United States
                   Environmental Protection
                   Agency
Environmental Monitoring Systems
Laboratory
Las Vegas NV 89114
                   Research and Development
EPA-600/S4-83-017  June 1983
&EPA         Project  Summary
                   A  Prototype  Computer-Interactive
                   Groundwater  Monitoring
                   Methodology:  An   Example for
                   Sedimentation   Ponds
                   L G. Everett and W. 0. Rasmussen
                     This report describes a prototype
                   computer-interactive system  that
                   enables the  development  of  a
                   groundwater monitoring program for
                   sedimentation  ponds  at  coal  strip
                   mines. The system is an eight-step
                   procedure derived from the fifteen-step
                   methodology developed for the U.S.
                   Environmental  Protection  Agency
                   (Monitoring  Groundwater  Quality:
                   Monitoring Methodology, EPA-600/4-
                   76-026) for monitoring coal strip mine
                   operations which constitute  a  major
                   potential source of groundwater
                   degradation.  While this report
                   addresses the monitoring of sedimenta-
                   tion  ponds, the  system  presented
                   consists  of  a  set  of  instructions
                   applicable to monitoring any specific
                   groundwater pollution source.

                     The instructions enable the user to
                   select from a  large amount of text
                   information those portions appropriate
                   to be written into his own file. Of the
                   several approaches that can be used,
                   the approach described in this system is
                   one that breaks the text into segments
                   or frames numbered consecutively and
                   stored  in  a  sequential  file.  The
                   information contained in the frames
                   offers various alternative methods for
                   building components of a mine surface
                   and  subsurface   water  monitoring
                   design plan. The user constructs his
                   own monitoring design file by selecting
                   from  the methods presented  those
                   applicable to his specific mine. For each
                   step and objective the user is presented
                   with  a  description of the principle
                   involved  in each  of the  alternative
                   methods,  the  advantages  and
                   disadvantages  of each,  and the
                   associated cost.
  This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory. Las Vegas. NV. to
announce key findings of the research
project  that is fully documented in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
  As  part of its program to protect the
environment from the adverse effects of
the  rapidly increasing  industrial
development  of  Western  U.S.  coal
reserves, the U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency (EPA) conducted a project to
identify, quantify, and  priority rank the
important sources of groundwater quality
degradation within a given coal strip mine
area. The resulting report, "Groundwater
Quality Monitoring of Western Coal Strip
Mining:  Identification  and  Priority
Ranking of Potential Pollution Sources"
(EPA-6OO/7-79-O24) identifies coal strip
mining in the Western U.S. as a major
potential source of groundwater quality
degradation and describes the following
specific  sources of potential pollution
within this major classification:
1. Spoils         9. Stockpiles
2. Pit Water

3. Sedimentation
  ponds

4. Explosives

5. Mine Solid Waste
  and Liquid Shop
  Wastes
                  a. topsoil

                  b. overburden

                  c. coal

                  d. coal refuse

                  e. partings
               10. Reclamation
                  Aids
6. Sanitary Waste 11. Solid Waste from
                  Road Construc-
                  tion
8. Leaks
7. Spills

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  These sources are listed in a priority
order or in relative order of the magni-
tudes of water quality impacts that they
cause  in  typical  coal  strip  mining
environments.  Some or  all  of these
potential sources of contaminants may be
found at any given coal strip mine in the
West.
  The  computer-interactive monitoring
system presented in this report uses an
eight-step methodology derived from the
fifteen-step  methodology.  This
structured, cost-effective  methodology
enables the design and implementation
of a  groundwater  quality monitoring
program for any manmade source under
any hydrogeologic regime  and could be
used by government and industry as the
basis for developing all Western coal strip
mine  and  oil  shale  groundwater
monitoring guidelines.
  In   addition,  this  monitoring
methodology shows that a finite number
of monitoring techniques are available to
assess the  problem  and  design the
monitoring program;  that  the  design,
implementation,  operation  and
maintenance  costs  can be reasonably
estimated by formula; and that pump size,
screen size, pumping rates and  other
factors all behaved according to funda-
mental relationships. These capabilities
of the  methodology  prompted the work
described in this report and the resultant
construction of the computer interactive
system  that  enables  a  nontechnical
person to  design  a monitoring program
for a coal strip mine sedimentation pond.
The following eight-step procedure forms
the basis  for the computer interactive
system:
  1.   Select the area for monitoring.

