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Open-File Report 2011–1079

Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon

Assessment of Soil-Gas and Soil Contamination at the South Prong Creek Disposal Area, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009–2010

By Andral W. Caldwell, W. Fred Falls, Wladmir B. Guimaraes, W. Hagan Ratliff, John B. Wellborn, and James E. Landmeyer

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ABSTRACT

Soil gas and soil were assessed for contaminants at the South Prong Creek Disposal Area at Fort Gordon, Georgia, from October 2009 to September 2010. The assessment included identifying and delineating organic contaminants present in soil-gas and inorganic contaminants present in soil samples collected from the area estimated to be the South Prong Creek Disposal Area, including two seeps and the hyporheic zone. This assessment was conducted to provide environmental contamination data to Fort Gordon personnel pursuant to requirements for the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Hazardous Waste Permit process.

All soil-gas samplers in the two seeps and the hyporheic zone contained total petroleum hydrocarbons above the method detection level. The highest total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration detected from the two seeps was 54.23 micrograms per liter, and the highest concentration in the hyporheic zone was 344.41 micrograms per liter. The soil-gas samplers within the boundary of the South Prong Creek Disposal Area and along the unnamed road contained total petroleum hydrocarbon mass above the method detection level. The highest total petroleum hydrocarbon mass detected was 147.09 micrograms in a soil-gas sampler near the middle of the unnamed road that traverses the South Prong Creek Disposal Area. The highest undecane mass detected was 4.48 micrograms near the location of the highest total petroleum hydrocarbon mass. Some soil-gas samplers detected undecane mass greater than the method detection level of 0.04 micrograms, with the highest detection of toluene mass of 109.72 micrograms in the same location as the highest total petroleum hydrocarbon mass.

Soil-gas samplers installed in areas of high contaminant mass had no detections of explosives and chemical agents above their respective method detection levels.

Inorganic concentrations in five soil samples did not exceed regional screening levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Barium concentrations, however, were up to four times higher than the background concentrations reported in similar Coastal Plain sediments of South Carolina.

Revised November 8, 2011

First posted May 9, 2011

For additional information contact:
Director
USGS South Carolina Water Science Center
Stephenson Center, Suite 129
720 Gracern Road
Columbia, SC 29210–7651
phone: 803–750–6100 http://sc.water.usgs.gov/

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Suggested citation:

Caldwell, A.W., Falls, W.F., Guimaraes, W.B., Ratliff, W.H., Wellborn, J.B., and Landmeyer, J.E., 2011, , Assessment of soil-gas and soil contamination at the South Prong Creek Disposal Area, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 2009–2010: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2011–1079, 34 p.



Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

Description of the Study Area

Methods

Passive Hyporheic Zone and Floodplain Survey

Passive Soil-Gas Survey

Soil Samples

Results

Passive Hyporheic Zone and Floodplain Survey

Passive Soil-Gas Survey

Soil Samples

Summary

References Cited


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