DTIC ADA444120: Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for Wells in the Spring Creek Area Near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000

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Prepared in cooperation with the
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE,
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE
Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for
Wells in the Spring Creek Area near Arnold Air
Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000
Open-File Report 01-150
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
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Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for Wells in the Spring
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Creek Area Near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000
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a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE SAR 22
unclassified unclassified unclassified
Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98)
Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18

Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data
for Wells in the Spring Creek Area near Arnold
Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000
By SHANNON D. WILLIAMS and ROBERT A. AYCOCK
U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 01-150
Prepared in cooperation with the
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE,
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE
Nashville, Tennessee
2001
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
GALE A. NORTON, Secretary
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
CHARLES G. GROAT, Director
Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this report is for identification
purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the
U.S. Geological Survey.

For additional information write to: Copies of this report may be purchased from:
District Chief U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Information Services
640 Grassmere Park, Suite 100 Federal Center
Nashville, Tennessee 37211 Box 25286
Denver, Colorado 80225
CONTENTS
Executive summary................................................................................................................................................................ 1
Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Study area.................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Hydrogeologic setting.................................................................................................................................................. 3
Ground-water levels............................................................................................................................................................... 4
Ground-water quality............................................................................................................................................................. 4
Physical properties....................................................................................................................................................... 8
Volatile organic compounds........................................................................................................................................ 8
Quality-assurance/quality-control samples.................................................................................................................. 9
Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................... 11
References ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11
APPENDIX 1. Physical properties of water from private wells sampled in the Spring Creek area
near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee ................................................................................................................. 14
APPENDIX 2. Volatile organic compounds detected in water from private wells sampled in the
Spring Creek area near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee .................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX 3. Trip-blank and equipment-blank data for volatile organic compounds
detected in water from private wells sampled in the Spring Creek area near
Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee.......................................................................................................................... 16
FIGURES
1. Map showing location of the study area in Middle Tennessee........................................................................... 2
2. Chart showing stratigraphy, lithology, and hydrogeologic units for the
Arnold Air Force Base area, Tennessee...................................................................................................................... 4
3-5. Maps showing:
3. Private and monitoring wells at which water-level or water-quality data were collected
in the Spring Creek area near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee..................................................................... 5
4. Altitude of the potentiometric surface of the Manchester aquifer in the Spring Creek area
near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000.......................................................................... 8
5. Summary of volatile organic compounds of concern detected in water samples from
private wells in the Spring Creek area near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee................................................ 10
TABLES
1. Well-construction and water-level data for private and monitoring wells in the
Spring Creek area near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee................................................................................ 6
2. Volatile organic compound analytes, reporting limits, and method detection limits.................................................. 9
3. Ranges and median values of selected physical properties of water samples from private
wells in the Spring Creek area near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee.................................................................... 9
Contents iii
CONVERSION FACTORS, VERTICAL DATUM, AND SITE-NUMBERING SYSTEM
Multiply By To obtain
inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter
foot (ft) 0.3048 meter
mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer
acre 4,047 square kilometer
acre 0.4047 hectare
square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer
gallon per minute (gal/min) 0.06308 liter per second
Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) can be converted to degrees Celsius (°C), and temperature in °C to °F, as follows:
°F = 1.8 x °C + 32
°C = 5/9(°F – 32)
Sea level: In this report, “sea level” refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 1929)—a geodetic
datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea
Level Datum of 1929.
Site-numbering system for wells: In addition to the project number, the U.S. Geological Survey assigns each site listed in this
report a station identification number. The station identification number is used as an identifier for site data stored in the
national computer data base of the U.S. Geological Survey. The station identification number is a unique number for each
site based on a latitude and longitude grid system. The number consists of 15 digits. The first 6 digits denote the degrees,
minutes, and seconds of latitude; the next 7 digits denote degrees, minutes, and seconds of longitude; and the last 2 digits
(assigned sequentially) identify the wells within a 1-second grid.
iv Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for Wells in the Spring Creek Area
near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000
Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for Wells