  2.   Inventory  potential pollution
      sources.

  3.   Identify potential  pollutants and
      methods of  disposal.

  4.   Identify groundwater usage.

  5.   Evaluate infiltration potential.

  6.   Evaluate pollutant mobility in the
      vadose zone.

  7.   Evaluate pollutant mobility in the
      saturated zone.

  8.   Priority rank the sources:
      a. Potential pollutant amounts and
        concentrations
      b. Amounts infiltrating
     c. Mobility of infiltrating pollutants
        in the vadose zone
      d. Mobility of  pollutants reaching
        the saturated zone
  A coal mine operator or other person
planning  to  use  the  monitoring
methodology would select those potential
sources found on his mine site. He would
then develop an appropriate monitoring
program for  each source  by  applying
Steps  3 through  7  of the eight-step
methodology to each source in order of its
priority or importance at that particular
mine site. A primary goal in developing a
monitoring  program  is  to  evaluate
existing  monitoring  effectiveness and
related monitoring gaps for each of the
existing sources and to determine the
potential for groundwater contamination
by  each  source  according  to  its
preliminary priority rank (Step 8). This
computer interactive system serves  to
develop the monitoring plan.
  For  each type of source, the program
discusses Steps 3 through 7 of the eight-
step  methodology  under the following
headings:

  1.   General monitoring objectives

      Specific monitoring objectives

  2.   Alternative monitoring approaches
      for achieving objectives including:

      a. Advantages and disadvantages
        of each alternative method

      b. Sampling  frequencies needed
        for each method

      c. Analytical methods

      d. Costs

  3.   Recommended   monitoring  ap-
      proach (including costs)

  The report from which this summary is
derived addresses the monitoring of sedi-
mentation ponds. However, by following
the preceding format, (Step 3 through 7
applied to each  source),  a user  of the
interactive  system  can  develop  a
monitoring program tailored to meet the
needs of specific sources at the site under
investigation.
  To operate the system a user requires a
standard electric wall plug inlet (110-120
VAC),  a  telephone,  and   a  portable
computer terminal, which  cost   about
$2,600 in 1980. The system requires less
than   60K words  of  memory.   Daily
operating costs are approximately $25 to
$100,   depending  upon  the  kind  of
monitoring methods selected.

Computer Program Description
  The computer program presented in
this    report   addresses   methods   of
delivering a large amount of text from
which the user can select those portions
appropriate to be written into his own file.
Several approaches may be used on such
a problem. In the approach selected for
discussion, the text information is broken
into a number of segments or frames.
  A logic record is stored in each frame.
The system uses  this to determine the
correct frame to branch to in response to
queries about material in the frame itself.
This dispersal of  logic into  the frames
themselves  allows a  complex frame-
branching to occur, without cluttering the
main computer program  with branching
information for each frame.
  In  this  approach,  the  frames  are
numbered consecutively and stored in a
sequential file (Figure 1). As the program
operates,  specific  frames are retrieved
from  the file  and  the  information
contained in them is presented to the
user. The information  includes various
alternative   methods  of  building
components of a mine surface and sub-
surface water monitoring design plan.
The user selects the appropriate methods
for his specific mine and loads these into
his own monitoring design file, which is
compiled as the program  progresses.
  The program is interactive and tutorial
in nature. During the execution, the user
is presented material from a  frame and
then queried as to whether he is currently
using  some  of  this   material  in  his
monitoring operations; would like to use
some of  this information  in his  own
specific monitoring design file; or would
like to  introduce comments into  his
monitoring design file (MDF).
  User  responses are  analyzed  by the
computer for possible errors as well as foi
the occurrence of control words. These
control  words  require the program tc
override the current operation and allow
for  various   other  functions   to be
executed. Other  functions  may range
from stopping work on a  specific step ir
the monitoring design methodology tc
having printed what has already beer
loaded into the MDF.
   The computer program allows the use
to go through portions of the steps in th
 monitoring design methodology and he i
not required to finish any one step befon
he may work on another.  This allows thi
steps to be done in any selected order am
allows a given step to be broken off am
then continued from that point at sorm
later time. Such an interruption in a ste,
may be due to the  need for data analysis
consultation with others, or the end of
work period.

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  The computer program is designed to
be used with either a standard or portable
computer terminal. The text material is
formatted so that it may be presented on a
small portable terminal with only 80
columns available for output.  A typical
terminal of this  nature is the Texas
Instruments 700  series, which may be
easily  carried and connected to  any
telephone.  The program is operated by
dialing  a  host computer and, when a
carrier signal  is obtained, attaching the
telephone  handset  to the computer
terminal. Thus, the computer terminal
may be operated at any location having a n
electrical outlet and a telephone.
  The primary text  file is formatted in
such a fashion that it may be constructed
by  persons with  little  if any previous
exposure to a computer. The provided text
file (TEXT.DAT) suffices for  mines in the
West. The  computer program presented
was developed on a DEC-20 computer
through  the  use  of  mostly  ANSI
FORTRAN  IV  so  that its movement to
                 Logic
                 Text
                 Logic
                  Text
                 Logic
                 Text
                           Frame 42
                            Frame 43
V   y--v—x-j
\      -••? :
  xZlP"
                Logic  J
Figure 1.    Typical structure of TEXT. DA T
            file.
other computers should be straightfor-
ward.
  The  parent  report describes  a small
version of the TEXT.DAT file constructed
to show how  the program operates. In
this  example,  various   options  and
abilities of the program are exercised to
show the reader what is  available and
how it may be used. A basic system for
program execution is illustrated in Figure
2.
  The  main  driver  component  of  the
total program is used to respond to the
user's request as to what is to be done for
a  given lease (Figure  3).  It determines
whether a new or old monitoring design
file (MDF) is to be utilized (i.e.,  is this a
continuation of work on an existing mine
MDF or is a new file to be built?). It then
asks the user which step he is interested
in addressing. Text  material  relative to
that step is presented from TEXT. DAT to
the user, who selects appropriate items
from it and, in so doing, enters material
into his MDF. This continues for as long
as the  user  wishes  to operate  the
program.
   The main driver assigns device channel
numbers and opens the three files which
are  used by  the program  (Figure 2).
Channels are paths  of information flow
between  the  main  program and  the
supporting files. As  these numbers are
assigned  at the beginning of the main
program, this capability allows for easy
modification,  if required, for  another
computer or configuration on  a given
computer. File names are also assigned
to the three files. For the present case, the
names are TEXT.DAT;  MDF30.DAT; and
MDF30.TEM. These  are the stored text
files containing  all text material that  is
presented to  the  user; the monitoring
design file being built specifically for the
user's mine  site; and  a temporary file
used  to  insert  material  into  the
monitoring design file,  respectively.
  The  program  begins with  the user
being informed what  the program is and

