Monitoring Changes in Groundwater Quality at Jackson Hole Airport

USGS monitoring to determine if Jackson Hole Airport operations affect groundwater

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The Snake River alluvial aquifer lies beneath much of the Snake River valley in northwestern Wyoming, including Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole Airport. The aquifer is an important water source used for domestic, commercial, and irrigation purposes by the airport and nearby residents.  

From 2008 to 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Jackson Hole Airport Board collaborated on two studies that identified water quality concerns in the aquifer related to airport operations (Wright, 2008 and 2013). Specifically, these studies found low oxygen levels, elevated levels of dissolved iron and manganese, and the presence of benzotriazoles – compounds found in aircraft deicing/anti-icing fluids (ADAFs). These conditions can affect the safety of drinking water, the quality of commercial and irrigation water, and the health of aquatic ecosystems.  

Researchers collected groundwater samples from ten wells across the airport grounds. Researchers found that seven of the wells exhibited low-oxygen conditions and elevated levels of iron and manganese, regularly exceeding Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) secondary drinking water regulations. Notably, these conditions often coincided with the presence of benzotriazoles, compounds which were once common ADAF additives. Evidence indicates this is because glycols, the primary component in ADAF, use a lot of oxygen to biodegrade. As glycols biodegrade, oxygen levels in the aquifer are reduced creating an environment which available iron and manganese can be dissolved from aquifer sediments. All wells containing benzotriazoles were located downgradient from airport operations, particularly the terminal where deicing occurred before the deicing pad was operational in 2012.

Changes to airport operations can restore groundwater quality 

To address concerns about aquifer contamination, Jackson Hole Airport implemented several changes to its aircraft deicing procedures and infrastructure. Starting in 2008, the airport used a specialized truck to vacuum excess ADAF from the airport apron (where planes are parked) for offsite disposal. In 2009, the airport transitioned to a more environmentally friendly ADAF formulation. Furthermore, in 2012, a new deicing pad and recovery system became operational. This system collects excess ADAF in a 30,000-gallon tank before disposal off-site. From 2015 to 2019, the airport replaced the apron and installed a system that drains runoff through a stormwater detention and filtration system, rerouted all wastewater to the town of Jackson wastewater treatment facility, and replaced the airport’s underground tank fuel farm with an above-ground system that includes leak and spill protections.  

USGS monitoring of groundwater quality to detect trends 

To evaluate the effect of these changes on groundwater quality, the USGS continued monitoring through 2020. Data collected during the period from 2012 to 2020 was analyzed to characterize and determine if trends could be detected in the groundwater. Despite continued detections of the ADAF compound, the study determined that concentrations of iron, manganese, and benzotriazoles tended to decrease over the study period, while oxygen levels increased. These trends indicate that the water quality of the aquifer improved over the study period, likely due to the changes in airport deicing practices and infrastructure. 

^References 

^{Wright, P.R., 2013, Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, water years 2011 and 2012: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5184, 56 p., https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135184} 

^{Wright, P.R., 2010, Hydrogeology and water quality in the Snake River alluvial aquifer at Jackson Hole Airport, Jackson, Wyoming, September 2008–June 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5172, 54 p.}