F-Area seepage basins, groundwater quality assessment report, first quarter 1990

Abstract

During the first quarter of 1990, wells which make up the F-Area Seepage Basins (F-HWMF) monitoring network were sampled. Laboratory analyses were performed to measure levels of hazardous constituents, indicator parameters, tritium, gross alpha, and nonvolatile beta. The primary contaminants observed at wells monitoring the F-Area Seepage Basins are tritium, nitrate, cadmium, lead, total radium, gross alpha, and nonvolatile beta. Concentrations of at least one of the following constituents: tritium, nitrate, total radium, gross alpha, cadmium, lead, tetrachloroethylene, nonvolatile beta, endrin, lindane, barium, fluoride, mercury, and trichlorethylene in excess of the primary drinking water standard (PDWS) were observed in at least one well monitoring the F-Area Seepage Basins. Tritium concentrations above the PDWS occur in forty-four of the fifty-nine (75%) groundwater monitoring wells. Nitrate concentrations above the PDWS occur in thirty-four of the fifty-nine (59%) groundwater wells. The radionuclides, total radium, gross alpha, and nonvolatile beta, exceed the PDWS is over twenty-five percent of the groundwater wells. Heavy metals, cadmium and lead in particular, exceed the PDWS in over twelve percent of the wells. Since 1987, tritium and nitrate concentrations have been steadily declining in a majority of the wells. However, tritium concentrations, from fourth quarter 1989 to first quarter 1990, have increased.