NCD980840409_19870209_Charles Macon Lagoon & Drum_FRBCERCLA RI_Remedial Investigation-OCR

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ROUTll.u AND TRANSMITTAL SLIP
Date
TO: (Name, office symbol, room number, lnitiils Date ··
building, Agency/Post) . · .
1. [Al:~\l0.1,,-.,,. jv\Q.VQf'
I
2.
3. !~CANNEr -1
' 1
4. I i::i::i:i • 7 ?nn I ' . I ' .
5. f.if'\ --
Action Fili ~·-• "" 'nd Return
Approval For Clearance Per Conversation
A#. Requesled For Correction Prepare Reply
Circulate For Your Information See Me
Comment Investigate Slof\atura--
Coordination Justify
REMARKS
DO NOT use this form as a RECORD of••approvala, concurrencea, dlapoaala.
clearances, and similar ~ctlons ·
FROM: (Name, org. symbol, Agency/Posl)
* U .S.GPO: t 9_85·0·491 ·24 7120032
Room No.-Bldg.
Phone No.
OPTIONAL FORM 41 (Rav. 7,78),
Pr .. crlbed lty IIA
FPMR(41 CfRIIOHUDI
•
January 30, 1987
Mr. Jon K. Bornholm
Remedial Project Manager
USEPA
Emergency & Remedial Response Branch
345 Courtland Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30365
Dear Jon:
• ;-/J ,-J t t: -9 J D
Metcalf & Eddy, Inc.
Chemical waste
Management Division
10 Harvard Mill Square
Wakefield. Massachusens
Mailing Address: PO. Box 4043
Woburn. MA 01888-4043
As per our discussion, I have enclosed the following materials to be inserted
into the Chemtronics DRAFT RI report which you are currently receiving:
Page 3-148 (inserted after Figure 3.5-4) which includes
Table 3.5-1 and Table 3.5-2.
Page 3-149 (inserted after Page 3-148) which includes text
material which may have been inadvertently left out in your copies.
Reference section to be included in the RI report immediately
following Chapter 6.0 Conclusions.
Page 3-1, page 3-131 and page 4-131 should be deleted from your DRAFT RI
report and the enclosed corresponding pages should be substituted. The minor
changes made to these pages are as follows:
Page 3-1, reference (USGS, 1979) located in second paragraph, line
4 should read (IGCP, 1979).
Page 3-131, under section 3.4.11.1 in the first paragraph, the
words "discussed previously." should be added to the last sentence.
Page 4-31, reference (EPA, 1985) located near the end of the last
paragraph should read (EPA, 1984).
Please let me know if you have any other questions. I look forward to
receiving your comments in mid-February.
Very truly yours,
METCALF & EDDY, INC.
Chemical Waste Management Division
C?,e{ __ ;__,, I? ~,f
Christopher L. Hagger, P.E.
RI/FS Project Manager
cc: Mr. John F. Schultheis,
Dr. Gary Serio .
Mr. David Lawton --C1.D.M.
Te!eor-or;e (617) 2..:;:;-s2CO-l':!,e, 6811067 1:.1::ED •~''.'.'1 :~ 67:3/3:-Cooi<:? :.H::TS.DiJ-5os,c,r
: !,:;,v 'r'o:• 0alo -"llo Sc1r, 2e',":iWJ1no I i:'.•i:1e. c;.,; .!.r11."G\::r re,g:--,:s. :;__ Ch,c;;go Coiu':lOL3 ~,")L'ol•)n .:.;13n:a 31a-ic-,:.,'-'rg :.:J Sl ~ons. ,,.0
• •
3.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3. 1 GEOLOGY
The geology of the Asheville-Swannanoa area has been discussed in several
published sources. Characterization of the site-specific geology was
determined from field inves_tigation.
3.1.1 Regional Geology
The Chemtronics site (RI site) lies within the Blue Ridge geologic province.
This province extends northeast and southwest from Pennsylvania to Alabama but reaches its greatest width in the segment of the sourthern Appalachians
encompassing Tennessee, the Carolinas, and northern Georgia (IGCP, 1979). The Blue Ridge province is predominantly composed of ancient igneous and
metamorphic rocks that were formed between 360 and 1600 million years ago (NRCD, 1985; Dallmeyer, 1975; Fullagar et al., 1979; Fullagar and Odom,
1973). These rock formations were deeply buried within the earth's crust and were subjected to deformational and metamorphic processes. The rocks have
been complexly folded and faulted in a northeasterly direction, parallel to the regional trend of the mountains. These structural and metamorphic
imprints are reflected in the topographic and drainage patterns within the region.
