905R83114
An Assessment Of
Potential Groundwater
Contamination in
Indiana
Prepared by
Chris P. Potos
Chemist
For
Water Division
Water Supply Branch
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
230 So. Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois
1983
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
List of Exhibits i,ii
I Introduction 1
II Hydrogeologic Conditions 3
Geography 3
Climate 3
Geology 4
Major Drainage Basins 4
III Groundwater Resource 7
Unconsolidated Aquifers 10
Bedrock Aquifers 12
IV Groundwater Availability 14
Northern Indiana 19
Central Indiana 19
Southern Indiana 20
V Groundwater Levels 20
VI Water Withdrawals 22
Public Water Supply - — 22
Industrial Water Supply 23
Rural Water Supply 27
VII Groundwater Quality (Natural) — 27
VIII Potential Groundwater Contamination 31
Lake County - 38
Marion County 49
Porter County - -- - 52
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko Counties 53
Spencer County 55
Orange County 58
Vigo County 60
Other RCRA and SIA Sites 63
Superfund Sites 64
Summary 69
References 74
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LIST OF FIGURES
1) Maps of Indiana showing the distribution of average annual precipita-
tion and the average annual temperature.
2) Map of Indiana showing the general location of parent materials to
Indiana soils.
3) Map of Indiana and adjacent States showing the major and minor drainage
basins.
4) Illustration of the distribution of average annual precipitation in
Indiana.
5) Map of Indiana showing general distribution of unconsolidated deposits.
6) Map of Indiana showing general distribution of bedrock deposits.
7) Maps of Indiana showing those areas with underlying Pennsylvanian and
Mississippian bedrock aquifers.
8) Maps of Indiana showing those areas with underlying Devonian and Silurian
bedrock aquifers.
9) Map of Indiana showing the potential yield of groundwater from properly
constructed large diameter wells.
10) Map of Indiana showing the general location and source of public water
supply systems in Indiana.
11) Map of Indiana showing the general location and extent of rural water
supply systems.
12) Map of Indiana showing the water quality for a number of municipal
water supplies, and the sources of the supplies.
13) Maps of Indiana showing the distribution and concentration of hardness
and hydrogen sulfide in groundwater.
14) Maps of Indiana showing the general concentrations of iron and manganese
in groundwater.
15) Maps of Indiana showing the general concentrations of sulfate and fluoride
in groundwater.
16) Map of Indiana showing upper one (1) percent of SIA impoundments with
greatest potential to endanger water supplies, and all computerized
RCRA hazardous waste disposal sites and dumps.
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LIST OF TABLES
(1) Upper One (1) Percent of Indiana Impoundments with Highest
Potential for Water Supply Endangerment (SIA)
(2) Hazardous Waste Dumpsites in Indiana (RCRA)
(3) Superfund Sites in Indiana (Non-RCRA)
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I INTRODUCTION
Our most essential resource is being threatened by improperly buried
and stored liquid wastes seeping into underground water supplies in
all fifty (50) States. In an unpublished report by this Agency
(Surface Impoundment Assessment), it was reported that the Nation has
at least 180,000 surface impoundments of liquid waste and that 90
percent of them endanger groundwater. Moreover, many hundreds of
improperly cited and improperly operated hazardous waste landfills
are allowing toxic seepage to contaminate groundwater aquifers.
The nation as a whole has not yet grasped the importance of
groundwater or the significance of groundwater contamination.
It is literally a case of "out of sight, out of mind." Yet
fully half the water America uses comes from underground
supplies.
To date most of our anxiety over water quality has focused on
surface waters where pollutants are anathema to the senses and also
curtail water uses. Groundwater, away from sight and subject to an
insidious contamination that is often odorless and invisible, is
largely forgotten. Unlike surface waters, which are subject to
the purifying effects of evaporation, biological degradation, and
aeration, groundwater is effectively isolated from the atmos-
phere, and is comparatively static; thus largely lacking in the
effects of the above purifying mechanisms. Its self-cleaning
capacity is much lower and once contaminated can remain such,
in some cases, for geologic time.
The contamination of groundwater supplies is not solely the work of
"Midnight Dumpers" who illegally pour tankers of waste into ditches
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and fields. Much of the groundwater contamination is a result
of the entirely legal disposal of liquid wastes.
Burying and lagooning, by far the most common methods of waste
disposal in this country, in the long term, are most likely the
least safe of all hazardous waste disposal methods currently
available. This applies not only to past practices, but also
to some of the most advanced techniques required under the
enlightened and more stringent laws applicable today.
Billions of dollars a year are being spent by industry and govern-
ment to manage huge quantities of hazardous wastes that are grow-
ing by hundreds of millions of metric tons annually. But the bulk
of that waste, as much as 90 to 95 percent by some counts, con-
tinues to be placed in thousands of lagoons and landfills scattered
throughout the country.
Current Federal regulations require that land burial be carried out
far more carefully than in the past. Requirements include that new
landfills have liners to keep the wastes inside, collection systems
to remove the liquids that inevitably form, monitoring devices to
detect the escape of the contents, and caps to seal off the site
once it is filled. The regulations also discourage burial of
most, but not all, liquids and encourage burial in solid form.
However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that even state of the
art landfills with "tailor-made" liners and doubleliners are begin-
ning to leak after distressingly short periods. Should this type of
hazardous waste disposal be continued in the future - undoubtedly
this will be the case assuming the disposal economics and the
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environmental laws are not changed - the existing threat to the
Nations groundwater will remain and become more serious and ever
larger in geographic and toxic scope.
This report will suggest the areas in Indiana that can be expected to
have the highest potential for groundwater contamination based upon
the findings of the Surface Impoundment Assessment (SIA), the data
and information gathered under the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, "Superfund" inventories, and the geology of the State. While the
data of the SIA were based on "desktop" research that relied upon
examination of aerial photos rather than actual site visits, and the
use of Standard Industrial Codes (SIC) instead of actual sampling
and laboratory analysis, the evaluations made herein can be expected
to, more likely than not, accurately define conditions in Indiana
with respect to areas of relatively highest groundwater contamination
potential.
II GEO-HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS
GEOGRAPHY
Indiana lies within the limits of latitude 37°46'18" and 41°45'33"
north, for an extreme length of 275 miles in a north-south direction;
and between longitude 84°47'05" and 88°05'50" west with a maximum
width of 142 miles in an east-west direction.
At its maximum the Indiana topography is about 900 feet, with eleva-
tions ranging from about 300 feet above sea level at the Wabash River
mouth (Posey County), to more than 1200 feet in the east-central area
(Randolph County).
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CLIMATE
Temperatures average 49°F along the Michigan State line and 56°F
along the Ohio River. The average annual temperature for the entire
State is approximately 53°F (See Figure 1).
The average annual Statewide precipitation in Indiana is 38 inches,
ranging from 36 inches to 44 inches, north to south (See Figure 1).
With respect to snow, the annual average ranges from 70 inches to 16
inches, north to south and accounts for two to seven inches of the
average annual precipitation. Approximately 59 percent of the total
annual precipitation occurs between April and October, the normal
growing season.
GEOLOGY
Of equal importance to the climatic character, which controls the
amount of precipitation, are the geology and topography of Indiana
which influence the disposition of the precipitation and its
availability as a water resource. The location and availability of
the Indiana water resource are intimately related to its geology and
soils. The proportion of precipitation that runs off the land as
surface water rather than infiltrating the soil is dependent in part
upon the topography, the geologic conditions, and the soils. More-
over these same factors have much influence upon the amount and
occurrence of groundwater.
The largest single influence upon the topography of Indiana has been
that of glaciation. As glaciers advance and retreat under the influ-
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FIGURE 1
,36''
38"
40"
0"
Map of Indiana indicating the distribution of annual average
precipitation.
Map of Indiana showing annual temperature in degrees
Fahrenheit
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ence of climatic conditions, the topography is transformed. An
advancing glacier scours the land surface while a retreating glacier
leaves behind large deposits of materials previously scoured from the
earths surface. Glacial drift, the rock material transported by
glaciers, covers almost the entire State, the legacy of more than one
glacial episode. The remaining nonglaciated area (one-twelfth of
State) is located in the south-central portion and even that area
shows some evidence of drainage changes related to glacial activity.
