow models were developed based on synthesis of monitoring data and field-test results for selected sites
  • Simulations of transport paths were compared to observed contaminant distributions, and the simulated effect of changes in pumping on flow paths helped optimize pump and treat system operation
  • Areas contributing recharge to streams and discharging wells were mapped using the groundwater-flow models; as groundwater withdrawals in the area have decreased, a higher proportion of local recharge ultimately discharges to streams

 

USGS has also investigated groundwater contamination in sedimentary and carbonate aquifers near Philadelphia and in fractured-rock aquifers near former Navy bases in southeastern Pennsylvania in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, EPA, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and others.

 

 

Media
map of Pennsylvania with colored dots, shading, and county outlines
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
National Priority List (NPL) Superfund sites in Pennsylvania. Map identifies sites where USGS cooperative studies are ongoing or have been completed as of October, 2023. (USGS, site locations from catalog.data.gov/dataset/npl-superfund-site-boundaries-epa)

 

No Result Found
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 44

Evaluation of geophysical logs and aquifer-isolation tests, Phase III, August 2002 to March 2004, Crossley Farm superfund site, Hereford township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Evaluation of geophysical logs and aquifer-isolation tests, Phase III, August 2002 to March 2004, Crossley Farm superfund site, Hereford township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Between August 2002 and March 2004, geophysical logging was conducted in 23 boreholes at the Crossley Farm Superfund Site, Hereford Township, Berks County, Pa., to determine the water-producing zones, water-receiving zones, zones of vertical-borehole flow, and fracture orientation where applicable. The boreholes ranged in depth from 71 to 503 ft (feet) below land surface. The geophysical...
Authors
Randall W. Conger, Dennis J. Low
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation tests conducted in well MG-1693 at North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation tests conducted in well MG-1693 at North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation (packer) tests were conducted in well MG-1693 (NP-87) at the North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pa. Objectives of the study were to identify the depth and yield of water-bearing zones, occurrence of vertical borehole flow, and effects of pumping on water levels in nearby wells. Caliper, natural-gamma, single...
Authors
Philip H. Bird
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Arsenic, Boron, and Fluoride Concentrations in Ground Water in and Near Diabase Intrusions, Newark Basin, Southeastern Pennsylvania Arsenic, Boron, and Fluoride Concentrations in Ground Water in and Near Diabase Intrusions, Newark Basin, Southeastern Pennsylvania

During an investigation in 2000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of possible contaminant releases from an industrial facility on Congo Road near Gilbertsville in Berks and Montgomery Counties, southeastern Pennsylvania, concentrations of arsenic and fluoride above USEPA drinking-water standards of 10 ?g/L and 4 mg/L, respectively, and of boron above the USEPA health...
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Ronald A. Sloto
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interpretation of geophysical logs, aquifer tests, and water levels in wells in and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 2000-02 Interpretation of geophysical logs, aquifer tests, and water levels in wells in and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 2000-02

Ground water in the vicinity of various industrial facilities in Upper Gwynedd Township and Lansdale Borough, Montgomery County, Pa., is contaminated with various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The 2-square-mile area was placed on the National Priorities List as the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in 1989. The U.S. Geological...
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Peter J. Cinotto, Randall W. Conger, Philip H. Bird, Karl A. Pracht
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Altitude and configuration of the water-level surface in Mesozoic sedimentary rocks at and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund Site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, December 4-6, 2000 Altitude and configuration of the water-level surface in Mesozoic sedimentary rocks at and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund Site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, December 4-6, 2000

No abstract available.
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Allan J. Ruddy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Description of borehole geophysical and geologist logs, Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Description of borehole geophysical and geologist logs, Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Between October 2002 and January 2003, geophysical logging was conducted in six boreholes at the Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pa., to determine (1) the waterproducing zones, water-receiving zones, zones of vertical borehole flow, orientation of fractures, and borehole and casing depth; and (2) the hydraulic interconnection between the six boreholes and...
Authors
Dennis J. Low, Randall W. Conger
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. National Park Service U.S. National Park Service

USGS has investigated groundwater flow and contaminant transport in the vicinity of Superfund and other hazardous-waste sites in Pennsylvania, in cooperation with EPA. Additional cooperative support has been provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, National Park Service, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties, and local government agencies.

