Annual report of monitoring at Barnes, Kansas, in 2010.
- Environmental Science Division
The Commodity Credit Corporation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (CCC/USDA) operated a grain storage facility at Barnes, Kansas, in 1949-1974. Carbon tetrachloride contamination was initially detected in 1986 in the town's public water supply wells. In 2006-2007, the CCC/USDA conducted a comprehensive targeted investigation at and near its former property in Barnes to characterize this contamination. Those results were reported previously (Argonne 2008a). The results of that investigation indicated that carbon tetrachloride contamination is present in groundwater at low to moderate levels in the vicinity of the former CCC/USDA grain storage facility. Information obtained during the 2006-2007 investigation also indicated that at least one other potential source might have contributed to the groundwater contaminant plume (Argonne 2008a). The former agriculture building owned by the local school district, located immediately east of well PWS3, is also a potential source of the contamination. In November 2007, the CCC/USDA began periodic groundwater monitoring at Barnes. The monitoring is being conducted on behalf of the CCC/USDA by Argonne National Laboratory, under the direction of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). The objective is to monitor the carbon tetrachloride contamination identified in the groundwater at Barnes. Through 2010, sampling was conducted in a network of 28 individual monitoring wells (at 19 distinct locations), 2 public water supply wells, and 1 private well (Figure 1.1). The results of the 2006-2007 targeted investigation and the subsequent monitoring events (Argonne 2008a-d, 2009a,b, 2010) demonstrated the presence of carbon tetrachloride contamination in groundwater at levels exceeding the KDHE Tier 2 risk-based screening level (RBSL) of 5.0 {micro}g/L for this compound. The contaminant plume appears to extend from the former CCC/USDA property northwestward, toward the Barnes public water supply wells. Long-term monitoring of the groundwater levels and the contaminant distribution has confirmed that pumping of the public water supply wells affects the direction of groundwater flow. When these wells are not pumping, the direction of groundwater flow is to the northeast. However, when they are pumping, groundwater flow is directed to the northwest, toward the public wells. A contingency interim measure (Argonne 2009c) has been approved by the KDHE (2009) and will be implemented if the two operating public water supply wells become contaminated at levels above the RBSL of 5.0 {micro}g/L for carbon tetrachloride. This current report presents the results of monitoring conducted in 2010. Sampling of the monitoring well network was conducted in March-April 2010 and September 2010. In addition, the two operating public water supply wells were sampled in June 2010 and December 2010. On the basis of an evaluation of the data collected in 2006-2009 (Argonne 2010), including a trend analysis of the site contamination and its migration, the KDHE (2010) concurred that future monitoring will occur on an annual basis, with twice-yearly sampling of the two public water supply wells in service (conducted in cooperation with the city). The KDHE (2010) also agreed to decrease the number wells to be sampled in the future, as discussed in Section 5.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDA
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1018915
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/EVS/AGEM/TR-11-04; TRN: US201114%%513
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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