/
Indiana's bedrock formations are more than two hundred million years
old and are associated with the Pennsylvanian, Mississippian, Devonian,
and Silurian periods. These sedimentary rock formations consist
mainly of sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, and dolomite.
These are for the most part deposits from a series of inland seas
that occupied what is now Indiana- and surrounding States through most
of Paleozoic time. In addition, terrestrial sedimentary deposits are
located in parts of Indiana.and include large deposits of coal, the
remnants of great swamp forests.
The sequence of sedimentary rock is about 3000 feet thick near Muncie,
but is 5000 feet thick at the Michigan border and more than 12000
feet thick at the southwest corner of the State. Erosion has removed
great thicknesses of the sedimentary rocks and also has beveled them,
so that the oldest rocks (Ordovician) lie at the bedrock surface
near Richmond and Lawrenceburg, and the youngest (Pennsylvanian)
rocks underlie Evansville and Terre Haute.
The basis of soil formation is the gradual weathering and decomposition
of soil parent materials. The basic parent materials of Indiana soils
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are glacial drift and various bedrock formations (See Figure 2).
During the process of soil formation, vegetation is established.
As the vegetational communities develop, organic matter accumulates
and soil profiles are developed. With the introduction of vegeta-
tion, micro-flora and fauna also developed. Over geologic time the
modern day soils were formed, each with individual characteristics
and physical properties.
Soils and the underlying geologic formations create an intimate associ-
ation with the water resource. Each individual soil has a distinctive
permeability characteristic, which governs its capacity to absorb pre-
cipitation and to transmit it underlying geologic formations. The basic
components of soil are sand, clay, and silt. The higher the content
of sand, the greater the premeability of liquid through it.
MAJOR DRAINAGE BASINS
A drainage basin is an area that gathers water originating as
precipitation and contributes it ultimately to a stream or other body
of water. All streams, no matter what size, have associated drainage
basins from which the stream's flow is derived. The two major drainage
basins in Indiana are the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River basins
(See Figure 3). The Great Lakes drainage consists of the Little and
Grand Calumet Rivers and minor tributaries to Lake Michigan in Northwest
Indiana; the St. Joseph River basin in Northern Indiana, which also
drains to Lake Michigan; and the Maumee River basin in the northeastern
part of the State, which drains to Lake Erie. The Great Lakes drainage
portion of Indiana totals approximately 3,545 square miles, including
241 square miles in Lake Michigan.
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The Mississippi River drainage consists of two major areas of the
State. The first of these includes the basins of the Kankakee and
Iroquois Rivers, which drain westerly into Illinois and then to the
Mississippi River via the Illinois River. The total area within
this section is approximately 3016 square miles.
The rest of the Mississippi River drainage, which encompasses about
seventy-seven percent of the State, includes the basins of the Wabash
River, the Whitewater River, and a number of minor tributaries to the
Ohio River along the southern part of the State. These all drain to
the Ohio River and then to the Mississippi. The total area within
this section is approximately 29,730 square miles.
Ill GROUNDWATER RESOURCE
The gross long-term supply of water to Indiana, in the form of
precipitation, amounts to a Statewide annual average of 38 inches per
year. However, not all the precipitation is directly available to
maintain the water resource, as indicated in Figure 4. Much of the
water is lost to evapotranspiration. It is estimated that approximately
69 percent or 26 inches of the average annual precipitation in Indiana
is returned to the atmosphere. Therefore, of the original 38 inches
of precipitation, approximately 12 inches represent the.annual net
s.upply to the water resource, both groundwater and surface water.
The distinction between the groundwater component and the surface water
component is implied by their respective names. Groundwater occurs
in consolidated and unconsolidated underground geologic formations.
Surfacewater occurs in surface streams and lakes.
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In general, groundwater is supplied by that portion of precipitation
that infiltrates through the soil profile to underlying geologic
formations, or aquifers, that have the ability to absorb, store, and
transmit water. Although information is limited, it appears that
approximately nine (9) percent of the average annual precipitation
recharges, or is contributed to, the groundwater system.
Groundwater in Indiana occurs in a variety of both unconsolidated and
bedrock aquifer systems. The most significant of these aquifers are
the various unconsolidated outwash sand and gravel deposits associated
with glacial drift, and the limestone, dolomite, and sandstone bedrock
formations.
UNCONSOLIDATED AQUIFERS . _.. -
The most productive groundwater aquifers are associated with glacially
derived outwash - the unconsolidated deposits (See Figure 5). Sand and
gravel deposits occur in the major river valleys. Drainage courses,
which were cut by glacial melt waters and now occupied by a number of
rivers and streams, were in many cases filled with these unconsolidated
materials. These aquifers are capable of yielding 2000 gallons per
minute (GPM) and more to properly constructed, large diameter wells.
Other productive groundwater aquifers are the thick, inter-till sand
and gravel deposits found in central and northern Indiana. The
withdrawal potential of groundwater from these unconsolidated aquifer
systems ranges between 400 and 2000 GPM from properly constructed,
large diameter wells.
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BEDROCK AQUIFERS
Like the unconsolidated deposits, the bedrock formations (See Figure
6) also have the ability to absorb, store, and transmit water. The
major bedrock aquifers which occur in Indiana are the so-called
Pennsylvanian, Mississippian, Devonian, and the Silurian, all of the
Paleozoic era.
Aquifers contained within the Pennsylvanian age bedrock are generally
of low yielding capacity, seldom supplying more than 20 GPM to a
properly constructed well. However, their value is most significant
to the homes and farms utilizing these sources in southwestern Indiana,
and to those waterflood oil operations requiring fresh water for
injection and re-pressurization of oil bearing formations. Those
portions of Indiana with underlying Pennsylvanian age bedrock aquifers
are shown in Figure 7. In general well depths are greater in the
Pennsylvanian rocks than in other geologic systems of the State, and
depths approaching 300 feet are common. Well casings are usually six
(6) inches or greater, indicating the low yield capabilities of these
aquifers. Because of the low permeability of the bedrock, the
abundance of shale confining zones both above and below aquifer
systems, and the limitations in available drawdown, it is seldom
possible to pump large volumes of water.
The Mississippian age bedrock aquifers can be broken into three (3)
reasonably distinct groups (See Figure 7). They include the uppermost
alternating limestone-shale-sandstone units, which are not considered
an important aquifer source and contain only small amounts of water
(generally yielding less than 10 GPM); the middle Mississippian age
14
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FIGURE 7
SO Milts
75 Km
Map of Indiana showing those areas with underlying
Pennsylvania!! bedrock aquifers.
50 Mite*
75 Km
Map of Indiana showing those areas with underlying
Mississippian bedrock aquifers.
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limestone sequence that is prominent in south-central Indiana, and
which can, in localized areas yield up to 100 GPM, but normally yields
only small amounts sufficient for home use; and finally the siltstone
and shale formations that yield little groundwater. In general, the
Mississippian aquifers are not considered major sources of groundwater
in the State, and exclusive of anomalous conditions in Montgomery and
Fountain Counties, average well yields are less than 10 GPM. Well
depths vary widely, ranging from 50 to 350 feet.
Black shale, limestone, and dolomite formations are the dominant rock
types of the Devonian age bedrock aquifer system in the State.
Devonian bedrock aquifer locations in Indiana are shown in Figure 8.
Significant aquifer sources are confined to the limestone and dolomite
units and marked differences exist between the water bearing
characteristics of these formations.
Well yields from the dolomite-limestone aquifers range from 100 to
600 GPM for the northern half of the State to less than 50 GPM for
the southern sectors where most well yields will be less than 10 GPM.
Well yields from the shale formations are not significant, and dry
holes and wells yielding less than five (5) GPM are common.
The Silurian age bedrock aquifers shown in Figure 8, are composed
primarily of limestones and dolomite with some interbedded shale.
