United States Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Las Vegas. NV 89193-3478 Research and Development EPA/600/S4-89/048 Mar. 1990 Project Summary Proximity of Georgia Sanitary Landfills to Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats J.E. Moerlins , R.C. Herndon, V.W. Lambou, and R.L. Gebhard Sanitary landfills can cause considerable harm to sensitive eco- systems if they are not properly located, designed, and managed. The purpose of these reports is to summarize the proximity of sanitary landfills in the state of Georgia to wetlands and deepwater habitats (i.e., rivers, lakes, streams, bays, etc.); and to present data on individual landfills. The source of data used to determine the locations of the sanitary landfills was the computer data file developed by Development Planning and Research Associates, Inc. (DPRA) for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste in its RCRA Subtitle D program. The sanitary landfills were identified on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory maps. The nearness or proximity of the sanitary landfills to wetlands and deepwater habitats was determined by drawing three concentric regions around the point representing the location of each landfill.The radii of the concentric regions were: 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, and 1 mile. Data on 198 individual sanitary landfills in the state of Georgia were contained in the DPRA data file. Data were obtained for 24 of these landfills relative to their proximity to wetlands and deepwater habitats. Most san- itary landfills In the state of Georgia are located in or are close to either wetlands or deepwater habitats. Most are located close to wetlands while approximately one-third are close to deepwater habitats. These facilities have the potential to adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, such as wet- lands and deepwater habitats, either through habitat alterations or through the migration of contaminants from sanitary landfills. 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 two separate volumes of the same title (see Project Report ordering information at back). Introduction Sanitary landfills, as typically defined, are waste management facilities regu- lated under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). These facilities are commonly referred to as municipal waste landfills, and they are primarily used to receive household refuse and nonhazardous commercial waste. However, sanitary landfills also receive other types of Subtitle D waste, such as sewage sludge and industrial waste. Sanitary landfills typically receive some hazardous waste in the form of household hazardous waste, and hazardous waste from small quantity generators as defined in 40 CFR Part 261.10 (Definitions). Depending upon the definition of a sanitary landfill used by the individual states, there are between 6,500 and 9,300 of these facilities permitted in the United States. ------- Sanitary landfills can cause con- siderable harm to sensitive ecosystems if they are not properly located, designed, and managed. These facilities have the potential to adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, such as wetlands and deepwater habitats, either through habitat alterations or through the migration of contaminants from sanitary landfills. In order to evaluate the seriousness of this problem, information is needed on the nearness of sanitary landfills to wetlands and surface water bodies. The purpose of this study is to document the proximity of sanitary landfills in the state of Georgia to wetlands and deepwater habitats (i.e., rivers, lakes, streams, bays, etc.). Methodology The source of data used to determine the locations of the sanitary landfills was the computer data file developed by Development Planning and Research Associates, Inc., (DPRA) for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste in its RCRA Subtitle D program. The DPRA data file includes information on 7,683 sanitary landfills, and 6,849 of these facilities have latitude and longitude coordinates in degrees, minutes, and seconds specified in the data file. Each set of coordinates defines a point which represents the geographic location of a sanitary landfill. In addition, the data file contains the names of the landfills and data on the cities or counties in which the landfills reside. Individual states are responsible for permitting sanitary landfills under Subtitle D of RCRA, and, since DPRA obtained the information for the data file from state sources, the site location information varies in terms of accuracy and the point chosen to represent the location of each facility. Wetlands typically form part of a continuous transition zone between uplands and open water. Therefore, the delineation of the upper and lower boundaries in any wetland definition is somewhat arbitrary. There are a number of definitions of wetlands that have been developed for use in classifying natural environments or for regulatory purposes. While these definitions are not identical, they are very similar. The selection of a specific definition for use in this study was determined by the availability of national wetlands and deepwater habitats geographic data. The most extensive, consistent source of wetlands and deepwater habitats geographic data is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). The NWI has developed detailed, large-scale maps for a significant portion of the United States. To date, wetland maps have been developed for approximately 40 percent of the contiguous 48 states, 10 percent of Alaska, and all of Hawaii. Large-scale NWI maps typically are either 1:24,000 scale or 1:63,360 scale U.S. Geological Survey quadrangle maps; however, most are 1:24,000 scale. Wetlands and deepwater habitats are delineated on the NWI maps. The delineation of wetlands and deepwater habitats was developed using remote sensing techniques and field investigations. The NWI maps are developed in accordance with the National Map Accuracy Standard (NMAS). The NWI 1:24,000 scale maps used in this study are accurate, according to the NMAS, to within 40 feet of ground measurements. These maps were particularly useful for plotting the location of sanitary landfills and for determining the proximity of these facilities to wetlands and deepwater habitats. The NWI maps use the definitions and the classification system for wetlands and deepwater habitats developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wetlands are defined as lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface, or the land is covered by shallow water. Deepwater habitats are defined as permanently flooded lands lying below the deepwater boundary of wetlands. