Monitor Wells Along Impoundment from N to S

Radioactive Chemicals in Impoundment Monitoring Wells

All mining operations are required to have monitoring wells to determine the amount of toxic materials their operations is putting into the groundwater. The following data is crucial because it shows what is on the property line (Well 15) and what is already downhill and off-site (Well 11, 12, 13). As you can see the data is sparse. There is little data for the off-site wells, which are obviously crucial as Alert Points. The Sulfate and TDS is very high, six times recommended standard. And the radioactive chemicals are showing up, particularly Radon. Interestingly, since Radon is only toxic if it is inhaled as steam, as if a pot is boiling or in a steamy shower, there are no standards set for its limits in water.

Monitor Wells along Impoundment from N to S

MH-14 North End of Impoundment

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
4/06/98 / 23 ± 2 / 17 ± 14 / 0.17 ± 0.13 / 0.0 ± 0.9 / 0.0022
9/25/09 / 20 ± 4
4/10/00 / 10 ± 12 / 11 ± 8.1 / 0.017
7/05/00 / 27 ± 11 / 1.4 ± 8 / 0.0181
10/09/00 / 31 ± 13 / 34 ± 8.9 / 0.0206
4/02/01 / 29 ± 13 / 28 ± 12 / 0.0202
2/15/02 / 29.1 ± 12 / 16.9 ± 8.6 / 12.3 ± 2.2 / .11 ± 0.79 / 9.59 ± 2.2 / 0.0197
4/15/02 / 21.4 ± 10 / 17.2 ± 8.8 / ND / 0.6 ± 0.7 / 9.2 ± 2.0 / <0.31 / 7.55 ± 2.1 / 0.0204
9/13/02 / 40.4 ± / 23.9 ± / 13.9 / <0.67 / 7.2 ± / 0.0238
4/22/03 / 29.8 ± / 24.2 ± / 13 / <.41 / 7.5 ± / 0.023
8/11/03 / 27 ± 11 / 16 ± 15 / ND / ND / 666 ± 56.9 / 13.5 ± 1.8 / 0.6 ± 1.4 / 8.3 ± 1.4 / 0.0286
11/17/03 / 27 ± 11 / 16 ± 15 / ND / ND / 982 ± 70.0 / 13.0 ± 1.5 / 0.3 ± 0.2 / 8.2 ± 1.2 / 0.0331
3/11/04 / 27 ± 11 / 16 ± 15 / ND / ND / 1,150±84.9 / 14.7 ± 1.9 / 0.6 ±0.4 / 10.1 ± 1.5 / 0.0306

MH-15W South of mid-point of Impoundment

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
2/26/98 / 64 ± 9 / 18 ± 24 / 0.2 ± 0.4 / 0.2 ± 1.1 / 0.061
6/22/98 / 60 ± 5 / 11 ± 24 / 0.069
9/28/98 / 68 ± 8 / 22 ± 25 / .006 ± 0.1 / 0.065
12/04/98 / 72 ± 20 / 25 ± 26 / 0.061
3/09/99 / 53 ± 17 / 20 ± 11 / 0.0483
4/15/99 / 43 ± 9.8 / 25 ± 6 / 0.0243
6/10/99 / 29 ± 14 / 23 ± 11 / 0.0508
10/11/99 / 52 ± 25 / 8.6 ± 12 / 0.06
4/11/00 / 60 ± 20 / 16 ± 13 / 0.0535
7/5/00 / 66 ± 22 / 8.9 ± 12 / 0.0561
10/9/00 / 55 ± 18 / 99 ±12 / 0.72
4/02/01 / 130 ± 70 / 88 ± 61 / 0.0444
2/19/02 / 61.2 ± 20 / 24.8 ± 10 / 31.2 / 1.05 ± 0.96 / 20.8 ± 2.8 / 0.0532
4/15/02 / 34 ± 15 / 25.2 ± 13 / 0.17 ± 0.2 / 0.76 ± 0.7 / 28.1 ± 3.4 / 1.58 ± 1.1 / 17.3 ± 2.8 / 0.0541
9/13/02 / 51.6 / 27.9 / 24.3 / 0.32 / 17.4 / 0.0492
11/14/02 / 25.7 / 35.4 / 23.9 / 0.26 / 18.1 / 0.0455
1/24/03 / 20.2 / 18.2 / 23.3 / 1.25 / 16.1 / 0.0474
4/22/03 / 73.5 / 50.1 / 27 / 0.6 / 21.5 / 0.0478
8/11/03 / 54.5 ± 2.4 / 37.1 ± 2.7 / ND / ND / 671 ± 66.6 / 26.3 ± 2.3 / 1.0 ± 0.4 / 16.8 ± 1.8 / 0.0565
11/27/03 / 55.2 ± 2.6 / 55.3 ± 8.2 / ND / ND / 760 ± 68.0 / 24.8 ± 2.0 / 0.6 ± 0.3 / 17.7 ± 1.7 / 0.0708
3/11/04 / 55.3 ± 3.7 / 9.3 ± 7.6 / ND / ND / 780 ± 79.0 / 27.8 ± 2.6 / 0.6 ± 0.4 / 19.3 ± 2.2 / 0.0602

