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2003 Progress Report: Fate and Transport of Metals and Sediment in Surface Water

EPA Grant Number: R829515C002
Subproject: this is subproject number 002 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R829515
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: HSRC - Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites
Center Director: Shackelford, Charles D.
Title: Fate and Transport of Metals and Sediment in Surface Water
Investigators: Julien, Pierre , Bledsoe, Brian P. , Stein, Otto , Watson, Chester
Institution: Colorado State University , Montana State University - Bozeman
EPA Project Officer: Lasat, Mitch
Project Period: November 1, 2001 through October 31, 2003
Project Period Covered by this Report: November 1, 2002 through October 31, 2003
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation

Description:

Objective:

The main objectives of this research project are to: (1) develop a methodology for evaluating impacts from sediment and metals on watersheds; and (2) improve and develop computer modeling tools for the simulation of erosion and sedimentation of sediment and metals in surface waters. This research focuses on surface water and sediment transport, with an emphasis on the fate and transport of metals in rivers from mining waste sites. The ultimate goal of our research is to improve our mechanistic understanding of the interaction between heavy metals and fine sediment.

Progress Summary:

Recognizing that the transport of particles typically is independent of transport from other sources, the sediment transport algorithms in CASC2D-SED, an existing sediment and fate transport model developed by the principal investigator for watersheds, were extended to permit simulation of an unlimited number of particle types. The extension allows soil and sediment particles and associated particulate chemicals from different source areas, such as mine waste piles, to be simulated as independent constituents while allowing the total delivery of particles and associated chemicals to be simulated as the sum of all particle types.

The CASC2D-SED framework was applied to the California Gulch Superfund site located in Lake County, CO, near the city of Leadville. California Gulch covers an area of 30.6 km2, is within the Arkansas River watershed, and contains approximately 2,000 mine waste piles that serve as potential sources of contaminated sediments that can migrate into the Arkansas River, resulting in water quality and habitat impairments. The metals simulated included copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn), all of which are major components of the impairment. The application of CASC2D-SED to California Gulch was developed from raster data that described ground elevation, land use, soil type, and surface mineralogy (AVIRIS remote sensing data). These data were supplemented by field measurements of metals concentrations and other properties of soil samples collected from waste piles across the site.

Assuming that transport was restricted to particulate materials, model outputs indicate that wastes from piles located throughout the watershed contribute to significant downstream delivery of Cu, Cd, and Zn. Also, the in-stream concentration levels of transported metals would cause significant biological impairments across the site and may be a major component of the toxicity observed at a downstream monitoring site on the Arkansas River.

Future Activities:

All original objectives have been completed.

Supplemental Keywords:

groundwater, sediments, environmental chemistry, geochemistry, toxicology, remediation, metal mobility, subsurface, microbiology, industry sectors, waste, water, contaminated sediments, ecological risk assessment, ecology, ecosystems, environmental engineering, geology, hazardous, hazardous waste, mining-NAIC 21, remediation, copper, cadmium, zinc, arsenic, selenium, acid mine drainage, acid mine runoff, aquatic ecosystems, contaminant transport, contaminated marine sediment, contaminated waste sites, field monitoring, groundwater, heavy metals, mining, mining impacted runoff, sediment transport, stream ecosystems, suspended sediment. , Industry Sectors, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Remediation, Ecological Risk Assessment, Hazardous Waste, Environmental Engineering, Contaminated Sediments, Hazardous, Mining - NAIC 21, Ecology and Ecosystems, heavy metal contamination, heavy metals, risk assessment, runoff, treatment, mining impacted watershed, contaminated waste sites, mining, mining wastes, stream ecosystems, acid mine runoff, acid mine drainage, groundwater, metal release, remediation technologies, contaminant transport, computer modeling, leaching of toxic metals, metal wastes, aquatic ecosystems, metals, sediment transport, field monitoring, contaminated marine sediment, metals-contaminated soil
Relevant Websites:

http://www.engr.colostate.edu/hsrc/ exit EPA

Progress and Final Reports:
2002 Progress Report
Original Abstract


Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R829515    HSRC - Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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