Silurian bedrock aquifers are an important source of water for many
communities in the northern half of the State and are also utilized
by thousands of residents served by individual domestic wells. In
portions of Lake, Newton, and Jasper Counties they are tapped by
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FIGURE 8
SO Miles
75 Km
• o
SO Mites
75 Km
Map of Indiana showing those areas with underlying
Devonian bedrock aquifers.
Map of Indiana showing those areas with underlying Silurian
bedrock aquifers.
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numerous irrigation wells. Yields from the Silurian aquifer system
vary from 10 GPM to 600 GPM. Generally, in most of the northern
portion of Indiana, the limestone and dolomite aquifers can be expected
to yield up to 400 GPM from properly constructed wells. In southeastern
Indiana where the glacial deposits are thinner, well yields range
from 5 to 100 GPM.
IV GROUNDWATER AVAILABILITY
Groundwater capabilities vary widely in the State ranging from as
little as 10 GPM or less to over 2000 GPM to properly constructed,
large diameter wells. The availability of groundwater on a Statewide
basis is shown on Figure 9. The various categories of groundwater
yields are only a measure of the relative productivity of the several
aquifer systems. These yield potentials do not indicate that an
unlimited number of wells, of the specified yield, can be developed
in any given location.
NORTHERN INDIANA
In general, the groundwater resource of northern Indiana can be
classified as being good to excellent, and exclusive of some areas in
northwestern Indiana, well yields of from 200 to 2000 GPM can be
expected in most areas. Major areas of groundwater availability are
found where the productive Silurian-Devonian bedrock aquifer system
underlies large areas, and where deposits of glacial material up to
500 feet in thickness contain highly productive inter-till sand and
gravel aquifers. A number of major outwash sand and gravel deposits
are associated with the St. Joseph, Elkhart, Pigeon, Fawn, Eel, and
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Tippecanoe River Valleys. These sources are capable of large
groundwater production.
CENTRAL INDIANA
In the central portion of the State, groundwater conditions range
from fair to good. Well yields from 100 to 400 GPM are typical.
Both outwash sand and gravel, and limestone and dolomite bedrock
aquifers are tapped for large production needs. Major groundwater
sources occur in the valleys of the West Fork of the White, Whitewater,
Eel, and Wabash Rivers, and in portions of the Valleys of Eagle,
Fall, and Brandywine Creeks, and the Blue River. Bedrock aquifers in
the Silurian-Devonian limestone sequence are also tapped for fairly
large production. Locally, thicker inter-till sand and gravel aquifers
are present that are capable of meeting small municipal and industrial
need. These sources are normally capable of yielding up to 300 GPM.
SOUTHERN INDIANA
Many areas of the southern portion of the State are particularly
lacking in groundwater, and only limited amounts, generally less than
10 GPM are available to properly constructed wells. In these areas,
the major sources of groundwater are present in the sand and gravel
deposits of the stream valley aquifers and are extensively tapped by
a number of municipalities, rural water systems, and irrigation users.
The valleys of the Eel, East and West Forks of the White, Ohio,
Wabash, Whitewater, and main stem of the White are underlaid by
thick deposits of outwash sand and gravel capable of producing over
1000 GPM to properly constructed large diameter wells.
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V GROUNDWATER LEVELS
When water is withdrawn from an aquifer system the water level in the
aquifer may decrease. Providing that the rate of withdrawal of
groundwater does not exceed the annual average recharge to the aquifer,
the aquifer system will not be "mined" or undergo a continual decrease
in groundwater levels. During the long period of monitoring water
levels in Indiana, there have been no discernable long term changes,
in the form either of lowered or rising water levels.
In general, groundwater levels naturally follow a rather consistent
seasonal pattern, reaching annual high levels in late April or early
May, and then beginning a slow but continuous decline through the
summer growing season. In autumn, with the onset of seasonal increases
in precipitation and major reduction in evapotranspiration, the
groundwater levels begin to rise.
Normal annual water level changes are typically in the range of three
(3) to seven (7) feet in most aquifers. While Statewide water level
trends have reflected no long term rise or decline in water levels,
large groundwater withdrawals, however, have caused pronounced declines
in local water levels, particularly near municipal well fields, stone
quarries, and in some areas of irrigation usage.
VI WATER WITHDRAWALS
In addition to instream uses (fish and wildlife, outdoor recreation,
hydroelectric power generation and commercial navigation) man has a
variety of needs for water. These needs include public water supplies,
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irrigation, and the production of energy and energy related processes
(through the extraction of coal, oil, and gas). Water is withdrawn
from both the surface and groundwater compoments of the water resource
by either surface water intakes or wells. Of the estimated 13,840
million gallons of water withdrawn daily from the Indiana water
resource, approximately ninety-five (95) percent is returned to a
supply source while five (5) percent (approximately 615 million
gallons) is consumed. Water consumption includes evaporation,
transpiration, transfer out of the basin of origin, and that
incorporated into products.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY
Any public utility which distributes water for sale to customers is
defined as a public water supply. The source of a public water supply
is dependent upon the location and the availability of the water
resource. Approximately fifty-one (51) percent of the water distributed
by the Indiana public water supply utilities is derived from a surface
water source: from streams, reservoirs, and lakes, particularly Lake
Michigan. The remaining forty-nine percent of the water supplied by
public utilities is withdrawn from groundwater. The location and
source of Indiana public water supply systems are shown in Figure 10.
In general, the source of water for public utilities depends upon
local geological and hydrological conditions. As previously discussed,
the availability of groundwater is generally greater in the northern
and central portions of Indiana than in the southern part of the
State. Usually only those utilities with limited access to adequate
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quantities of groundwater rely upon surface water sources. The four
largest utilities in the State, serving the Indianapolis, Gary-Hobart,
Fort Wayne, and Evansville areas, obtain at least ninety-five percent
of their supply of water from surface sources.
The three (3) types of public supply systems in Indiana are the
municipal, rural water, and subdivision utility systems. The
municipal utility generally serves an incorporated city or town, but
may serve developments outside city boundaries.
The rural public water supply systems are typically located in rural
areas in southern Indiana where the water resource is limited (See
Figure 11). These systems are usually formed by local residents
after a period of time of dealing with undependable wells or cisterns.
Due to small capacity distribution systems and higher rates, the
commercial, industrial, and agricultural uses of water through the
rural systems are limited.
The subdivision utility is designed to serve only the residences
within a single development. Subdivision system have been developed
for mobile home parks, isolated subdivisions, or industrial parks not
having access to another water supply.
The customers of public water utilities may include anyone having
access to the water mains, such as homes, apartments, various public
and private institutions, commercial enterprizes and industry. In
1975, sixty-eight (68) percent or approximately 3,632,000 of Indiana
residents were supplied through a public water utility.
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INDUSTRIAL WATER SUPPLY
Industries require the use of process water, cooling and condensing
water, boiler feed water, and sanitary water. Industrial water intake
is composed of water derived from public water supplies or from self-
supplied industrial water withdrawals. Total industrial water intake
in 1977 approached 3720 million gallons per day. Of this Statewide
industrial water use, approximately ninety-three (93) percent was
self supplied while the remaining was purchased from public utilities.
RURAL WATER
Water used for livestock and residential purposes, and not supplied
by a public water utility, constitutes a rural water use. In 1977
rural water use was estimated at approximately 147 million gallons
per day, with residential use constituting the largest portion at 104
million gallons per day.
VII GROUNDWATER QUALITY (NATURAL)
CONVENTIONAL PARAMETERS
The natural chemical quality of groundwater is the direct result of
the mineral composition of the formations through which it has passed.
During the slow process of the movement of water from the surface
downward through the earth and into the aquifer systems, it dissolves
and takes into solution various chemical elements including chlorides,
fluorides, iron, calcium, magnesium, carbonates, sulfates, and a
number of other dissolved constitutents.
