Surface Water Remediation
PGDP SURFACE WATER & SEDIMENT
SURFACE WATER & SEDIMENT (BACKGROUND)
The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) occupies portions of the Little Bayou and Bayou Creek watersheds in western McCracken County, Kentucky. The PGDP industrial site occupies 740 acres approximately 4 miles south of the Ohio River. Extensive infrastructure within the PGDP industrial site drains west to Bayou Creek or east and north to Little Bayou Creek. Site infrastructure related to surface water and sediment includes; surface water ditches, roof drainage from process buildings, ditches for surface drainage management, water treatment impoundments, storage lagoons, and industrial sewer, potable water, fire, and recirculating cooling water systems.
Historical waste disposal activities, site upgrades, site maintenance, purposeful and accidental process releases have resulted in contaminated soil and sediment within the PGDP industrial area. Over 60 years of plant operations have resulted in legacy impacts to surface water and sediment via runoff, leaching, and leakage. Impacts include transport and deposition of metal, organic, and radionuclide constituents in surface water, sediment and adjacent soils.
Projects
- Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Project Phase 1
- Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Project Phase 2
- Evaluation of Sediment Release Control Technologies
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Development – Phase 1 (Summary)
PROJECT SUMMARY
TMDL Development Phase 1 compiled and assessed available surface water flow and water quality data in order to develop and calibrate a numerical model of the PGDP Industrial Site and adjoining watersheds utilizing Hydrologic Simulation Program Fortran (HSPF) Software. Data gaps in available information related to industrial site surface water discharges precluded the utilization of the HSPF model for application to the development of TMDLs for the PGDP. Information summarizing site conditions relevant to watershed characterization & TMDL development are discussed in the project documents below.
PROJECT DOCUMENTS
- Existing Data compiled including data for Cu, Fe, Pb, and Hg. Data was evaluated and observations about distribution and release were summarized in the document TMDL_PGDP_Existing_Data_Review.
- Hydrologic characterization of the PGDP industrial site, reservation, adjoining watersheds, and surrounding Western Kentucky Wildlife Management Area was conducted and summarized in the documents TMDL PGDP Water Background & Hydrology and TMDL PGDP WATER BUDGET.
- Available data was augmented and re-evaluated. Preliminary TMDL recommendations based on available data were generated.
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Development Phase 1
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Surface Water Assessment and Management of the PGDP Facility and the Surrounding Wildlife Management Area.
BACKGROUND
A comprehensive surface water model has not been developed for the PDGP or the surrounding wildlife management area. In addition, a general mass balance model for process waters does not exist. This project will focus on the development of such models for use in subsequent management plan development and TMDL development.
GOALS
Provide a hydrologic characterization of the PGDP and surrounding Western Kentucky Wildlife Management Area
Develop TMDLs for cited constituents for Little and Big Bayou Creeks
OBJECTIVES
Provide routine interface with UK project manager through email and/or telephone, and when necessary, through written correspondence or actual meetings
Develop and calibrate continuous simulation hydrologic models for both the Big Bayou and Little Bayou Creek watersheds using the HSPF watershed model
Develop a mass balance (spreadsheet) model for the PGDP facility identifying and incorporating all significant water inputs and outputs
INVESTIGATORS
Project Manager
Lindell Ormsbee, Ph.D., Director, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment, University of Kentucky
Principal Investigators
Mike Kemp, Professor, Murray State University
Andy Kellie, Professor, Murray State University
Chandramouli Viswanathan, Ph.D., UK – Civil Engineering
Jane Benson – Murray State University
Michael Matthews – Murray State University
Matthew Phillip – Murray State University
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Project Phase 2 – SUMMARY
PROJECT SUMMARY
TMDL Development Project Phase 1 compiled and assessed available surface water flow and water quality data in order to develop and TMDLs for surface water associated with the PGDP. Based on compilation, assessment and reporting from the TMDL Phase 1 project, it was determined that additional field data was needed to complete evaluation and recommendations for Cu, Fe, Pb, and Hg. Additional data was routinely collected from Bayou Creek, Little Bayou Creek, and reference locations during 2009. Supplemental data and final TMDL recommendations are provided in the report.
PROJECT DOCUMENTS
Final data evaluation and TMDL development discussion are provided in the document “Metals Report for Bayou and Little Bayou Creeks”.
