In-situ Arsenic Removal During Groundwater Recharge Through

80 Pages·2015·3.88 MB·English

Tailored Collaboration
In-situ Arsenic Removal
During Groundwater Recharge
Through Unsaturated Alluvium
Web Report #4299
Subject Area: Water Quality
In-situ Arsenic Removal
During Groundwater Recharge
Through Unsaturated Alluvium
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
In-situ Arsenic Removal
During Groundwater Recharge
Through Unsaturated Alluvium

Prepared By:
John A. Izbicki, David O’Leary, and Mathew K. Burgess
U.S. Geological Survey, WRD, San Diego, CA 92101

Thomas Kulp
U.S. Geological Survey, WRD, Menlo Park, CA 92101

Donald Suarez
U.S. Salinity Laboratory, Riverside, CA, 92507

Thomas Barnes
Antelope Valley–East Kern Water Agency, Palmdale, CA 93551

Clark Ajwani, T.J. Kim and Iwen Tseng
County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works, Alhambra, CA 91803

Jointly sponsored by:
Water Research Foundation U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
6666 West Quincy Avenue Washington, D.C.
Denver, CO 80235-3098
County of Los Angeles Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency
Department of Public Works Palmdale, CA
Waterworks Districts
Alhambra, CA

U.S. Geological Survey
California Water Science Center
Sacramento, CA

Published by:

©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DISCLAIMER
This study was jointly funded by the Water Research Foundation (WRF), the County of Los
Angeles Department of Public Works Waterworks Districts (LACWD), the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS), the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and Antelope Valley-East Kern
Water Agency (Antelope Valley). WRF, LACWD, USGS, Reclamation, and Antelope Valley
assume no responsibility for the content of the research study reported in this publication or
for the opinions or statements of fact expressed in the report. The mention of trade names
for commercial products does not represent or imply the approval or endorsement of WRF,
LACWD, USGS, Reclamation, or Antelope Valley. This report is presented solely for
informational purposes.
Copyright © 2015
by Water Research Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced
or otherwise utilized without permission.
Printed in the U.S.A.
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... ix 
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi
FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................... xiii 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................ xv 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................ xvii 
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1
Hydrogeologic Setting .........................................................................................................3
Purpose and Scope ...............................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2: METHODS ............................................................................................................... 7
Drilling, Instrument Installation, and Field Data Collection. ..............................................7
Sequential Extraction Procedures. .....................................................................................11
Arsenic-73 Experiments. ...................................................................................................12
Column Experiments. ........................................................................................................13
CHAPTER 3: RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 17 
Infiltration of Water .......................................................................................................... 17 
Downward Movement of Infiltrated Water .......................................................... 18
Lateral Movement of Infiltrated Water ................................................................. 19
Water Chemistry ............................................................................................................... 23 
Arsenic .................................................................................................................. 23
Other Trace Elements ........................................................................................... 28
Sequential Extraction Data ............................................................................................... 30 
Arsenic-73 Data ................................................................................................................ 41 
Column Experiments ........................................................................................................ 46
CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS ................................................................. 49 
CHAPTER 5: GUIDANCE FOR UTILITIES .............................................................................. 51 
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 55 
ABBREVIATIONS……………………………………………………………………………...59
vii
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
TABLES
2.1 Composition of selected constituents in water used for column experiment and water
delivered to the in-situ arsenic treatment pond from well 8N/14W-7B1, near
Palmdale. California, December 2010 to January 2013 ........................................14

3.1 Field measurements and selected trace-element concentrations in water from well
8N/14W-7B1, suction-cup lysimeters at selected depths within the unsaturated
zone, and water-table monitoring well 8N/14W-7G1 in an instrumented borehole
adjacent to a groundwater recharge pond used for in-situ removal of arsenic, near
Palmdale, California, December 2010 to January 2013 ........................................24

3.2 Selected trace-element concentrations in sequential extracts from ODEX (Overburden
Drilling Exploration) drill cuttings from unsaturated-zone monitoring site
8N/14W-7G1 (AVUZ-4) adjacent to a groundwater recharge pond used for in-situ
removal of arsenic, near Palmdale, California .......................................................32

3.3 Selected trace-element concentrations in sequential extractions from soil and alluvium
before and after infiltration from a pond used for in-situ removal of arsenic, near
Palmdale, California ..............................................................................................35

3.4 Arsenic-73 activity for sequential extractions from batch microcosms harvested at
selected times for alluvium from selected depths within the unsaturated zone
adjacent to a pond used for in-situ removal of arsenic, near
Palmdale, California ..............................................................................................42

ix
©2015 Water Research Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.