Groundwater quality throughout Indiana is quite variable depending
upon the aquifer system being sampled, geologic setting, and depth
27
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of formation. For example, the hardness content of groundwater may
range from less than 100 ppm to over 600 ppm. In general, the natural
chemical quality of Indiana groundwater is good, meeting most of the
basic requirements for household, municipal, industrial, and irrigation
uses. However, the waters are normally hard, exceeding 180 ppm, and
some form of iron or manganese removal treatment is required in many
situations. Several key natural chemical constituents are of particular
importance in assessing groundwater for general household, municipal,
and industrial uses. These usually include hardness, turbidity,
iron, maganese, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, fluoride and hydrogen
sulfide content. Figure 12 shows selected representative regional
water analyses for a number of municipal water supplies. The analyses
are predominantly for municipalities,with groundwater sources.
However, analyses for various stream sources, water supply reservoirs,
and lakes scattered throughout the State also are shown.
Hardness levels above 300 ppm are present in much of the State and
portions of northeastern Indiana have hardness levels exceeding 600
ppm as indicated in Figure 13. Localized areas of high hardness also
exist in extreme south-central Indiana in Harrison and Washington
Counties. A region of softer water is present in the southwestern
portion of the State where natural softening processes have reduced
hardness levels below 100 ppm in localized areas depending upon the
depth and aquifer sampled.
Figure 14 shows areas of low, moderate, and high iron content within
the State. For the most part groundwater in Indiana contains more
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FIGURE 12
LEGEND
Oimiul Coniem
Iron in ppm
M»n*mne in ppm
in ppm
SulUirt in ppm
Fluondn in ppm
HuJnett n C«COi in ppm —
WlurSowci
GW Ground Wjur
R finer
OSR Omtrum Rnervoir
U Ukx
F« 14
Mn .03
SO* 44
Fl .1
H 300
GW
UIWN |
J*
_ '«
4 •*
\ X
270
10
30MIIM
10 0
SO Km
Map of Indiana showing the water quality lor a number of municipal water supplies, and the
sources of the supplies. •
29
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FIGURE 13
75 Km
Map of Indiana showing the general distribution of
hydrogen sulfide in ground water.
SO Miles
75 Km
Contour interval 100 ppm
EXPLANATION
Outcrop area of Pennsylvanian rocks. In this
area hardness levels may vary substantially
depending upon deptn and aquifer sampled.
Map of Indiana showing the distribution of water hardness of
ground water in parts-per-million.
30
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than 0.3 ppm of iron, the minimum concentration needed to stain
plumbing fixtures and laundry.
Manganese, often associated with high iron content is a nuisance in
concentrations over 0.05 ppm. The areas having the lowest manganese
content in Indiana (See Figure 14) are along the Wabash River, the
Whitewater River in the southeastern part of the State, and in areas
underlaid by Mississippian age limestone aquifers.
Sulfate levels vary according to the geologic deposits present in
an area. In northeastern Indiana, sulfate levels in excess of 600
ppm are present (See Figure 15). Elevated sulfate levels are also
found in Harrison, Orange, Vermillion, and Lake Counties. Fluoride
concentrations greater than 1 ppm, the recommended level for cavity
prevention, are present in much of central and northeastern Indiana
and in scattered parts of southwestern, west-central and northwestern
Indiana (See Figure 15). Localized high fluoride concentrations in
the western sectors of the State are due to geologic factors which
have substantially changed the chemistry of groundwater in these areas,
Sizeable areas in northwestern Indiana are underlaid by limestone
bedrock containing water with a high level of hydrogen sulfide (See
Figure 13). A shale bedrock capstone is present above the limestone
in many places, and when the shale occurs at a shallow depth, it
virtually eliminates all other alternative water supply possibilities.
VIII POTENTIAL GROUNDUATER CONTAMINATION
An important and historical aspect of the groundwater resource is
that it has been relatively free of pollution and therefore requires
31
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FIGURE 14
0 50 Miles
.' I L—J ' it
I i i i
0 75 Km
CONCENTRATION
50 Mites
75 Km
0.5 ppm or less 0.5 to 1.0 ppm 1.0 ppm or greater
CONCENTRATION
0.05 ppm or less 0.05 to 0.10 ppm 0.10 ppm or greater
Map of Indiana showing the general concentration of iron in
ground water in parts-per-million.
Map of Indiana showing the general concentration of
manganese in ground water in parts-per-million.
32
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FIGURE 15
Contour interval 100 ppm
75 Km
Map of Indiana showing the concentration of sulfate in
ground water in parts-per-million.
Map of Indiana showing tne general distribution of fluoride in
ground water.
33
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very little, if any treatment before use for potable purposes.
Groundwaters are purified by several natural characteristics of the
soils. The efficiency of the natural ability of the soils to purify,
directly relates to the nature of the soils and the pollutants. The
soil phenomena affecting purification are physical, biological, and
chemical. With respect to the physical, the purification mechanism
is a matter of filtration or straining. Soil microorganisms thrive
at or near the soil surface. Under both aerobic and anaerobic con-
ditions, microorganisms can change the composition or structure of
pollutants providing the pollutant is not of too toxic a character.
Purifying chemical processes include oxidation, reduction, sorption,
ion exchange, precipitation and .dissolution. These processes occur
throughout the ground providing appropriate conditions exist. The
conditions include the presence or lack of oxygen, moisture, natural
clay, dissolved gases, etc.
With the development in recent years of highly sophisticated measuring
and analytical techniques, it was discovered that the nations
groundwaters are not as contamination-free as historically thought.
Highly toxic contaminants, too toxic to be subject to microbiological
degradation and not altered by any other natural purification mechanism,
are finding their way into heretofor potable groundwater aquifers.
The contamination of these groundwater supplies is not solely the work
of "Midnight Dumpers" who illegally pour barrels of wastes into
ditches and fields. Much of this contamination is a result of the
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entirely legal disposal of liquid and solid wastes into improperly
protected and located pits, ponds and lagoons, quarries, natural land
surface depressions, improperly located and constructed underground
waste injection wells and other dumps.
Discharging into dumps, waste-burial grounds, and disposal wells is a
common method of waste disposal. Serious contamination of the
groundwater reservoir near the dumps can readily occur if the bottom
of the depressions is below the water table, or if the earth material
separating the dump or lagoon from the aquifer is primarily silt,
sand, or other relatively permeable material. Those parts of Indiana,
or any other State for that matter, directly underlaid by permeable
sand and gravel, creviced dolomite or limestone aquifers are especially
susceptible to pollution from such sources. In general, impoundments
have historically been sited and constructed without apparent regard
for the protection of groundwater quality. In fact, until a few
short years ago siting and construction were virtually unregulated,
by both the Federal and State Governments, from the perspective of
groundwater protection.
Studies of leachates from refuse disposal areas have shown that both
biological and chemical contaminants are produced. Contaminants are
leached from refuse and made available for distribution into nearby
aquifers by movement of moisture through the refuse. During this
movement the chemical constituents are taken into solution, and
biological constituents are translocated by the seeping waters.
Their flow in sand and gravel aquifers is through inter-connected
pores between the rock particles comprising the water-bearing material.
35
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In shallow limestone or dolomite aquifers, the contaminating
constitutents move through interconnected networks of joints, cracks,
and fissures characteristic of these bedrock formations.
In a study (Surface Impoundment Assessment) by this Agency, it was
reported that thousands of pits, ponds, and lagoons around the country
contain chemical wastes that pose serious threats of groundwater
contamination. It was concluded that of the more than 180,000
contaminated pools, ranging from cattle ponds to industrial waste
lagoons, more than 90 percent of them posed at least a potential
threat of groundwater contamination. Furthermore the drinking water
supplies for thousands of individual homes, and many entire rural and
suburban communities are drawn by wells from groundwater. Most of
the pools, according to the Surface impoundment Assessment (SIA) are
in soils that permit the liquid waste contents to drain into the
groundwater, that is, the impoundments are located over thin or
permeable unsaturated zones which provide limited protection to
underlying aquifers. Moreover, seventy (70) percent of the industrial
impoundments were determined to be unlined, as were 78 percent of the
municipal impoundments, and 84 percent of the agricultural.