MH-16W South Quarter of Impoundment

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
2/26/98 / 13 ± 4 / 24 ± 20 / 0.0 ± 0.3 / 0.0 ± 1.1 / 0.0077
6/22/98 / 14 ± 3 / 27 ± 19 / 0.0088
9/28/98 / 16 ± 4 / 19 ± 22 / 0.0 ± 0.1 / 1.1 ± 0.6 / 0.0084
12/04/98 / 15 ± 5 / 12 ± 19 / 0.0086
3/08/99 / 17 ± 11 / 41 ±11 / 0.005
6/10/99 / 130 ± 38 / 51 ± 21 / 0.339
10/11/99 / 0 ± 19 / 10 ± 9.5 / 0.01
1/12/00 / 11 ± 14 / 21 ± 13 / 0.0057
4/11/00 / 0 ± 9.6 / 14 ± 15 / 0.0061
7/05/00 / 13 ± 12 / 9.2 ± 10 / 0.0055
10/09/00 / 40 ± 22 / 39 ± 14 / 0.006
4/02/01 / 22 ± 13 / 35 ± 14 / 0.0048
4/02/01 / 6.8 ± 6.8 / 24 ± 11 / 0.0049
4/15/02 / 5.4 ± 5.4 / 26 ± 11 / 0.15 ± 0.2 / 0.64 ± 0.7 / 2.07 ± 1.0 / <0.65 / 1.31 ± 1.2 / 0.0053
9/13/02 / 13.3 / 26.9 / 4.32 / <0.43 / 2.38 / 0.005
11/14/02 / 6.3 / 27 / 5.01 / <0.29 / 3.44 / 0.0048
1/23/03 / 4.5 / 11.5 / 5.72 / 0.51 / 3.43 / 0.0056
4/22/03 / 33 / 27 / 6.81 / 0.61 / 4.54 / 0.0049
8/11/03 / 5.0 ± 0.6 / 35.5 ±2.7 / ND / ND / 978 ± 81.8 / 4.1 ± 1.0 / ND / 1.3 ± 0.6 / 0.0063
11/17/03 / 7.4 ± 1.0 / 16.4 ± 8.2 / ND / ND / 1,170±7.3 / 3.2 ± 0.7 / ND / 1.5 ± 0.5 / 0.0066
3/11/04 / 5.0 ± 1.0 / 24.7 ± 7.6 / ND / ND / 911 ± 81.2 / 3.3 ± 0.9 / ND / 1.9 ± 0.6 / 0.0057
MCL** / 15 pCi/l / 4 mrem/yr / Ra-226 + / Ra-228 = 5 / None / None / None / None / 0.03mg/l

Monitor Wells between GreenValley and Impoundment/N to S

MH 12 - (2/77; 800 ft)

Located approximately ¾ mile east of dam, approximately in line with north end of dam

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon*
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
12/2/03 / 5.3 ± 1.6 / 19.7 ± 4.7 / 0.5 ± 0.4 / ND / 535 ± 45.9 / 2.7 ± 0.9 / 0.2 ± 0.2 / 0.9 ± 0.5 / 0.0045
3/15/04 / 4.9 ± 1.8 / 24.4 ± 4.2 / 0.5 ± 0.3 / ND / 2.9 ± 0.7 / ND / ND / 1.0 ± 0.4 / 0.0042

MH-11 (2/77; 820 ft)

Located approximately ¾ mile east of dam, at quarter point, north side of dam

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon*
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
8/14/03 / 5.2 ± 1.1 / 14.0 / ND / ND / 734 ± 79.4 / 4.0 ± 0.9 / ND / 1.1 ± 0.5 / 0.0062
12/2/03 / 8.0 ± 1.3 / 24.5 ± 7.8 / 0.9 ± 0.4 / ND / 673 ± 48.1 / 3.1 ± 0.9 / ND / 2.1 ± 0.7 / 0.0067
3/16/04 / 5.8 ± 1.3 / 12.7 ± 7.0 / ND / ND / 618 ± 56.4 / 3.2 ± 0.7 / ND / 2.1 ± 0.6 / 0.0059

MH-13 (2/77; 1,425 ft)

Located approximately ¾ mile east of dam, aligned with the center of dam

Date / Gross
Alpha
pc/l / Gross
Beta
pc/l / Radium
226
pc/l / Radium
228
pc/l / Radon*
222
pc/l / Uranium
234
pc/l / Uranium
235
pc/l / Uranium
238
pc/l / Total
Uranium
mg/l
8/14/03 / 10.8 ± 1.6 / 23.7 ± 2.6 / ND / ND / ND / 6.4 ± 1.1 / 0.4 ± 0.3 / 2.4 ± 0.7 / 0.0099
12/2/03 / 13.0 ± 2.5 / 37.5 ± 7.8 / 0.5 ± 0.3 / ND / ND / 8.0 ± 1.2 / 0.3 ± 0.2 / 2.6 ± 0.7 / 0.0098
3/11/04 / 9.5 ± 3.1 / 13.3 ± 7.0 / ND / ND / ND / 6.8 ± 1.2 / ND / 2.8 ± 0.8 / 0.0082
MCL** / 15 pCi/l / 4 mrem/yr / Ra-226+ / Ra-228 = 5 / None / None / None / None / 0.03mg/l

* No standard set for Radon, even though it is on the World Health Organization’s list for lung cancer.

** Maximum Contaminant Level Goal, 40 C.F.R. § 141.55.

***Maximum Contaminant Levels, 40 C.F.R. § 141.66(b) [for Ra-226+-228]; (c) [for gross alpha activity]; (d) [for beta particle and [photon radioactivity]; and (e) [for uranium].

GreenValley Public Supply Well #8

Well #8 DateGross AlphaRadium 226

02/01/96 3.8 0.5

04/23/96 4.0 0.5

07/11/96 5.9 0.6

12/09/96 5.4 1.2

01/30/01 6.6 0.4

04/04/01 6.9 0.4