The predominant rock types in the area are high-grade metamorphic rocks such as biotite gneiss, a coarse-grained rock in which bands of the minerals quartz and feldspar alternate with bands of the platy mineral biotite; and
garnet-muscovite schist, a medium-to coarse-grained rock composed almost
entirely of platy minerals (micas) arranged in subparallel orientation. Both of these rock types exhibit foliation, a texture produced by alignment or compositional banding of minerals that make up the rock. On both a regional
and local basis, the foliation in these two rock types is generally parallel
to the northeasterly orientation of the Blue Ridge province. The foliation
dip, or the angle and direction relative to a horizontal plane, varies
throughout the area, whereas the foliation strike, or compass bearing is
3-1
METCALF a EDDY
• •
Methylene chloride was detected in 12 of 14 sediment samples and is assumed to
be due to laboratory bias as is discussed in Section 2.2.3, on quality
assurance.
Effect of the 1986 Drought. Rainfall was extremely low during the sampling
period as discussed in Section 3.2. 1. If rainfall had been normal, increased
baseflow and greatly increased surface runoff would have resulted.
Surface water analytical results indicate the effects of contaminated baseflow
only from groundwater, not surface runoff. In a normal year, infiltration
through disposal areas and clean areas would increase by the same amount.
This would result in baseflow that may be the same concentration of
contaminants as 1986; but the total mass of contaminants leaving the site may
be greater. Storm or surface runoff may increase disproportionately over 1986
in a normal rainfall year. The effect of this may be to cause greater erosion --.,_ and sediment movement from the site disposal areas. However, greater
streamflow would serve to flush out contaminated sediment that had accumulated
in the stream bed. Sediment concentrations would therefore most likely
decrea~e in a normal year.
3.4.11.1 Front Valley
Volatile Organics. Volatile organics detected in surface water and sediment
are shown in Figure 3.4-.11. Volatile organic compounds were found in all the
surface water samples from sites in Front Valley. 1,2-dichloroethane was
found in the highest concentrations of all the volatiles at RW7 (11 mg/1) and
decreased to 0.012 mg/1 at RW3. The concentration of 1,2-dichlorethane
increased between RW 12 and RW 10, indicating a possible source between.
them. This contamination may be attributable to baseflow originating in DA
10/11 or some other unknown source. No 1,2-dichlorethane was found at RW 3,
indicating that DA 23 may be a major source of 1,2-dichlorethane, as
discussed previously.
Trichloroethylene was found at RW 7 and RW 12. DA 23 may not be a source of
trichloroethane, because trichloroethylene was not found in soil borings from
DA 23 or in well water samples downstream of .DA 23. The possible source of
3-131
METCALF 6 EDDY
• •
TABLE 3.5-1. SIMULATED DISCHARGE OF 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE FROM ACID PITS
DISPOSAL AREA
Recharge= 8 in/yr
25 years
Contaminant
Contaminated water
Average concentration
50 years
Contaminant
Contaminated water
Average concentration
Recharge= 16 in/yr
25 years
Contaminant
Contaminated water
Average concentration
50 years
Contaminant
Contaminated water
Average concentration
To Surface Water To Bedrock
Disp=30
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10.5 lb/yr
137,000 rt3/yr
1.2mg/l
15.4 lb/ye
168000 ft.:S /yr
1.5 mg/1
34.0 lb/yr
24, 0000 rt3 /yr
2.3 mg/1
36.5 lb/yr
25,5000 rt3/yr
2.3 mg/1
NOTE: Assumes leachate concentration of 10 milligrams per liter
Width of disposal area 200 feet
TABLE 3.5-2. DISPERSIVITY SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF ACID PITS
Contaminant Contaminated
Dispersivity Discharge Wa~er Concentration
(feet) {lb/yr) (ft /yr) (mg/1)
25 Years
10 8.68 114,000 1. 22
30 10. 51 137,000 1. 23
100 11. 31 163,000 1. 11
50 Years
10 14.28 149,000 1. 54
30 15.37 168,000 1. 47
100 16.42 213,000 1. 24
NOTE: Assumes Recharge= 8 in/yr
3-148
• •
significantly when the dispersivity was increased beyond 30 feet. The
distribution of contaminants at 25 and 50 years is illustrated in
Figures 3.5-5 and 3.5-6. This shows the effect of a recharge rate of 8 inches
a year. the distribution of contaminants at 25 and 50 years for recharge of
16 inches is shown in Figures 3.5-7 and 3.5-8. There is little difference in
the plume shape between 25 and 50 years, indicating that steady-state
conditions are being approached.