INVESTIGATORS
Project Manager
Lindell Ormsbee, Director, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment, University of Kentucky
Principal Investigators
Mike Kemp, Professor, Murray State University
Andy Kellie, Professor, Murray State University
Chandramouli Viswanathan, Ph.D., UK – Civil Engineering
Steve Meiners, Tricord, Inc., Paducah, Kentucky
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Project Phase 2
Project Title
SUPPLEMENTAL DATA COLLECTION and ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPMENT OF TMDLs FOR PGDP
BACKGROUND
Big Bayou Creek and Little Bayou Creek have been listed on the Kentucky 2002 303(d) list of impaired waters. Under the provisions of the Clean Water Act, individual Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) must be developed for each creek. Constituents of concern for Little Bayou Creek include metals and radionuclides. Constituents of concern for Bayou Creek include mercury, radionuclides, and metals. This project will involve the implementation of TMDLs for constituents of concern for both Little Bayou and Big Bayou Creeks.
GOALS
- Reduce loadings to Big Bayou and Little Bayou Creeks so as to satisfy the state water quality standards
OBJECTIVES
- Identify appropriate technologies for use in reduction of listed constituents
- Develop implementation plan for TMDL
- Work with DOE and KYDOW to implement plan
| Publication Name | Link |
|---|---|
| Metals Report for Bayou and Little Bayou Creeks | Link |
PROJECT SUMMARY
This project identified cost and time-effective methods for controlling releases of contaminated surface water and sediments from the PGDP. Proposed methods for surface water and sediment control were developed thru the application of site-specific hydrologic transport models (SEDCAD) and scaling of treatment systems to operate efficiently relative to concentrations, frequency, rainfall, storage and runoff at the three PGDP sites of interest.
The methods recommended to address sediment and contaminated surface water releases have been implemented successfully at agricultural, industrial, waste disposal, and mining sites.
The data compiled, assessed and modeled to develop the recommended surface water and sediment release control technologies are discussed in detail in the project report.
Principal Investigator
Richard Warner, Ph.D., Department of Ag and Biosystems Engineering, University of Kentucky
Team Members
Dr. Lindell Ormsbee, Director, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy & Environment
Dr. John Volpe, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy & Environment
Steve Hampson, Associate Director/Co-Principal Investigator, University of Kentucky, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy & Environment
Evaluation of Surface Water & Sediment Control Technologies
BACKGROUND
The USDOE and its contractors, the regulatory community, and public have placed high priority on the mitigation of the release of contaminated surface water and sediments from the PGDP and other facilities. There are presently a number of industry-standard engineering approaches that have been applied at the PGDP to address releases of contaminated surface water and sediment from industrial and environmental restoration activities.
The engineering approaches applied to date at the PGDP generally involve large expenditures of capital resources and significant time frames for planning, construction and mitigation implementation. Recent work conducted by the University of Kentucky Agricultural Engineering Department has identified, implemented and monitored cost and time-effective methods for controlling releases of contaminated surface water and sediments from agricultural, industrial, landfill, and mining sites.
This project will focus on identifying readily implementable and cost effective surface water and sediment release control technologies that address surface water release pathways at the PGDP.
Performance modeling that accounts for the range of industrial and meteorological conditions encountered at the PGPD will be conducted to ensure the appropriateness of remedial recommendations.
GOALS
Evaluate the adequacy and performance of existing surface water controls
Identify areas where surface water and sediment release controls should be implemented
Identify appropriate cost and time effective surface water/sediment release control methods for # 2 above
Conduct performance modeling for # 3 above
OBJECTIVES
Review of existing data that is expected to consist of meteorological (rainfall, evaporation and possibly wind speed and direction)
Review of existing site maps including topography and watersheds
Review of current runoff and water quality data for outfalls 011, 008, and 015
Review of current control systems (channels, pond(s), by-pass, etc.) for the outfalls 011, 008, and 015
Prediction of hydrological response (rainfall-runoff) for current conditions
Assessment of the performance of the current control system with respect to runoff, sediment and selective water quality constituents
Conceptual design of alternative control systems for both long term and short term conditions
Conceptual design of alternative controls systems in support of field assessment project associated with outfall 011
