Effects of Upland Disposal of Dredged Material on Groundwater Quality: Final Report

Robert Morrison · Robert Stearns

ene 1980 · U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of upland disposal of dredged material on groundwater quality. To this end, a baseline field study and sampling program was instituted at four case study sites: Grand Haven, Michigan; Sayreville, New Jersey; Houston, Texas; and Mobile, Alabama. Analyses of soil, disposed sediments, interstitial water, and groundwater were to provide information and data by which this impact could be quantified. Preliminary field testing was performed to characterize the hydrogeological system to define leachate pathways and possible controlling mechanisms from each site. Collection of groundwater samples consisted of two distinct sampling efforts. The initial study utilized 26 water samplers installed in or adjacent to each site, including 12 located within the dredged material, 10 offsite, and 4 directly below the site. Four field samplings were performed at approximately 3-month intervals. The second sampling effort relied upon six groundwater wells. The total number of samplings consisted of two at Pinto Island, four at Grand Haven, and five at Sayreville and Houston. Analyses of leachates from this sampling effort showed data comparable to the initial study. These data revealed the potential adverse water quality impact could exist. Degradation of groundwater resources within the proximity of the site would most probably be due to chloride, potassium, sodium, calcium, total organic carbon, alkalinity, iron, and manganese. Cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, zinc, and phosphorus concentrations were found to exist at levels that do not seem to pose water quality problems.