The mass loading rates and the contaminant distribution indicate that at the
present time all contamination entering the surficial aquifer from the acid
pits disposal area discharges to the bedrock aquifer. The model shows that no
discharge of contaminated water from the surficial aquifer to the stream is
presently occurring at the discharge point of the model as shown on figure
3.5-1. It is estimated that the bedrock aquifer now receives from 10 to 34
lb/yr of 1,2-dichloroethane from the acid pit area. The low underflow
estimated in the water budget description and the hydrogeology assessment
indicate that most of this water discharges to Gregg Branch or Bee Tree
Creek. However, analytical data indicates that Gregg Branch and Bee Tree
Creek are not now affected by this potentially contaminated bedrock aquifer
discharge. This may be due to overestimation by the model or to the estimated
low rate of groundwater movement through the bedrock aquifer, which was not
modeled in this study.
3.5.3 Disposal Area 23 Model
The modeled cross section for DA 23 is shown in Figure 3.5-9. This disposal
area is a tile leachfield that was covered in part by the lined biolagoon in
1979. The initial heads on the upper and lower boundaries and the bedrock
surface were taken from the bedrock water table, surficial water table, and
bedrock surface maps.
To match the steep water table slope at the upstream end of the modeled area,
permeability was reduced at the upgradient end and increased at the downstream
end to achieve a mass balance between water exiting the aquifer to bedrock at
the upstream end and entering the aquifer from bedrock at the downstream
3-149
! .
• •
'physiological changes (Clayton, 1982). Chronic human exposure by
inhalation can lead to liver and kidney damage.
The chronic toxicity of benzene is greater than that of toluene due to its
hematotoxic characteristics. Chronic benzene exposures lead to a decrease
in one or all of the circulating elements of the blood (red blood cells,
white blood cells, and/or platelets). Ch.ronic exposure to benzene has also
been associated with leukemia, and mutagenicity tests have shown benzene
exposure to cause persistent chromosomal abnormalities.
Most acute and chronic toxicity of benzene to aquatic organisms occurs at
. ··~ :" .
concentrations greater than 5,000 )g/1. The acute toxicities of eight
different species tested ranged from 5,300 )g/1 to 386,000 )g/1. The lowest
acute toxicity measured was in rainbow trout. More sensitive species would
show toxicity at lower concentrations (EPA, 1980).
4.4.2.3 Metals. The two metals included in the list of indicator chemicals
are chromium and nickel. The toxicity of metals is greatly effected by the
ionic state or chemical form of the metals. Hexavalent chromium, for
example, is more toxic than trivalent chromium, and certain nickel compounds
appear to be more toxic than others.
There are no available data concerning the toxicity of nickel to humans by
ingestion. There are, however, a number of subchronic and chronic animal
studies that ·examined oral exposure to nickel. In a six-week study of
weanling rats a NOEL was determined to be 10 mg/kg/day of nickel in the form
of nickel acetate. At higher doses, effects observed were decreased body
weight and hematological changes including reduced iron content in red blood
· cells. There are no available data concerning the teratogenicity or
mutagenicity of nickel by ingestion. Inhaled exposure to nickel as nickel
carbonyl has proven to be teratogenic and epidemiological studies have
associated airborne nickel exposures with nasal cavity and lung cancers
(EPA, 1984). Contact with nickel and nickel compounds can lead to dermal
sensitization (Clement, 1985).
4-31
METCALF 6 EDDY
• •
REFERENCES
1. Abram, F., and P. Wilson, The Acute Toxicity of CS to
Rainbow Trout. Water Research 13:631-635, 1978.
2. American Council of Government Industrial Hygienists.
Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values: Picric
Acid. 1971.
3. Anderson, A. W. U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials
Agency, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. Telecon with M.
Doyle (Metcalf & Eddy), October, 1986.
4. Anderson, M. P. Groundwater Contamination. Studies in
Geophysics, 1984.
5. Anderson, M. P. Using Models to Simulate the Movement of
Contaminants Through Groundwater Flow Systems, 1979.
6. Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Buncombe County's Soil and Water: A Program to
Conserve. BCSWCD, Asheville, NC, 1982.
