Michelle M. Lorah, Hydrologist

Education

Ph.D.

University of Maryland, 1999. Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences Program. Specialization in Environmental Chemistry.

M.S.

University of Virginia, 1987. Environmental Sciences Department. Specialization in Aqueous Geochemistry.

B.S.

Pennsylvania State University, 1983. Department of Geosciences. Geosciences with minor in Marine Science.

Professional Memberships

• American Chemical Society (Environmental Chemistry Section)
• Society of Wetland Scientists American Geophysical Union (Hydrology Section)
• American Society of Microbiologists
• American Geophysical Union (Hydrology Section)

Research Interests

Biotic and abiotic transformations of organic contaminants in subsurface and surface aqueous environments. Biogeochemical and hydrologic changes that occur at zones of groundwater/ surface-water interaction, including wetlands and bottom sediments of streams and lakes, and their influence on biodegradation or immobilization of contaminants. Development of field sampling and analytical technologies to study contaminant fate and redox reactions in wetlands.

Professional Experience

1992-present, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland. Project chief of study investigating fate and mobility of chlorinated volatile organic compounds at a U.S. Army site (Aberdeen Proving Ground) where groundwater contaminant plumes discharge to a tidal wetland and creek. Conduct field and laboratory work to study biogeochemistry, hydrology, and microbial communities in wetland with overall purpose of determining feasibility of monitored natural attenuation in the wetland sediments as a remediation method for the plumes. Ongoing project that I started in 1992 and have submitted proposals yearly to the U.S. Army to continue and expand. Lisa Olsen became co-project chief in September 1999.

1998-present, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland. Co-project chief (with Dr. David Burris, Air Force Research Laboratory, Tyndall AFB, FL) of an interagency Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) study demonstrating natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents in groundwater plumes discharging to 3 wetlands. Expanded research at Aberdeen Proving Ground to a national scale.

1994-1996, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland. Collaborator and field coordinator for interagency Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) study to examine toxicological effects of contaminants in estuarine environments.

1985-1992, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Maryland. Investigated inorganic and organic contamination in ground water, surface water, and soil at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Became project chief in 1989.

1983-1985, Teaching Assistant, University of Virginia. Taught undergraduate laboratory/field classes in hydrology.

Professional Activities

Committee on Environmental Remediation at Naval Facilities, National Research Council. July 2000-present.
Associate Editor of Water Resources Research. October 1997- present.

USEPA Monitoring Oxidation-Reduction Processes for Groundwater Restoration Workshop. Invited participant. Dallas, Texas, April 2000.

Wetlands & Remediation: An International Conference. Natural Attenuation Session Chair. Salt Lake City, Utah, November 1999.

USEPA Groundwater/Surface-Water Interaction Workshop. Invited participant and presenter. Denver, Colorado, January 1999.

TIGER Team Technology Review, U.S. Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center. Provided recommendations for Remediation Program Managers, Chesapeake Division, 1996.

Technical review team, USEPA, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. Evaluated proposals for a Federal sponsored program to establish a Ground-Water Remediation Technologies Analyses Center, April-May 1995.

U.S. Geological Survey Ground-Water Chemistry Peer Panel for Research Grade Evaluation Group. Reston, Virginia, April 11-15, 1994.

Academic Lectures

Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland. Johns Hopkins University, Environmental Engineering and Chemistry Series, October 1999.

Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland. University of Maryland, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, April 1998.

Bioremediation of chlorinated solvents in a freshwater tidal wetland. University of Virginia, Program of Interdisciplinary Research in Contaminant Hydrogeology, October 1997.

Fate and mobility of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: Field and laboratory studies. Presentation and tour of field site for Chemistry Seminar group from University of Maryland and The Geological Society of Washington, November 1996.

Fate and mobility of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: Field and laboratory studies. Presentation and tour of field site for Chemistry Seminar group from University of Maryland, October 1995.

Honors and Awards

• David A. Aronson Report of the Year Award, 1997, USGS Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4171.
• Quality Step Increase, U.S. Geological Survey, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998
• Certificate of Recognition, United States Army Materiel Command, 1992. Recognition of development of unique methods to assess environmental impacts of contaminants.
• Chevron Scholarship and Edwin L. Drake Memorial Scholarship, Pennsylvania State University, 1982-83.

Publications

—REFEREED JOURNALS

Lorah, M.M., Olsen, L.D., Capone, D.G., and Baker, J.E., in press, Biodegradation of trichloroethylene and its anaerobic daughter products in freshwater wetland sediments: Bioremediation Journal.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1999, Degradation of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in a freshwater tidal wetland: Field and laboratory evidence: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 33, p. 227-234.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: Field evidence of anaerobic biodegradation: Water Resources Research, v. 35, no. 12, p. 3811-3827.

