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The Organization and Operation of the Savannah River Plant's Groundwater Monitoring Program |
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| Authors: | CM Olson JD Heffner |
| Institution: | Clifford M. Olson is a geologist with the E.I. du Pont de Nemours &Co. Inc. (Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29808). He earned both a B.S. and an M.S. in geology from the University of Cincinnati. At the Savannah River Plant he was responsible for developing and operating the Groundwater Monitoring Program. He is currently assigned to du Pont's plant at Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, a site with a 100-year history of manufacturing explosives. He is responsible for developing and implmenting the Remedial Investigation Program at the plant. This program will locate and assess the environmental impacts of waste disposal.;James D. Heffner is also a geologist with E.I. du Pont de Nemours &Co. Inc. (Savannah River Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29808). He earned a B.S. in geology from Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Pennsylvania. He currently coordinates the Groundwater Monitoring Program at the Savannah River Plant, and has previously worked on environmental issues and on trace element analyses of water and sediment in various geologic settings. |
| Abstract: | The Groundwater Monitoring Program at the Savannah River Plant currently consists of more than 700 wells at more than 70 sites, and growth is projected. The organization and operation of the program has been designed to support an active drilling program, the acquisition of a large amount of repetitive data, the generation of numerous reports, associated QA/QC controls, and provisions for additional growth. The design is centered around two key features—modular components and computer usage. The modular component concept is an organizational tool that gives one group responsibility for a specific portion of the program. This responsibility includes the operation of its segment and the coordination of operations with the other groups in the program. Computers, the associated software programs, and a simple set of rules (the sampling guide) enables the program to accommodate large amounts of repetitive data in a timely, uniform manner. Feedback loops are included to ensure that new data are incorporated into future program decisions (new sample schedules and well locations). The highly automated system determines new sample schedules, collates/reviews incoming data, and generates various reports. Six reports are issued on a regular basis, from quarterly to annually, to ensure that the program is adequately documented. The program has been in successful operation for more than a year and has accommodated the expected growth. |
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