7. Callahan, J. Determination of Source Rocks from Heavy
Minerals in Residual Soil of Saprolite, Piedmont of
North Carolina. Southern Geology 11: 237-252, 1970.
8. Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc., Chemtronics, Inc., Swannanoa,
North Carolina, RI/FS Work Plan, 1985.
9. Carpenter, R. H. Metamorphic History of the Blue Ridge
Province of Tennessee and North Carolina. Geologic
Society of America Bulletin, V. 81, 1970. pp. 749-762.
10. Clayton, G. and F. Clayton. Patty's Industrial Hygiene and
Toxicology, Third Edition. John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
New York, 1982.
11. Clement Associates. Chemical, Physical and Biological
Properties of Compounds Present at Hazardous Waste
Sites. Final Report. Prepared for U.S. EPA, Arlington,
VA, 1985.
12. Dallmeyer, R. D. Incremental 40 Ar 39Ar Ages of Biotite and
Hornblende from Retrograded Basement Gneisses of the
Southern Blue Ridge: Their Bearing on the Age of
Paleozoic Metamorphism. American Journal of Science,
275: 44-460, 1975.
13. Doull, J., C. Klaasen, and M. Amdur. Cassarett and Doull's
Toxicology. The Basic Science of Poisons, Second
Edition. MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., New York,
1985.
• •
REFERENCES (Continued)
14. Dourson, M. (U.S.EPA, ECAO) Personal Communication with M.
Doyle (Metcalf & Eddy), October, 1986.
15. Environ Corporation. Fish Consumption By Recreational
Fisherman: An Example of Lake Ontario/Niagara River
Region. Prepared for Office of Enforcement and
Compliance Monitoring, U.S. EPA, Washington, D.C., May,
1985.
16. Etnier, E. Water Quality Criteria for Hexahydro -1,3,5-
trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX). Oak Ridge National
Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 1986.
17. Fetter, C. W. Applied Hydrology. Charles E. Merritt
Publishing Co., Columbus, OH, 1980. 488p.
18. Floyd, E. 0. and R.R. Peace. An Appraisal of the
19.
Groundwater Resource of the Upper Cape Fear River Basin,
North Carolina. Groundwater Bulletin No. 20. uses and
North Caroling Office of Water and Air Resources, May,
1974. 17p.
Freeze, R. A., and J.A. Cherry. Groundwater.
Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1978.
Prentice -
604p.
20. Fullager, P. D. and A.L. Odon. Geochronology of Precambrian
Gneisses in the Blue Ridge Province of North Western
North Carolina and Adjacent Parts of Virgina and
Tennessee. Geologic Society of America Bulletin, V. 84,
1973. pp 3005-3080.
21. Fullager, P. D., R.D .. Hatcher, Jr., and C.E. Merschat.
1200 M.Y.-old Gneisses in the Blue Ridge Province of
North and South Carolina. Southeastern Geology 20: 69-
77, 1979.
22. Grooms, R. (Chemtronics) Personal Communication with K.
Walker (Metcalf & Eddy), October, 1986.
23. Hatcher, R. D. Tectonics of the Western Piedmont and Blue
Ridge, Southern Appalachians: Review and Speculation.
American Journal of Science, 278: 276-304, 1978.
·24. Hvorslev, M. J. Time Lag and Soil Permeability in
Groundwater Observations. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers,
Waterways Experiment Station Bulletin 36. Vicksburg,
Miss. 1951 .
25. !CF, Incorporated. Superfund Public Health Evaluation
Manual (Draft). Prepared for Office of Emergency and
Remedial Response, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response, Washington, D.C., 1985.
2
• •
REFERENCES (Continued)
26. International Geological Correlation Program. Guidebook for
Southern Appalachian Fieldtrip in the Carolinas,
Tennessee, and Northeastern Georgia. UNESCO Project 27,
1979.
27. Johnson, F. (Chemtronics} Personal Communication with K.
Walker (Metcalf & Eddy}, June, 1985.
28. Kashef, A. I. Groundwater Engineering. McGraw-Hill Book
Co., New York, NY, 1986. 512p.
29. Kirk-Othmer. Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology,
3rd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, 1979.
30. Knauerhase, K. (Metcalf & Eddy}, Field Notebooks, Spring,
1986.
31. LeGrand, H. E., Groundwater and its Contamination in North
Carolina, with Reference to Waste Management, An
Instructional Handbook. NCDNRCD, Raleigh, NC, pp. 19,
41 and 67-68, 1984.