Afo/V) Driver and
Subroutines




»
*

Ac*f File 1
(TEXT.DAT) \
L \

(Monitoring 1
Design File 1
(MDF. DAT) \

/ Scratch File I
^ ^DF. rf M; I
what it does. He is then asked if this is a
new or  existing lease.  This  question
refers to  whether the mine has been
addressed previously by the program. If it
has,  components of  the  monitoring
design file for this mine already exist in
the MDF30.DAT file and will be linked
into the  system  and expanded by the
current operation of the program.
  If the user states that it is a new mine,
the program asks again if that is the case
and informs him that all information in
any existing  monitoring  design file for
that mine will be destroyed and to input
again if it is a new mine. Given that it is
indeed a new mine location, the program
begins to build a new MDF. (Figure 3).
  To identify the mine data set, the lease
number of the mine and the name of the
mine are requested of the user and stored
as the first items in the monitoring design
file for  that  mine. The  program  then
builds the rest of the file by setting up
areas  in  which  to  load  information
relative to the several steps in the eight-
step methodology. Associated with each
step is a frame number in the TEXT.DAT
file. This is the beginning frame of the
sequence of  frames  containing  text
material for possible loading into the MDF.
  If an existing monitoring design file is to
be  expanded,  it is first linked  into the
system. The user is asked if he would like
to examine its contents. In the event he
does, he may look at all material stored in
the MDF for a given step. This may be
repeated for as many steps as he wishes.
In case the step  has not been addressed
before, and is empty, the  user  is so
informed.  He is also informed if the step
was terminated  early  and  does  not
contain all information that it might. In a
similar vein, the user is informed  if the
step has  been totally covered  and the
material  for that step is  complete. By
examining the material contained in the
MDF in   this fashion,  the  user  may
determine the state of completion of the
MDF and  where  he  should  begin for  a
particular  session.
  From either path, (the initialization of a
new MDF or the  use of an existing MDF),
the user is  next presented  a  menu of
steps in the eight-step methodology and
asked which step he wishes to address.
When the user selects a given step, the
program passes operation to one or more
of the other program  modules.
Figure 2.    Basic system for program execution.

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                             Start
              Initialize Step Starting Frame Numbers
              and Define Channel Numbers
                       Ask User if He
                       Wants a New MDF
                    Ask User if He Wishes
                    to Examine Existing MDF

Present Step Menu to User and Ask
Which Number on the Menu He
Wishes to Address
t
|| CallREEDX \
t




/ ISTP \
( Branch to Menu /
\ Step Number /
i

| Call Extend | j Close Files |
* *
1 1 Call Source 1 1 (^ Sfop ^
t n
1 1 Call Frtenft | 1

5
f
r
u 	 1 	 u || Call Extend \\
1 ^
|| Call Branch ||
'
r
|| Call Extend \\
I.

6


7
,«
|| CallRDMDF |


Figure 3.    Flowchart of main driver.

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     L. G. Everett and W. 0. Rasmussen are with Kaman Tempo. Santa Barbara, CA
        93102.
     Leslie G. McMillion is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
     The complete report, entitled "A Prototype Computer-Interactive Groundwater
        Monitoring Methodology: An Example for Sedimentation Ponds, "(Order No. PB
        83-200 600; Cost: $17.50, subject to change) will be available only from:
             National Technical Information Service
             5285 Port Royal Road
             Springfield, VA 22161
             Telephone: 703-487-4650
     The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
             Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
             U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
             P.O. Box 15027
             Las Vegas, NV 89114
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Postage and
Fees Paid
Environmental
Protection
Agency
EPA 335
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
          SSS  IM!*SS»UM
          CHICAGO  IL  60601

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