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats is hierarchial in nature pro- ceeding from general to specific. There are 5 systems, 10 subsystems, and 55 classes. In this study only the "system," i.e., the complex of wetlands and deepwater habitats that share the influence of similar hydrologic, geomor- phologic, chemical, or biological factors, was used for classification purposes. In order to link the location of sanitary landfills in the DPRA data file to the appropriate NWI maps, we used the information on the T-70 computer tape obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey. The NWI large-scale maps were developed using U.S. Geological Survey's quadrangle maps as base maps. The T-70 computer tape contains 67 fields of information including latitude and longitude that can be used for identifying the 1:24,000 scale maps, the map names, and the state codes assigned to the maps. Sanitary landfill location data on the DPRA computer file tape were matched by a computer program against location data on the U.S. Geological Survey's T-70 computer t in or.der to identify the specific maps contain sanitary landfills and/or that we be needed to evaluate the wetlands deepwater habitats that are within 1 r of each sanitary landfill. The map nar obtained from the computer match were sorted by state and compared v inventories of available NWI maps. Each sanitary landfill included in < study was located on NWI large-sc maps using standard cartograp techniques. Nearness or proximity sanitary landfills to wetlands and de water habitats was determined drawing three concentric regions aroi the point representing the location each landfill. The radii of the concen regions were: 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, anc mile. The occurrence or nonoccurrer of the wetlands and deepwater hab systems in each concentric region v then recorded. Many sanitary landfills are typically the order of 100 acres in size. F example, in the state of Florida about percent of the active sanitary landfills < between 50 and 150 acres in size, w the average size being 110 acres. landfill that is 100 acres in size a uniformly distributed about its latituc longitude point designation will have radius of approximately 1/4 mile ai therefore, will approximate the bound: of the first concentric 1/4-mile radi region. Undoubtedly, most of the landf located in a 1 /4-mile radius regi containing either wetlands or deepwa habitats should be considered to located in wetlands or deepwat habitats. Since landfills vary considerat in size and shape, some of the landfi located in the 1/2-mile radius and 1-m radius regions containing wetlands deepwater habitats will probably also I located in wetlands or deepwat habitats. The exact geographic bounda of the landfill is not the critic consideration for determining adver: impacts associated with these facilitie since contaminants can migrate off-site affect wetlands and deepwater habitats. Results We obtained data on the proximity 24 sanitary landfills in the state Georgia to wetlands and deepwat habitats. There are 198 sanitary landfil in the DPRA data file for the state Georgia and 24 (12 percent) of the: facilities have NWI maps available for si1 interpretation. As a result, 174 (I percent) of the 198 sanitary landfills the state of Georgia are not included this study. ------- Approximately 83 percent of the sanitary landfills are located in or within 1/4 mile of wetlands, while 100 are located in or within 1/2 and 1 mile of wetlands, respectively (Figure 1). None of the landfills are located more than a mile from any type of wetland. Most sanitary landfills are located either in or are close to Palustrine wetlands (approximately 79, 92, and 100 percent are located in or within 1/4, 1/2, and 1 mile, respectively, of a Palustrine wetland). None of the sanitary landfills are located in or within 1/4 mile of deepwater habitats, while 17 and 33 percent are located in or within 1/2 and 1 mile of deepwater habitats, respectively (Figure 2). Sixteen (67 percent) of the landfills are located more than a mile from any type of deepwater habitat. Most of the facilities that are located in or that are close to deepwater habitats are in the vicinity of Lacustrine or Riverine deepwater habitats (i.e., 25 percent are located in or within 1 mile of a Lacustrine deepwater habitat and 13 percent are located in or within 1 mile of a Riverine deepwater habitat). Approximately 83 percent of the sanitary landfills are located in or within 1/4 mile of either wetlands or deepwater habitats, while 100 percent are located in or within 1/2 and 1 mile of either wetlands or deepwater habitats, respectively (Figure 3). None of the landfills are located more than a mile from either wetlands or deepwater habitats. Most of the sanitary landfills are located either in or are close to Palustrine or Riverine habitats (approximately 79, 92, and 100 percent are located in or within 1/4, 1/2, and 1 mile, respectively, of a Palustrine deepwater habitat while approximately 17, 33, and 50 percent are located in or within 1/4, 1/2, and 1 mile, respectively, of a Riverine habitat). Coding procedures used to compile the data on the proximity of waste sites to wetlands and deepwater habitats are given in the "Data on Individual Landfills" report. Appendix B of that report presents the data on the individual landfills in the state of Georgia. Conclusions All sanitary landfills included in the state of Georgia are located either in or close to wetlands. From this, we conclude that these facilities have the potential to adversely affect sensitive ecosystems, such as wetlands, either through habitat alterations or through the migration of contaminants from sanitary landfills. In addition, approximately one- third of the sanitary landfills in the state the potential for adversely affecting these of Georgia are located either in or close sensitive ecosystems. to deepwater habitats and they also have Palustrine Lacustrine Riverine Estuarine Marine All systems 100 79 42 17 IfPHi a b o o o o H In or within 1 mile 0 In or within 1/2 mile I In or within 1/4 mile Figure 1. Proximity of 24 Georgia sanitary landfills to wetlands. Lacustrine Riverine Estuarine Marine All systems 25 13 0 In or within 1 mile 0 In or within 1/2 mile I In or within 1/4 mile 33 I 20 I 40 T 60 Percent Figure 2. Proximity of 24 Georgia sanitary landfills to deepwater habitats. \ 80 100 ------- 100 25 50 Palustrine Lacustrine Riverine Estuarine Marine All systems Percent Figure 3. Proximity of 24 Georgia sanitary landfills to either the closest wetland or deepwater habitat. In or within 1 mile In or within 1/2 mile In or within 1/4 mile The EPA author, Victor W. Lambou, (also the EPA Project Officer, see below) is with the Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory in Las Vegas, NV 89193-3478; J.E. Moerlins and R.C. Herndon are with Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306; and R.L Gebhard is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, St. Petersburg, FL 33702 The complete report, two volumes entitled "Proximity of Georgia Sanitary Landfills to Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats: Statewide Results," and "Proximity of Georgia Sanitary Landfills to Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats: Data on Individual Landfills," (Orders No. PB 90-J50 848; Cosf: $15.00, and PB 90-750 855; Cost: $15,00 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 Las Vegas, NV 89193-3478 United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 EPA/600/S4-89/048 CHICAGO ------- |