32. Link, D. (North Carolina Department of National Resources
and Community Development). Personal Communicatons with
S. Smith (Metcalf & Eddy), September 1986.
33. Moore, J. (Chemtronics) Personal Communications with K.
Walker (Metcalf & Eddy), October 1986.
34. North Carolina Department of Natural and Economic
Resources. .Geologic Map and Mineral Resources of the
Oteen Quadrangle, North Carolina. Office of Earth
Resources, Raleigh, NC, 1972.
35. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
36.
Occupational Health Guidelines for Chemical Hazards.
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 81-123, 1978.
Natural Resources and Community Development
of}. Geologic Map of North Carolina.
NC, 1985.
(Department
NRCD, Raleigh,
37. Ryon, M., 8. Pal, et al. Database Assessment of the Health
and Environmental Effects of Munition Production Waste
Products. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Rigde, TN,
1984.
38. Schultheis, J. (Chemtronics) Letter to J. Bornholm (EPA),
May 21 , 1986.
39. Schultz, E. F. Problems in Applied Hydrology. 1976.
3
•
REFERENCES (Continued)
40. Thornthwaite, C. W., and J. R. Mather. Instructions and
Tables for Computing Potential Evapotranspiration and
the Water Balance. Drexel Institute of Technology,
Laboratory of Climatology. Vol. X, No. 3, Centerton,
NJ, 1957.
41. Trapp, H. Geology and Groundwater Resources of the
Asheville Area, North Carolina. North Carolina
Department of Water and Air Resources Bulletin No. 16,
1970. 127p.
42. Turner, A., G. Digiano, A. Francis, and P.M. DeRosa. A
Survey of Potential Population Exposures to Chemical
Contaminants in Unprotected Surface Water Supplies in
North Carolina. Water Resources Research Institute
Report no. 213, January 1984.
43. U.S. Army. Problem Definition Studies On Potential
Environmental Pollutants VII. Chemistry and Toxicology
of BZ (3-Quinuclidinyl Benzilate). Medical
Bioengineering Research and. Development Laboratory, Fort
Detrick, Fredrick, MD, 1977.
44. USDA. Predicting Rainfall Erosion/Losses: A Guide to
Conservation Planning, 1978.
45. USDA Soil Conservation Service. Soil Survey, Buncombe
County, North Carolina. Unpublished Updates, 1986.
46. U.S. EPA. Addendum to the Health Assessment Document for
Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride): Updated
Carcinogen Assessment of Dichloromethane. External
Review Draft. OHEA, Washington, D.C., 1985.
47. U.S. EPA. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Chloroform.
Office of Water Regulations and Standards. Criteria and
Standards Division, Washington, D.C., 1980.
48. U.S. EPA. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Chlorinated
Ethanes. U.S. EPA, Washington D.C., 1980.
49. U.S. EPA. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for
Tetrachloroethylene. Office of Water Regulations and
Standards, Criteria and Standards Division, Washington,
D.C., 1980.
50. U.S. EPA. Ambient Water Quality Criteria for
Trichloroethylene. Office of Water Regulations and
Standards, Criteria and Standards Division, Washington,
D .C., 1980.
i • •
REFERENCES (Continued)
51. U.S. EPA. Health Effects Assessment for Hexavalent Chromium
(Draft). Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office,
Cincinnati, OH, 1984.
52. U.S. EPA. Health Effects Assessment for Methylene Chloride
(Draft). Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office,
Cincinnati, OH, 1984.
53. U.S. EPA. Health Effects Assessment for Nickel (Draft).
Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office,
Cincinnati, OH, 1984.
54. U.S. EPA. Memo: Health Effects Assessment Summary for 300
Hazardous Organic Constituents From M. Dourson ECAO-
Cincinnati, August, 1982.
55. U.S. EPA. Office of Emergency and Remedial Response,
Washington D.C. National Priorities List Fact Book.
June, 1986. p. 39.
56. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Preliminary Natural
Resources Survey. Memorandum to the Department of the
Interior, Atlanta, GA, September 1986.
57. USGS. Groundwater Hydraulics. Geological Survey
Professional Paper 708. U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, D.C., 1972. 70p.
58. USGS. Water Resource Data. Water Year 1985. North
Carolina, 1985.
59. USGS. Water Supply Characteristics of North Carolina
Streams, 1963.
60. Walton, W. C. Practical Aspects of Groundwater Modeling.
National Water Well Association, Worthington, OH, 1984.
5