Subsurface flow of groundwater is very slow in comparison with that
of overland water flow. Under normal hydraulic gradients, groundwater
may travel horizontally only a few feet per day through sand and
gravel or creviced limestone and dolomite, and only a few feet per
year through sandstone and other finer grain deposits such as clay
and shale. Depending upon the geology of the aquifer, contamination
36
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of the groundwater with certain synthetic toxicants can poison that
water source for as much as geologic time. Figure 16 shows pits,
ponds, lagoons and hazardous waste dump sites in Indiana. The
hazardous waste sites are active sites and were obtained from the
Waste Management Division of this Region. The pits, ponds, and
lagoons were selected from the SIA. A primary objective of the SIA
was to rate the contamination potential of groundwater from surface
impoundments. The employed evaluation system applied a numerical
rating scheme that yielded a first round approximation of the rela-
tive groundwater contamination potential from all the impoundments
located. The scheme evaluated the following characteristics:
quality and thickness of the unsaturated zone (area between lagoon
bottom and top of aquifer), the groundwater availability, groundwater
quality, and the waste hazard potential. A summation of the four
(4) characteristics above produced the overall groundwater contami-
nation potential. Finally, the distance from the impoundment to a
ground or surfacewater source of drinking water and the determina-
tion of anticipated flow direction of the waste plume were used to
ascertain the potential endangerment to current water supplies pre-
sented by the surface impoundment. Because of the desk-top nature
of the assessment, the numerical rating (1 - 29) could not be
used to assess the actual amount of groundwater contamination
at the site. Rather each score was used for relative compa-
rison with other sites only. Actual determination of groundwater
contamination would require intensive on-site investigation.
Because of the huge numbers of impoundment sites located in
Indiana (as is the case in the remainder of the country), it was
arbitrarily decided to limit this study to only those impoundments
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with numerical ratings of 25 or greater. This means that of approxi-
mately 3700 impoundments of all types located by the SIA in Indiana,
only the top 37 or one (1) percent of the total were considered in
this report and placed in Figure 16 and in Table 1. It is possible
that this arbitrary cut-off excluded some sites that are contaminating,
or that have the potential to contaminate usable groundwater supplies.
Therefore on-site investigations of the upper one (1) percent (samp-
ling and appropriate analysis of public and private water supplies
in the area) may point to the need to study other sites with lesser
SIA contamination potential.
With respect to the hazardous waste dumps (Table 2), all 49 sites
computer-programmed by the Waste Management Division were retrieved
and considered in this report.
LAKE COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals that Lake County contains more by
far of the hazardous waste dumps and impoundments considered in this
report than any other Indiana County. Moreover all of the report-
considered Lake County dumps and impoundments are located north of
latitude 41°30', the northern-most 25 percent of the County.
Based upon the computer-retrieved waste and process codes, the
hazardous waste dump sites contain, in all probability, practically
all chemicals used in the Great Lakes basin. In a broad brush manner
these sites contain at least a dozen toxic metals, refinery wastes,
steel plant wastes, electroplating wastes, halogenated and unhalogenated
paraffin hydrocarbons, acids, aldehydes and ketones, esters, halogenated
and unhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons with both single and fused
38
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TABLE I
UPPER ONE (1) PERCENT OF INDIANA
IMPOUNDMENTS WITH HIGHEST POTENTIAL FOR
GROUNDWATER ENDANGERMENT
(SIA)
LOCATION
COUNTY/LATITUDE/LONGITUDE
ORANGE COUNTY
38°32,05" - 86°32'10"
38 35 40 - 86 23 30
38 33 45
38 38 15
38 38 15
38 39 30
38 35 40
38 33 55
38 34 45
- 86 20 30
- 86 31 30
- 86 24 45
- 86 25 05
86 22 35
- 86 21 20
- 86 22 25
IMPOUNDMENT
TYPE
Agricultural
WABASH COUNTY
40°40'35" - 85°5T40"
40 44 25 - 85 51 20
40 58 15 - 85 50 55
40 52 10 - 85 47 40
STEUBEN COUNTY
41°35'15" - 85°02'50"
WASHINGTON COUNTY
38°38,10" - 86°13,25"
38 28 45 - 86 13 30
HARRISON COUNTY
38°03'10" - 86°03'50"
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY
41
41
41
41
41
41
41
41
41
41
41
°2T
07
17
22
02
13
14
13
19
14
19
45"
50
00
20
50
45
00
45
35
05
35
- 85
- 86
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
- 85
°48'
04
40
42
42
57
49
51
50
50
42
00"
15
45
10
10
15
55
20
55
05
30
HUNTINGTON COUNTY
40°45'30" - 85°24'50"
40 59 10 - 85 33 45
Agricultural
M
Industrial
Oil and Gas
Agricultural
Agricultural
Agricultural
Agricultural
Industrial
Municipal
Agricultural
40
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TABLE I (Cont.)
LOCATION
COUNTY/LATITUDE/LONGITUDE
40°55'15" - 85°2T30"
LAGRAN6E COUNTY
41°4T50" - 85°34'45"
LAWRENCE COUNTY
38°43'20" - 86°18'40"
38 56 50
38 52 55
38 52 25
38 52 40
38 54 05
- 86 23 15
- 86 28 55
- 86 25 45
- 86 30 05
- 86 31 50
ELKHART COUNTY
41°41'50"
41 40 50
41 41 35
40 55
37 00
26 45
35 45
41
41
41
41
85°59'20"
85 55 00
85 59 15
85 42 00
85 55 15
85 59 10
85 51 10
LAKE COUNTY
41°37'25"
41 30 50
41 35 45
41 35 25
41 38 55
41 36 50
41 40 15
41 37 35
41 36 25
41 39 55
41 39 15
41 36 40
41 40 45
41 38 00
41 36 25
41 40 20
41 30 05
41 37 20
41 41 35
41 38 10
41 39 00
41 37 05
41 37 05
- 87°25'10"
- 87 24 50
- 87 13 25
- 87 31 15
- 87 29 35
- 87 21 45
- 87 25 50
- 87 22 15
- 87 20 30
- 87 26 00
- 87 28 30
- 87 23 25
- 87 27 45
- 87 25 45
- 87 19 15
- 87 26 40
- 87 28 10
- 87 23 30
- 87 30 45
- 87 24 00
- 87 27 45
- 87 29 35
- 87 28 40
IMPOUNDMENT
TYPE
Agricultural
Agricultural
Agricultural
Agricultural
Industrial
ii
Mining
Industrial
Municipal
Industrial
Municipal
41
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TABLE I (Cont.)
LOCATION
COUNTY/LATITUDE/LONGITUDE
MARION COUNTY
39°44'05"
39 44'05"
39 48 20
39 55 05
39 45 15
39 48 30
39 48 45
86°12'25"
86 13 20
86 19 55
86 15 08
86 17 55
86 02 20
86 19 15
MARSHALL COUNTY
41°26'50"
41 27 05
41 26 55
- 86°09'35"
- 86 09 45
- 86 09 55
PORTER COUNTY
41036'45"
41 36 35
41 37 55
41 26 55
41 23 30
- 87°08'50"
- 87 07 40
- 87 04 35
- 87 00 40
- 87 01 30
WARRICK COUNTY
37°55'40" - 87°20'40"
HENRY COUNTY
39°56'00" - 85°23'15"
CLARK COUNTY
38°2T55" - 85°38'14"
CARROL COUNTY
40°OT45"
39 56 25
- 86°16'30"
- 86 15 25
SHELBY COUNTY
39°4T05" - 85°43'50"
POSEY COUNTY
37°54'15" - 87°55'35"
IMPOUNDMENT
TYPE
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Municipal
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
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TABLE I (Cont.)