Vroblesky, D.A., and Lorah, M.M., 1991, Prospecting for zones of contaminated ground-water discharge to streams using bottom-sediment gas bubbles: Ground Water, v. 29, p. 333-340.

Vroblesky, D.A., Lorah, M.M., and Trimble, S.P., 1991, Mapping zones of contaminated-ground-water discharge using creek-bottom-sediment vapors, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: Ground Water, v. 29, no. 1, p. 7-12.

Lorah, M.M., and Herman, J.S., 1988, The chemical evolution of a travertine-depositing stream: Geochemical processes and mass transfer reactions: Water Resources Research, v. 24, p. 1541-1552.

Herman, J.S., and Lorah, M.M., 1988, Calcite precipitation rates in the field: Measurement and prediction for a travertine-depositing stream: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 52, p. 2347-2355.

Herman, J.S., and Lorah, M.M., 1987, CO2 outgassing and calcite precipitation in Falling Spring Creek, Virginia, U.S.A.: Chemical Geology, v. 62, p. 251-262.

Hubbard, D.A., Giannini, W.F., and Lorah, M.M., 1985, Travertine-marl deposits of the Valley and Ridge Province of Virginia- A preliminary report: Virginia Minerals, v. 31, no. 1, p. 1-8.

Herman, J.S., and Lorah, M.M., 1986, Groundwater geochemistry in Warm River Cave, Virginia: NSS (National Speleological Society) Bulletin, v. 48, p. 54-61.

—U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORTS

Lorah, M.M., Olsen, L.D., Smith, B.L, Johnson, M.A., and Fleck, W.B., 1997, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4171, 95 p.

Olsen, L.D., Lorah, M.M, Marchand, E.H., Smith, B.L., and Johnson, M.A., 1997, Hydrogeologic, water-quality, and sediment-quality data for a freshwater tidal wetland, West Branch Canal Creek, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 97-560, 267 p.

Lorah, M.M., and Clark, J.S., 1996, Contamination of ground water, surface water, and soil, and evaluation of selected ground-water pumping alternatives in the Canal Creek area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: U. S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-282, 318 p.

Vroblesky, D.A., Lorah, M.M., and Oliveros, J.P., 1995, Ground-water, surface-water, and bottom-sediment contamination in the O-Field area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and the possible effects of selected remedial actions on ground-water quality: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper Report 2399, 95 p.

Lorah, M.M., and Vroblesky, D.A., 1989, Inorganic and organic ground-water chemistry in the Canal Creek area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 89-4022, 97 p.

—CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS AND BOOK CHAPTERS

Lorah, M.M., Voytek, M.A., and Kirstein, J., 2000, Biotic and abiotic degradation of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in wetland sediments: Geochemical and microbial community analyses: Division of Environmental Chemistry Extended Abstracts, v. 40, no. 2, p. 332-334. Presented at the 220th ACS National Meeting, Washington, D.C., August 20-24, 2000.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 2000, Natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents in a freshwater tidal wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: Proceedings of the Ground-water/Surface-water Interactions Workshop, EPA/542/R-00/007, p. 126-130.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program-Proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Charleston, SC, March 8-12, 1999: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 99-4018C, v.3, p. 653-666.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1998, Anaerobic and aerobic biodegradation of chlorinated solvents in a freshwater wetland: in Natural Attenuation: Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, G.B. Wickramanayake and R.E. Hinchee (Eds.), p. 27-32: Battelle Press, Columbus, Ohio.

Olsen, L.D., and Lorah, M.M., 1998, Natural attenuation of chlorinated VOCs in wetlands: Ground Water Currents, September 1998, no. 29, EPA 542-N-98-008, p. 1-2.

Lorah, M.M., Olsen, L.D., and Smith, B.L., 1997, Natural attenuation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in a freshwater wetland: in In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation, v. 3, p. 207-212: Batelle Press, Columbus, Ohio.

Lorah, M.M., and Herman, J.S., 1990, Geochemical evolution and calcite precipitation rates in Falling Spring Creek, Virginia: in Travertine-marl: Stream deposits in Virginia: Virginia Division of Mineral Resources Publication 101, Herman, J.S., and Hubbard, D.A., Jr. (Eds.), p. 17-32: Charlottesville, Virginia.

Oliveros, J.P., Vroblesky, D.A., and Lorah, M.M., 1988, Increasing purging efficiency through the use of inflatable packers: Proceedings of the Second National Outdoor Action Conference on Aquifer Restoration, Ground Water Monitoring and Geophysical Methods, May 23-26, 1988, Las Vegas, Nevada: National Water Well Association, Columbus, Ohio, p. 457-469.

