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RISK ASSESSMENT ANALYSES USING EPA'S ON-LINE SITE-SPECIFIC TRANSPORT MODELS AND FIELD DATA
Citation:
Weaver, J W. RISK ASSESSMENT ANALYSES USING EPA'S ON-LINE SITE-SPECIFIC TRANSPORT MODELS AND FIELD DATA. Presented at 2003 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act National Meeting: Putting Resource Conservation into Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Washington, DC, August 12-15, 2003.
Impact/Purpose:
To assist decision-making by improving approaches to subsurface contaminant transport modeling based on evaluation of field observations and subsequent development of appropriate modeling approaches and tools.
Description:
EPA has developed a suite of on-line calculators and transport models to aid in risk assessment for subsurface contamination. The calculators (www.epa.gov/athens/onsite) provide several levels of tools and data. These include tools for generating commonly-used model input parameters, transport models, unit conversions and scientific demos. Background information is provided on the calculators, along with an on-line training course on contaminant fate, transport and modeling. The purpose of these resources is to simplify and promote the correct use of the underlying ideas. An example of an input parameter calculator is the retardation factor used in subsurface transport models. The web site includes chemical data sets from superfund, regional RCRA programs and State Agencies. Thus access is provided to a suite of data sets in addition to implementing the formula itself. The available models address recharge-driven plume diving of contaminant plumes; risk estimates of contaminants at receptor locations; and the range of uncertainty in model outputs. Visitors to the web site have used these to design monitoring networks and assess the quality of modeling reports submitted in support of natural attenuation remedies. The presentation will be based on an example application of the web calculators that was drawn from a State Agency case file, and includes evaluation of field data, model application and parameter uncertainty. Suggestions for additions to the calculator site are welcome as we wish to expand the applicability of the web site by addressing more classes of problems.