LOCATION
COUNTY/LATITUDE/LONGITUDE
TIPPECANOE COUNTY
40°27'10" - 86°52'50"
VERMILLION COUNTY
39°54'40" - 87°24'50"
39 54 45 - 87 31 15
FLOYD COUNTY
38°17'35" - 85°47'50"
HANCOCK COUNTY
39°45'30" - 85°47'50"
HOWARD COUNTY
40°28'25" - 86°09'15"
40 27 20 - 86 06 40
JOHNSON COUNTY
39°22'55" - 85°59'30"
MONROE COUNTY
39°22'55" - 85°59'30"
VANDERBURGH COUNTY
37°54'30" - 87°38'40"
SPENCER COUNTY
37°55'20"
37 55 20
37 54 45
37 55 50
37 55 50
37 55 05
37 58 30
37 55 05
37 58 50
87°04'20"
87 04 20
87 06 05
87 14 25
87 14 40
87 03 10
87 10 45
87 03 10
87 08 15
GREENE COUNTY
39°06'25" - 86°59'00"
39 05 45 - 87 00 30
IMPOUNDMENT
TYPE
Industrial
Industrial
Mining
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Industrial
Municipal
Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas
Oil and Gas
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TABLE 2
HAZARDOUS WASTE DUMPSITES IN INDIANA
OWNER
Inc.
Central Indiana Disposal
General Electric
Indiana Waste Systems Inc.
Logansport Municipal Utilities
Superior Sanitation Inc.
Indiana Statewide Rec. Inc.
Randolph County Landfill
Bergsoe Boliden Inc.
Northern Indiana Public Service Co.
Willcutt Landfill
Wabash Valley Reclamation Center Inc.
Four County Landfill
ITT-United Plastics Division
GMC Delco Remy
National Distillers and Chemical Corp.
Arvin Industries
Indiana and Michigan Electric Co.
Stauffer Chemical Co.
Wells Aluminum Corp.
Steel Warehouse Co.
U.S. Steel Corporation
Federated Metals Inc.
Vulcan Materials Co. . _,.
Mason Metals Co. Inc.
Dana Corporation
Dana Corporation
Corning Glass Works
Eli Lilly and Co.
Jones Chemical Inc.
Alcoa
Rock Island Refining Corp.
Interroval Corp.
National Steel Corp.
Indiana and Michigan Electric Co.
Conservation Chemical Co.
GK Technologies Inc.
Howmet Turbine Components Corp.
Indiana Farm Bureau Corp.
FMC Corp. (Bearing Div.)
FMC Corp. (Chain Div.)
Cabot Corp.
Northside Sanitary Landfill
Amland Corp.
Gulf and Western MFG. Co.
Nucor Coporation
Bethlehem Steel Corp.
Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp.
Kerr-McGee Chemical Corp.
General American Transportation Corp.
LOCATION
Ashboro
Shelbyvilie
Wheeler
Logansport
Marion
Sullivan
Farmland
Municie
Hammond
Medora
Wabash
Fulton
Medora
Muncie
Indianapolis
North Vernon
Lawrenceburg
Hammond
North Liberty
South Bend
Gary
Hammond
Gary
Schereville
Auburn
Angola
Bluffton
LaFayetteon
Beach Grove
Newburgh
Portage City
Michigan City
Portage City
Fairbanks
Gary
Muncie
LaPorte
Mt. Vernon
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Kokomo
Zionsville
South Bend
Greensburg
St. Joe
Burns Harbor
New Castle
Indianapolis
East Chicago
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TABLE 2 (Cont.)
OWNER LOCATION
Gary Development Corp. Gary
Adams Sanitary Landfill Fort Wayne
Ingram-Richardson Co. Frankfort
Northern Indiana Public Service Co. Wheatfield
Indiana and Michigan Electric Co. Rockport
Ingersoll Johnson Steel New Castle
PT Components Inc. (Link Belt Bearing Div.) Indianapolis
PT Components Inc. (Chain Div.) Indianapolis
Colgate-Palmolive Co. Jeffersonville
Montgomery-Crawfordsville Landfill Crawfordsville
Continental Steel Corp. Kokomo
GMC (Delco-Remy) Anderson
Gulf Oil Corp. Milton
Fisher-Calo Chemical and Solvents Indianapolis
Waland Disposal Co. Shoals
ILWD Inc. Roachdale
Newport Army Ammuition Plant Newport
U.S. Army Soldier Support Center Fort Benjamin Harrison
U.S. Navy Weapons Support Center Crane
U.S. Army Ammunition Plant Charlestown
46
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nuclei, spent pickle liquors, herbicides, insecticides, and solvents
of all kinds. In general, the hazardous waste dump sites in Northern
Lake County contain most everything used in the Great Lakes Basin
that is toxic, ignitable, and corrosive.
With respect to the industrial waste lagoons or impoundments, the SIA
concludes that, on a national average, nearly 50 percent of the
impoundments are located over thin or permeable unsaturated zones
which provide very limited protection to underlying aquifers. Moreover
70 to 80 percent of both the industrial and municipal impoundments
are unlined allowing for facile seepage of leachate to and through
these thin and permeable unsaturated zones. Furthermore the SIA
concludes that 35 percent of the industrial impoundments contain
wastes which most likely are hazardous based upon the characteristics
of the industry involved (Standard Industrial Codes).
As previously discussed, the unconsolidated deposits located in Lake
County were formed by glacial action, wind, and shoreline processes.
The thickness of these materials varies from less than 50 to over 300
feet; and the types of deposits present include lake clays, glacial
till, dune sand, and outwash sand and gravel. Sand and gravel deposits
serve as important aquifers in much of the area, particularly south
of the Valparaiso Moraine (41°40'). Fine sand and lake clays, which
predominate in areas near Lake Michigan, do not constitute a major
ground water source. The underlying bedrock in Lake County is composed
of Silurian and Devonian limestone and dolomite and represents an
important source of groundwater especially in the southern and western
47
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portions of the county, away from Lake Michigan.
The availability of groundwater is associated with the nature and
type of aquifer materials present in a given area. In Lake County
there is pronounced variability in groundwater occurrence from north
to south (See Figure 9). In areas near Lake Michigan, well yields
are generally less than 100 6PM, and may be even lower in some
localities. Shallow fine sand is the primary aquifer source in these
areas and does not yield water readily. Beneath the sand are found
either fine grained lake clays or glacial till deposits which do not
yield water. It is in these low yield areas (near Lake Michigan)
that all of the report-considered hazardous waste dumps and SIA
impoundments in Lake County are located. This is a mixed blessing.
The low yield groundwater aquifers, coupled with the easy accessibility
of excellent quality surface waters, precludes this area from being
none other than one primarily serviced by public water supplies using
surface water sources. In other words, approximately 90 - 95 percent
or more of the population is served from surface supplies and is not
subject to groundwater sources that have an especially high potential
for contamination from the many dumps and impoundments in the area.
However, the low groundwater availability in the area would most
likely make any potential contamination more severe because of the
lesser dilution available in the pertinent aquifers. As a result,
the remaining five (5) to 10 percent of the population in the area
served by private wells would be subject to a greater hazard from any
potential contamination adulterating the aquifer. It is imperative
that a random number of private wells in Northern Lake County be
48
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sampled and comprehensively characterized. A sampling and analysis of
all the private wells in the area should follow, if warranted.
Not to be lost in the discussion is the extreme likelihood that leachate
from the hazardous waste dumps and SIA impoundments migrating northward,
under natural drainage conditions, is contributing to the pollution
of both the Little and Grand Calumet River systems and to the southern
Lake Michigan nearshore.
MARION COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals that Marion County is second with
respect to the number of hazardous waste dumps and SIA impoundments
considered in this report. All dumps and impoundments are clustered
in the center of the county with the exception of a few industrial
waste lagoons that are located to the north and northeast. Metropolitan
Indianapolis occupies most of Marion County .
Based upon the computer-retrieved waste and process codes, the hazardous
waste dump sites contain cadmium, chromium, lead, arsenic, cyanide,
volatile organic solvents such as toluene and tri and perchlorethane,
herbicides, paint residues, and refinery wastes. Generally speaking,
the dumpsites contain wastes that are toxic, ignitable, and corrosive,
although not to the comprehensive extent characterizing those in Lake
County.
With respect to the industrial waste impoundments, the conditions
generalized by the SIA, and described previously under Lake County,
also apply in Marion County.