Herman, J.S., and Lorah, M.M., 1986, Chemical evolution of water in Warm River Cave and Falling Spring Creek, Virginia, USA: Proceedings of the IX International Speleological Congress, Barcelona, Spain, August 1986, p. 77-79.

—THESES

Lorah-Devereux, M.M., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: University of Maryland, Ph.D. Dissertation.

Lorah, M.M., 1987, The chemical evolution of a travertine-depositing stream: University of Virginia, M.S. Thesis.

—CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND ABSTRACTS

Burris, D.R., Lorah, M.M., Dyer, L.J., Hayworth, J.S., and Antworth, C.P., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents in wetlands: SERDP/ESTCP-Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium and Workshop, Arlington, VA, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 1999.

Lorah, M.M., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: Wetlands & Remediation, An International Conference, sponsored by Batelle, Salt Lake City, UT, November 16-17, 1999. Invited.

Lorah, M.M., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Joint Environmental, Engineering and Construction Conference, St. Louis, MO, March 22-26, 1999. Invited.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program Technical Meeting, Charleston, SC, March 8-12, 1999.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1999, Natural attenuation of chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a freshwater tidal wetland, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: USEPA Workshop on Ground-water/Surface-water Interactions, Denver, CO, January 26-28, 1999. Invited.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1998, Anaerobic and aerobic biodegradation of chlorinated solvents in a freshwater wetland: The First International Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, Monterey, CA, May 18-21, 1998.

Lorah, M.M., Fleck, W.B., and Olsen, L.D., 1997, Hydrologic controls on distribution of chlorinated volatile organic contaminants and biogeochemical constituents in a freshwater tidal wetland: Geological Society of America (GSA) Abstracts with Programs, v. 29, no. 6. Presented at the GSA Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, October 20-23, 1997.

Lorah, M.M., 1997, Natural attenuation of chlorinated alkenes and alkanes in a freshwater wetland: National Ground Water Association 49th Annual Convention/Exposition, Biological Aspects of Ground Water seminar, Los Vegas, NV, September 4-6, 1997. Invited.

Lorah, M.M., Olsen, L.D., and Smith, B.L., 1997, Natural attenuation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in a freshwater wetland: 4th International Symposium on In Situ and On-Site Bioremediation, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 28-May 1, 1997.

Lorah, M.M., and Olsen, L.D., 1996, Field and laboratory evidence of anaerobic degradation of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in a freshwater wetland: EOS Transactions, v. 77, no. 46, p. 216. Presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 15-19, 1996.

Lorah, M.M., Olsen, L.D., Smith, B.L., and Johnson, M.A., 1996, Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and redox-sensitive constituents in aquifer and wetland sediments, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: EOS Transactions, v. 77, no. 17, p. 140. Presented at the AGU Spring Meeting, Baltimore, MD, May 20-24, 1996.

Lorah, M.M., and Coutlakis, M.D., 1994, Effects of biogeochemical processes on trichloroethylene transformation in aquifer and wetland sediments, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: EOS Transactions, v. 75, no. 44, p. 262. Presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 5-9, 1994.

Lorah, M.M., and Clark, J.S., 1991, Hydrogeologic and geochemical controls on distribution of chlorinated ethylenes in ground water in the Canal Creek area, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: EOS Transactions, v. 72, no. 44, p. 154. Presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 9-13, 1991.

Clark, J.S., and Lorah, M.M., 1991, Use of a ground-water-flow model and particle-tracker post-processor to simulate contaminant movement at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: EOS Transactions, v. 72, no. 44, p. 179. Presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 9-13, 1991.

Vroblesky, D.A., and Lorah, M.M., 1990, Diffusion of volatile organic contaminants from ground water into stream-bottom sediment gas bubbles and its utility for mapping contaminated ground-water discharge zones: EOS Transactions, v. 71, no. 44. Presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 4, 1990.

Vroblesky, D.A., and Lorah, M.M., 1989, Delineation of contaminated ground-water-discharge zones using analysis of bottom-sediment methane bubbles, Canal Creek, Maryland, in Pederson, G.L., and Smith, M.M., eds., U.S. Geological Survey Second National Symposium on Water Quality: Abstracts of the Technical Sessions, Orlando, Florida, November 12-17, 1989: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 89-409, p. 105. Presented at the meeting November 13, 1989.

Lorah, M.M., and Herman, J.S., 1985, Chemical evolution of a travertine-depositing stream: EOS Transactions, v. 66, no. 18, p. 264. Presented at the AGU Spring Meeting, Baltimore, MD, May 27-31, 1985.