in the Spring Creek Area near Arnold Air Force
Base,Tennessee, April and May 2000
By Shannon D. Williams and Robert A. Aycock
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY fractured bedrock in the lower part of the Manches-
ter aquifer, or a combination of these two zones.
Arnold Air Force Base (AAFB) occupies
Concentrations of 50 of the 55 VOC’s ana-
about 40,000 acres in Coffee and Franklin Coun-
lyzed for were less than method detection limits.
ties, Tennessee. Numerous site-specific ground-
Chloroform, acetone, chloromethane, 2-butanone,
water contamination investigations have been
and tetrachloroethylene were detected in concen-
conducted at designated solid waste management
trations exceeding the method detection limits.
units (SWMU’s) at AAFB. Several synthetic vol-
Only chloroform and acetone were detected in
atile organic compounds (VOC’s), primarily chlo-
concentrations equal to or exceeding reporting
rinated solvents, have been identified in ground-
limits. Chloroform was detected in a sample from
water samples collected from monitoring wells
one well at a concentration of 1.2 micrograms per
near SWMU 8 in the Spring Creek area.
liter (µg/L). Acetone was detected in a sample
During April and May 2000, a study of the
from another well at a concentration of 10 µg/L.
ground-water resources in the Spring Creek area
Acetone also was detected in a duplicate sample
was conducted to determine if VOC’s from
from the same well at an estimated concentration
AAFB have affected local private water supplies
of 7.2 µg/L, which is less than the reporting limit
and to advance understanding of the ground-
for acetone. The only contaminant of concern
water-flow system in this area. The study focused
detected was tetrachloroethylene. Tetrachloroeth-
on sampling private wells located within the
ylene was detected in only one sample, and this
Spring Creek area that are used as a source of
detection was at an estimated concentration below
drinking water. Ground-water-flow directions
the reporting limit. None of the VOC concentra-
were determined by measuring water levels in
tions exceeded drinking water maximum contami-
wells and constructing a potentiometric-surface
nant levels for public water systems.
map of the Manchester aquifer in the study area.
Data were collected from a total of 35 private
wells and 22 monitoring wells during the period
INTRODUCTION
of study. Depths to ground water were determined
for 22 of the private wells and all 22 of the moni-
Arnold Air Force Base (AAFB) occupies about
toring wells. The wells ranged in depth from 21 to
40,000 acres in Coffee and Franklin Counties, Tennes-
105 feet. Water-level altitudes ranged from 930 to
see. The primary mission of AAFB is to support the
1,062 feet above sea level. Depths to water ranged
development of aerospace systems. This mission is
from 8 to 83 feet below land surface. Water-
accomplished in part through test facilities at Arnold
quality samples were collected from 29 private Engineering Development Center (AEDC), which
wells which draw water from either gravel zones occupies about 4,000 acres in the center of AAFB
in the upper part of the Manchester aquifer, (fig. 1).
Introduction 1
2 Ground-Water Levels and Water-Quality Data for Wells in the Spring Creek Area
near Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee, April and May 2000
Numerous site-specific ground-water- Study Area
contamination investigations have been conducted at
The AAFB area lies on the eastern Highland
designated solid waste management units (SWMU’s)
Rim physiographic region of Tennessee (Miller, 1974)
at AAFB. Several synthetic volatile organic com-
and ranges from poorly drained, flat uplands to valley-
pounds (VOC’s) have been identified in the ground
dissected, sloping escarpments. The study area is
water near SWMU 8. SWMU 8 is located in the west-
located south of the Camp Forrest area of AAFB and
ern part of AAFB at the former water treatment plant
lies in the Elk River drainage basin (fig. 1). Land-
for Camp Forrest, an Army training center from 1941
surface altitudes range from approximately 1,100 feet
to 1946. Filtration cells and underground holding
above sea level in the Camp Forrest area to approxi-
tanks at the defunct Camp Forrest water treatment
mately 910 feet at the confluence of Spring Creek and
plant were used to dispose of chemical wastes between
the Elk River.
1953 and 1980 (CH2M HILL, 1999). Chlorinated sol-
vents such as tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloro-
ethylene (TCE), 1,1-dichloroethylene (1,1-DCE), and Hydrogeologic Setting
1,1,1-trichoroethane (1,1,1-TCA) have been detected
The AAFB area is located in a fractured carbon-
in ground water at AAFB southeast of SWMU 8.
ate terrane covered by regolith derived from the in-situ
Trichlorofluoromethane (TCFM) has been detected in
weathering of Mississippian-age carbonates. These
ground water at AAFB southeast of SWMU 8 and
geologic units comprise (in descending order): the St.
along Spring Creek south of AAFB (CH2M HILL,
Louis Limestone, the Warsaw Limestone, and the Fort
1999).
Payne Formation (fig. 2; Wilson, 1976; Haugh and
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooper- Mahoney, 1994). Regolith in the AAFB area is typi-
ation with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold Air Force Base, cally 10 to 100 feet thick and consists primarily of
conducted a study of the ground-water resources in the clayey chert rubble with some silt and sand. Typically,
Spring Creek area during April and May 2000. The the regolith grades upward from gravel-size chert rub-
objectives of the study were to (1) advance under- ble at the top of bedrock to clay-size chert particles
standing of the ground-water-flow system in the with silt, sand, and clay at land surface (Burchett,
Spring Creek area, and (2) determine if VOC’s in 1977). Bedrock underlying the regolith consists of the
ground water from AAFB have affected private water Fort Payne Formation, which is an indurated siliceous
limestone containing many chert nodules and platy
supplies in the Spring Creek area.
chert stringers. The bedrock in the Fort Payne Forma-
tion in the AAFB area is generally 20 to 230 feet thick.
The upper part of the bedrock contains many fractures
Purpose and Scope
and solution openings. Underlying the Fort Payne For-
mation is the Chattanooga Shale, which consists of 20
This report documents (1) water-level measure-
to 30 feet of fissile, black, carbonaceous shale. The
ments made in and water-quality analyses of samples
Chattanooga Shale is considered to be the base of the
from 35 private wells in the Spring Creek area and
fresh ground-water system in the study area (Haugh
(2) water levels measured in 22 existing monitoring
and Mahoney, 1994; Haugh, 1996).
wells located primarily at AAFB. The study focused
The ground-water system above the Chatta-
on sampling wells located within the Spring Creek
nooga Shale can be divided into three different zones
area that are used as sources of drinking water. Infor-
or aquifers (Haugh and Mahoney, 1994): the shallow
mation concerning water-well construction and ground-
aquifer, the Manchester aquifer, and the Fort Payne
water altitude data also were collected during the study.
aquifer (fig. 2). The aquifers differ from one another in
The data will help to refine the potentiometric-surface degree of weathering, amount of chert, and type of
map developed during a study of the regional ground- weathering product. The aquifers are not separated by
water-flow system by Mahoney and Robinson (1993). confining units of any significant lateral extent; there-
These results of the study may aid in the development fore, water is able to flow between these zones at most
of corrective measures and long-term monitoring locations. The shallow aquifer is described as allu-
plans for AAFB. vium, residual silt, clay, sand, and clay-size chert
Introduction 3