49
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All of Marion County was covered by the Wisconsinan continental
glaciers that advanced through Indiana some 20,000 years ago. The
deposits left by the glaciers consist predominantly of glacial till,
ice contact sand and gravel, silt, lake clays, outwash sand and gravel
and alluvial materials. Of particular importance are the permeable
sand and gravel deposits found in the valleys of the West Fork of the
White River, Fall Creek and Eagle Creek. Also contained within the
glacial drift are numerous thin, intertill sand and gravel zones.
Beneath the glacial and alluvial materials to the west are sedimentary
rock formations of siltstone, shale, and lenses of limestone. A
black carbonaceous shale underlies western Indianapolis. Further
east, the Region is underlaid by limestone, dolomite, and thin,
interbedded shale and limestone,
The availability of groundwater can be determined from Figure 9.
Major groundwater sources occur in the West Fork of the White River
Valley sand and gravel aquifer system and the underlying limestone
and dolomite bedrock aquifers. Well yields from 250 to 1500 GPM are
obtained from these aquifer systems. A 1975 study by the US Geological
Survey estimated that, depending on hydraulic characteristics, the
sand and gravel aquifers in Marion County are capable of producing 59
to 103 MGD from a system of wells. The Marion County aquifers are
easily recharged because of the porosity or permeability of the
unsaturated zones and because of the adequate precipitation in the
area. The permeability of the unsaturated zone allows for the quick
migration through that zone of any contaminants leached from poorly
50
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placed and/or unlined hazardous waste dumps or impoundments.
Fortunately most of Marion County is serviced by the Indianapolis
Water Company which supplies water to approximately 85 to 90
percent of the population. While a preponderance of the water
distributed by the Indianapolis Water Company is obtained from
surface supplies (reservoirs), approximately four (4) percent of
the total daily pumpage is obtained from groundwater supplies
located in the northeastern part of the county. In addition the
remaining 10 to 15 percent of the Marion County population not
serviced by the Indianapolis Water Company, obtains water from
approximately 15000 private wells or the public wells of the
Speedway and Lawrence Water Companies. Because of the large number
of hazardous waste dumps and industrial waste impoundments in Marion
County, the extreme permeability of the unsaturated zone in the
area, and the likely mismanagement of both dumps and impoundments
(uncontrolled) relative to the needs of groundwater protection, it
would be appropriate that a random number of private wells located in
the periphery of Marion County, in addition to the groundwater sources
augmenting the Indianapolis Water Company surface water supply, and
those of Speedway and Lawrence Water Companies, be sampled and analyzed
for contamination representative of the pertinent, suspected leachate
materials. A sampling of all private wells in Marion County should
follow if warranted.
In addition to the potential for groundwater contamination, the
hazardous waste dumps and industrial impoundments located in Marion
County, are likely contributing to pollution of the West Fork of the
White River and to its tributaries Eagle Creek and Fall Creek.
51
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placed and/or unlined hazardous waste dumps or impoundments.
Fortunately most of Marion County is serviced by the Indianapolis
Water Company which supplies water to approximately 85 to 90
percent of the population. While a preponderance of the water
distributed by the Indianapolis Water Company is obtained from
surface supplies (reservoirs), approximately four (4) percent of
the total daily pumpage is obtained from groundwater supplies
located in the northeastern part of the county. In addition the
remaining 10 to 15 percent of the Marion County population not
serviced by the Indianapolis Water Company, obtains water from
approximately 15000 private wells or the public wells of the
Speedway and Lawrence Water Companies. Because of the large number
of hazardous waste dumps and industrial waste impoundments in Marion
County, the extreme permeability of the unsaturated zone in the
area, and the likely mismanagement of both dumps and impoundments
(uncontrolled) relative to the needs of groundwater protection, it
would be appropriate that a random number of private wells located in
the perifery of Marion County, in addition to the groundwater sources
augmenting the Indianapolis Water Company surface water supply, and
those of Speedway and Lawrence Water Companies, be sampled and analyzed
for contamination representative of the pertinent, suspected leachate
materials. A sampling of all private wells in Marion County should
follow if warranted.
In addition to the potential for groundwater contamination, the
hazardous waste dumps and industrial impoundments located in Marion
County, are likely contributing to pollution of the West Fork of the
White River and to its tributaries Eagle Creek and Fall Creek.
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PORTER COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals that eighty (80) percent of the
considered Porter County hazardous waste dumps and SIA impoundments
are located in the northernmost twenty-five (25) percent of the
county. All of the dump sites contain materials that are either
ignitable, corrosive, or reactive. Organic compounds include coking
operations wastes (coal tar residues), highly volatile low molecular
weight chlorinated and unchlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, benzene
derivatives such as phenol and pyridene, and petroleum refinery
wastes. In addition the dumps contain pickle liquors, electroplating
wastes including cyanides, chromium, and silver, and materials such
as arsenic, barium, lead, mercury, and selenium. The impoundments
are owned by steel, carbide, and glass industries, and according to
SIC process information, most likely contain materials similar to
the dump sites.
The geologic conditions described under Lake County are also applicable
to Porter County. The thickness of the unconsolidated deposits varies
from less than 50 to 300 feet and includes types such as lake clays,
glacial till, dune sand, and outwash sand and gravel. The fine sand
and lake clays, which predominate in areas near Lake Michigan, do not
constitute a major groundwater source. The underlying bedrock of
Silurian and Devonian limestone and dolomite represents an important
source of groundwater, especially in the southern part of the county.
There is a pronounced variability in groundwater occurrence and
availability from north to south (See Figure 9), with well yields
52
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ranging from less than 100 GPM near Lake Michigan to 600 GPM and more
further to the south and east, and especially in the Valparaiso area
and in the valley of the Cobb tributary to the Kankakee River.
As in Lake County, shallow, fine sand is the primary aquifer source
in the areas close to Lake Michigan. As previously mentioned, this
type of aquifer does not yield groundwater readily. As a result, the
towns of Portage, Ogden Dunes, and Burns Harbor, all lakeshore
communities, are supplied Lake Michigan Water by the Gary-Hobart
Water Company which is located in Lake County. However, the rest of
the Porter County lake shore areas, and the second and third "row" of
towns south of the lake shore, are served by public or private wells
drilled through highly permeable unsaturated zones to high producing
aquifers composed of outwash sand and gravel deposits. It appears
that the groundwater sources serving the latter communities may be
subject to a high potential for contamination from dumps and impoundments
in the area.
The likely high contamination potential areas include Beverly Shores,
Porter, and Chesterton. Furthermore, the dumps and impoundments in
the area may be contaminating the Little Calumet River and the southern
Lake Michigan nearshore.
ST. JOSEPH, ELKHART, KOSCIUSKO COUNTIES
Of particular importance in these three counties are the glacially
derived, unconsolidated deposits which contain major sources of
groundwater. These deposits consist of glacial till, inter-till sand
and gravel, lake clays, dune sand, and ice-contact stratified drift.
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These materials range in thickness from about 100 feet to 500 feet.
Significant outwash-plain and valley-train sand and gravel deposits
are located adjacent to the Valparaiso Moraine and along the Kankakee,
Elkhart, St. Joseph, and Tippecanoe Rivers. Complex inter-till sand
and gravel aquifer systems are present in the moraines that are
located in Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties. The underlying Mississippian,
Devonian, and Silurian bedrock formations which are generally composed
of siltstone, shale, black shale, dolomite, and limestone, and
dolomite and limestone respectively, are not considered important
groundwater sources. Figure 9 indicates the maximum potential yield
of the aquifers in these three counties. These yields range from
400 to 2000 GPM to properly constructed, large diameter wells. In the
Kankakee aquifer in western St. Joseph County, and further east, in
the extensive outwash sand and gravel aquifers in St. Joseph, Elkhart,
and Kosciusko Counties, recharge rates of 500,000 GPM per square mile
are applicable and describe the large available storage and the highly
permeable nature of the aquifers.
The largest single utility operating in the three (3) county area is
the South Bend Public Utility which withdraws approximately 28 MGD.
Other large utilities are located in Mishiwaka and Elkhart, all of
which pump more than five (5) MGD, and in Goshen and Warsaw which
pump more than two (2) MGD. Forty percent of the Warsaw pumpage is
derived from surface supplies. The three county area is serviced by
another 25 smaller utilities, all deriving their supplies from ground-
water and approximately another 35,000 private wells.
