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Arsenic Fate, Transport And Stability Study: Groundwater, Surface Water, Soil And Sediment Investigation At Fort Devens Superfund Site
Citation:
FORD, R. G., K. G. SCHECKEL, S. D. ACREE, R. R. ROSS, B. K. LIEN, P. J. CLARK, AND T. LUXTON. Arsenic Fate, Transport And Stability Study: Groundwater, Surface Water, Soil And Sediment Investigation At Fort Devens Superfund Site. Presented at Fort Devens Superfund Site, Base Cleanup Team Meeting, Devens, MA, May 15, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
To examine, during a field investigation, the distribution of arsenic in groundwater, surface water, and sediments at the Fort Devens Superfund Site.
Description:
A field investigation was conducted to examine the distribution of arsenic in groundwater, surface water, and sediments at the Fort Devens Superfund Site. The study area encompassed a portion of plow Shop Pond (Red Cove), which receives groundwater discharge from the aquifer underlying Shepley's Hill Landfill. Groundwater discharge into the study area was characterized as having high ferrous iron and arsenic concentrations. Patterns in groundwater discharge were assessed via a network of vertically nested wells, piezometers, and advective flux meter deployments in sediments to map out small scale variations in discharge into the surface water body. These groundwater measurements were supplemented with vertical profiling of surface water chemistry and evaluation of arsenic sequestration during iron oxide precipitation at the sediment-water interface. Spatial patterns of arsenic speciation in sediments within Red Cove were also determined. The results of this study demonstrate that direct discharge of groundwater contaminated with arsenic into Red Cove is the primary source of elevated arsenic concentrations in sediments. Arsenic concentrations are elevated above ambient water quality criteria in Red Cove surface water, including locations with minimal contaminated groundwater discharge. Recommendations were provided for addressing contaminated groundwater and sediments within the study area.