Highlights

  • Many Superfund sites in southeastern Pennsylvania are underlain by Newark Basin fractured-sedimentary-rock aquifers, which historically have been used for industrial and drinking-water supply
  • Field testing characterized the highly heterogeneous and anisotropic strata showing the predominant role of dipping bed-oriented fractures in contaminant migration
  • Measured water levels in wells were used to construct water-level maps, and aquifer testing revealed high-permeability hydraulic connections between wells
  • Groundwater-flow models were developed based on synthesis of monitoring data and field-test results for selected sites
  • Simulations of transport paths were compared to observed contaminant distributions, and the simulated effect of changes in pumping on flow paths helped optimize pump and treat system operation
  • Areas contributing recharge to streams and discharging wells were mapped using the groundwater-flow models; as groundwater withdrawals in the area have decreased, a higher proportion of local recharge ultimately discharges to streams

 

USGS has also investigated groundwater contamination in sedimentary and carbonate aquifers near Philadelphia and in fractured-rock aquifers near former Navy bases in southeastern Pennsylvania in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, EPA, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and others.

 

 

Media
map of Pennsylvania with colored dots, shading, and county outlines
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
National Priority List (NPL) Superfund sites in Pennsylvania. Map identifies sites where USGS cooperative studies are ongoing or have been completed as of October, 2023. (USGS, site locations from catalog.data.gov/dataset/npl-superfund-site-boundaries-epa)

 

No Result Found
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 44

Evaluation of geophysical logs and aquifer-isolation tests, Phase III, August 2002 to March 2004, Crossley Farm superfund site, Hereford township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Evaluation of geophysical logs and aquifer-isolation tests, Phase III, August 2002 to March 2004, Crossley Farm superfund site, Hereford township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Between August 2002 and March 2004, geophysical logging was conducted in 23 boreholes at the Crossley Farm Superfund Site, Hereford Township, Berks County, Pa., to determine the water-producing zones, water-receiving zones, zones of vertical-borehole flow, and fracture orientation where applicable. The boreholes ranged in depth from 71 to 503 ft (feet) below land surface. The geophysical...
Authors
Randall W. Conger, Dennis J. Low
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation tests conducted in well MG-1693 at North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation tests conducted in well MG-1693 at North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Borehole geophysical logging and aquifer-isolation (packer) tests were conducted in well MG-1693 (NP-87) at the North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site near Colmar, Montgomery County, Pa. Objectives of the study were to identify the depth and yield of water-bearing zones, occurrence of vertical borehole flow, and effects of pumping on water levels in nearby wells. Caliper, natural-gamma, single...
Authors
Philip H. Bird
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Arsenic, Boron, and Fluoride Concentrations in Ground Water in and Near Diabase Intrusions, Newark Basin, Southeastern Pennsylvania Arsenic, Boron, and Fluoride Concentrations in Ground Water in and Near Diabase Intrusions, Newark Basin, Southeastern Pennsylvania

During an investigation in 2000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of possible contaminant releases from an industrial facility on Congo Road near Gilbertsville in Berks and Montgomery Counties, southeastern Pennsylvania, concentrations of arsenic and fluoride above USEPA drinking-water standards of 10 ?g/L and 4 mg/L, respectively, and of boron above the USEPA health...
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Ronald A. Sloto
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Interpretation of geophysical logs, aquifer tests, and water levels in wells in and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 2000-02 Interpretation of geophysical logs, aquifer tests, and water levels in wells in and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 2000-02

Ground water in the vicinity of various industrial facilities in Upper Gwynedd Township and Lansdale Borough, Montgomery County, Pa., is contaminated with various volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The 2-square-mile area was placed on the National Priorities List as the North Penn Area 7 Superfund site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in 1989. The U.S. Geological...
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Peter J. Cinotto, Randall W. Conger, Philip H. Bird, Karl A. Pracht
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Altitude and configuration of the water-level surface in Mesozoic sedimentary rocks at and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund Site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, December 4-6, 2000 Altitude and configuration of the water-level surface in Mesozoic sedimentary rocks at and near the North Penn Area 7 Superfund Site, Upper Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, December 4-6, 2000

No abstract available.
Authors
Lisa A. Senior, Allan J. Ruddy
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Description of borehole geophysical and geologist logs, Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Description of borehole geophysical and geologist logs, Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania

Between October 2002 and January 2003, geophysical logging was conducted in six boreholes at the Berks Sand Pit Superfund Site, Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pa., to determine (1) the waterproducing zones, water-receiving zones, zones of vertical borehole flow, orientation of fractures, and borehole and casing depth; and (2) the hydraulic interconnection between the six boreholes and...
Authors
Dennis J. Low, Randall W. Conger
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Pennsylvania Water Science Center

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. National Park Service U.S. National Park Service

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