Water Quality Near Wastewater Treatment Systems in Alluvial and Karst Hydrogeologic Settings, Black Hills, South Dakota
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STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA M. Michael Rounds, Governor DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES Steven M. Pirner, Secretary DIVISION OF FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE David Templeton, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Derric L. Iles, State Geologist REPORT OF INVESTIGATIONS 117 WATER QUALITY NEAR WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS IN ALLUVIAL AND KARST HYDROGEOLOGIC SETTINGS, BLACK HILLS, SOUTH DAKOTA J. FOSTER SAWYER Akeley-Lawrence Science Center University of South Dakota Vermillion, South Dakota 2008 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES AKELEY-LAWRENCE SCIENCE CENTER, USD 414 EAST CLARK STREET VERMILLION, SOUTH DAKOTA 57069-2390 (605) 677-5227 Derric L. Iles, M.S. State Geologist Sarah A. Chadima, M.S. Senior Geologist Timothy C. Cowman, M.S. Natural Resources Administrator Brian A. Fagnan, M.S. Geologist Dragan Filipovic, M.S. Senior Hydrologist Thomas N. Haggar, B.S. Senior Geologist Ann R. Jensen, B.S. Senior Geologist Matthew T. Noonan, B.S. Hydrologist Thomas B. Rich, M.S. Senior Hydrologist Layne D. Schulz, B.S. Senior Geologist Dennis W. Tomhave, B.A. Geology Specialist Dennis D. Iverson Civil Engineering Technician Scott W. Jensen Civil Engineering Technician Ted R. Miller, B.S. Civil Engineering Technician Colleen K. Odenbrett Word Processing Supervisor Jeffrey J. Puthoff, B.A. Natural Resources Technician Lori L. Roinstad Cartographer Priscilla E. Young, B.S. Senior Secretary RAPID CITY REGIONAL OFFICE 2050 WEST MAIN, SUITE 1 RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA 57702-2493 (605) 394-2229 Mark D. Fahrenbach, Ph.D. Senior Geologist Kelli A. McCormick, Ph.D. Senior Geologist J. Foster Sawyer, Ph.D. Hydrology Specialist CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 2 LOCATION OF STUDY AREA ........................................................................................... 5 PREVIOUS WORK ................................................................................................................ 7 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................................... 13 METHOD OF STUDY ........................................................................................................... 15 Alluvial deposits ........................................................................................................... 19 Karst limestone ............................................................................................................. 21 Municipal wastewater treatment lagoons, Hill City, South Dakota .............................. 21 ON-SITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND PROCESSES ........................................................................... 22 Effluent characteristics .................................................................................................. 25 Fate and transport of contaminants in ground water ..................................................... 25 On-site wastewater treatment systems in karst limestone ............................................. 35 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................ 37 Alluvial deposits ........................................................................................................... 37 Private residence, Hill City, South Dakota ....................................................... 37 Private residence, Johnson Siding, South Dakota ............................................. 46 Rocky Knolls Golf Course, Custer, South Dakota ........................................... 55 Karst limestone ............................................................................................................. 58 Municipal wastewater treatment lagoons, Hill City, South Dakota .............................. 63 i CONTENTS – continued Page NITRATE-NITROGEN ANALYSIS .................................................................................... 69 Nitrogen mass-balance models ..................................................................................... 69 Application of nitrogen models .................................................................................... 70 Growth and development concerns ............................................................................... 75 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................... 80 Future research .............................................................................................................. 84 Aquifer vulnerability concerns ..................................................................................... 86 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 88 FIGURES 1. Map showing identified on-site wastewater treatment systems located on or up-gradient from major aquifer recharge areas in the Black Hills ......................... 3 2. Map showing location of study area ................................................................................ 6 3. Graph showing nitrate-nitrogen concentrations from Rapid City public water-supply wells in the Madison aquifer ...................................................................... 12 4. Schematic diagrams showing hydrogeologic settings that are difficult to investigate with traditional drilling methods. (A) Unsaturated alluvial deposit over fractured schist, and (B) Unsaturated sandstone ............................ 20 5. Schematic diagram showing major components of a typical on-site wastewater treatment system ........................................................................................... 23 6. Schematic cross section showing soil treatment zones for a typical on-site wastewater treatment system drain field .............................................................. 24 7. Schematic cross section showing possible plume movement under an on-site wastewater treatment system drain field .............................................................. 26 8. Flow chart showing primary components of the nitrogen cycle ...................................... 29 ii FIGURES – continued Page 9. Map showing ground-water elevations and locations of monitoring wells near an on-site wastewater treatment system drain field in an unconsolidated alluvial deposit near Hill City ................................................................. 39 10. Map showing ground-water elevations and locations of monitoring wells near an on-site wastewater treatment system drain field in an unconsolidated alluvial deposit near Johnson Siding ...................................................... 53 11. Map showing ground-water elevations and locations of monitoring wells near an on-site wastewater treatment system drain field in an unconsolidated alluvial deposit near Custer .................................................................... 56 12. Map showing locations of water-sample collection points for evaluation of the karst limestone hydrogeologic setting .................................................. 59 13. Map showing ground-water elevations and locations of monitoring wells near the Hill City wastewater treatment lagoons .................................................... 65 14. Map showing concentrations of nitrate-nitrogen and ammonia in monitoring wells near the Hill City wastewater treatment lagoons ................................. 66 15. Graph showing resultant ground-water nitrate-nitrogen concentration as a function of effluent quality, denitrification, and wastewater recharge relative to rainfall recharge .............................................................................................. 78 16. Graph showing influence of effluent quality, denitrification, and rainfall recharge on critical minimum lot size ................................................................. 79 TABLES 1. Analyzed water-quality parameters, units of measurement, and drinking-water standards .................................................................................................. 17 2. Constituent mass loadings and concentrations in typical residential wastewater ........................................................................................................................ 27 3. Waterborne pathogens found in human waste and associated diseases ........................... 31 4. Water-level measurements and relative elevations of monitoring wells and other sample locations ............................................................................................... 40 5. Selected results of analyses for the residential on-site wastewater treatment system at Hill City ........................................................................................... 46 iii TABLES – continued Page 6. Results of water-sample analyses .................................................................................... 47 7. Selected results of analyses for the residential on-site wastewater treatment system at Johnson Siding ................................................................................. 54 8. Selected