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It is in this setting (high yield, high permeability aquifers) that
over two dozen impoundments (all with an extremely high SIA potential
for groundwater endangerment) and RCRA hazardous waste dumps are
located (See Figure 16). The hazardous waste dumps are in the South
Bend area and contain acids, organic solvents, detergents, copper,
chromium, cadmium, nickel, aluminum, cyanide, paint residues,
acetylaminofluorene, dichloromethane, and toluene. According to SIC
information, the Elkhart impoundments most likely contain pharmaceutical
wastes, chemicals and chemical preparations wastes, coating and
engraving wastes, meat products, and plating wastes. In Kosciusko
County, the impoundments contain paving and roofing materials, organic
and inorganic acids, aluminum, cadmium, zinc, cyanide, chromium, and oils
and greases. Comparable wastes are found in the St. Joseph County
impoundments. Since it is highly unlikely that the impoundments and
dumpsites have been properly operated and constructed, it appears
likely that the potential for groundwater contamination is high in
the three (3) county area especially in the areas pinpointed in
figure 16. These areas include northern St. Joseph, northwestern
Elkhart, and central Kosciusko Counties.
SPENCER COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals a cluster of oil and gas waste
impoundments in southcentral Spencer County. Indiana has been
producing oil, especially in the southwestern part of the State,
since 1889. Although not a large producer compared to other oil
producing States, Indiana has produced as much as 13 million barrels
in one year (1953). Total State oil production in 1981 was approxi-
mately 4.8 million barrels. Spencer County in 1981 produced 150,000 barrels,
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It is estimated that for every barrel of oil produced, as many
as 40 barrels of salt brine must be disposed of. Under New Depart-
ment of Natural Resource (Oil and Gas Division) rules and regulations,
salt brine must be "deep welled" except under certain circumstances,
and then only and for short periods of time. During these short-term
periods, impoundments could be used. However, in earlier unregulated
days evaporation pits were the vogue, since they were cheap to built
and cost nothing to operate. However, they were almost completely
inefficient because of the southern Indiana climate (relatively high
rainfall and moderately wet soil).
Literally hundreds of these salt brine impoundments, of every size
and volume, dot the southern Indiana landscape. These impoundments
were built with absolutely no thought to groundwater protection.
Moreover, the effluents from those impoundments with overflow
mechanisms have destroyed many acres of vegetation in the oil and gas
mining areas.
Groundwater availability in Spencer County is considered poor except
for the sand and gravel deposits along the Ohio River (the southern
border of Spencer County), and in the sand and gravel deposits
contained in the old Ohio River channel in southwestern Spencer County
(See Figure 9). These deposits can yield up to 1000 GPM to properly
constructed wells in the former areas, and up to 600 GPM in the latter.
Spencer County bedrock is usually shallow in depth with layers of
thin, weathered and broken rock overlying it. The bedrock consists of
shales, sandstones and limestone which yield limited amounts of water.
Wells in these bedrock deposits normally yield less than ten (10) GPM.
Spencer County is serviced by nine (9) public water supplies withdrawing
approximately one (1) million gallons per day from both surface and
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underground sources. About 55 percent of the supply comes from
underground sources. In addition, approximately 2000 private wells
are the source of drinking water for another 8000 or more people in
the county.
The cluster of oil and gas impoundments identified in Figure 16,
unfortunately lies above aquifers of large groundwater availability.
These impoundments are located in areas of highly permeable sand and
gravel deposits. While more recent impoundments may have been
constructed with impervious clay liners, it is more than likely that
the earlier evaporation pits were merely large excavations in the
ground with no attempt at bottom or side sealing. Based upon the
fact that area mining companies replaced many a private drinking
water well, it is fairly obvious that the brine waste waters
found and are finding their way to freshwater aquifers.
Based upon the above discussion, it is recommended that a random
number of private wells and all the public wells in the villages of
Grandview, Rockport, and Chrisney and environs be sampled and analyzed
for sodium and chloride ions and compared to natural background
conditions. While a brine adulterated aquifer may become unpalatable
in a short period of time, the adulteration may also be slow and
insidious depending upon soil permeability, and not affect the water
palatability for longer periods of time. Water consumed during these
latter periods would be deterimental to a significant portion of the
population, including persons suffering from hypertension, edema
associated with congestive heart failure, and women with toxemias of
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pregnancy. The sodium intake from sources other than water recommmended
for very restricted diets is 500 mg per day. Diets for these
individuals permit 20 mg per liter sodium in drinking water and water
used in cooking. If the public or private water supply has a sodium
content exceeding this limit, persons on a very restricted sodium
diet must find another source of supply.
A sodium and chloride ions definition of the groundwater aquifers in
the Grandview, Chrisney, and Rockport areas would not only serve the
public health interests of those on restricted sodium diets, but also
give some indication to other consumers and purveyors of any imminent
water unpalatability condition.
ORANGE COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals a cluster of agricultural ponds
located in northeastern Orange County. These impoundments are long-
term oxidation ponds for poultry and livestock (hogs, cattle) wastes
with a fairly low waste hazard potential. However, their locations -
short distances up-gradient from known drinking water wells and high
permeability low contamination attenuation potential aquifers - have
earned for these impoundments a high SIA rating for potential
endangerment to water supplies. The main concern is contamination of
the groundwater with nitrite and nitrate, although depending upon the
geology, phosphorus, bacteria, and virus contamination is also
possible. The nitrogen concern is associated with methemoglobinemia
in infants and ruminants. In addition, there is evidence that high
nitrate waters cause chemical diarrhea in humans, and a number of
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maladies in livestock, including thyroid problems, rickets, enteritis,
arthritis, and general poor health. Moreover, it is theorized - and
presently being researched - that nitrate and particularly nitrite
might react in the human stomach with secondary amines (from cooked
food) to form nitrosamines, some of which are highly carcinogenic.
Bacteria and viruses vary greatly in size and shape. This variance
obviously affects their mobility in the sense of their physical
filterability. In highly fractured limestone geology, it is conceivable
that many microorganisms could travel great distances provided they
were in an environment conducive to their survival.
Groundwater availability in Orange County is considered fair, although
the largest resource is located in the northeastern part of the
County. Well yields of up to 100 GPM are possible from the limestone,
shale, and sandstone bedrock underlying this area. Orange County has
never been glaciated and the clay soils developed from weathered
limestone remain thin from erosion, being only five (5) to ten (10)
feet thick.
Orange County is located in a region of typical sinkhole topography.
As a result there are relatively few perennial drainage courses in
this area. Run-off is rapid during periods of rainfall and escapes
through sinkholes or percolates through the clay soil into the
groundwater which is generally found immediately below the soils in
limestone joints and solution features.
While the Confined Feeding Control Law of Indiana (1971) requires
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spray irrigation of impoundment contents onto farmlands with certain
restrictions, the lack of adequate State regulatory resources precludes
appropriate enforcement of this requirement. It is most likely
confined feed lot operators do not adequately irrigate, allowing
overflow of impoundments especially during periods of precipitation.
As mentioned above, the run-off finds its way to neighboring sinkholes
thus contaminating ground water in a karst area especially sensitive
to groundwater contamination.
There are four (4) public water supply systems in Orange County
serving approximately 8000 people. The 1980 population of the County
numbered approximately 18,000, indicating that about 10,000 people
are serviced by private wells. Of the four public water supply
systems, two (2) of them use groundwater as a source of supply and
one (1) of the latter, servicing the city of Orleans and environs, is
located in the northeastern part of the County. Because of the
extreme sensitivity of this area to groundwater contamination, it is
appropriate that a random number of private wells in the northeastern
part of Orange County, and the public wells of the city of Orleans be
sampled and analyzed for nitrates, nitrites, and bacteria.1
VIGO COUNTY
Examination of Figure 16 reveals a variety of impoundment types,
including those for industrial, municipal, mining, and oil and gas
operations. While many SIA high potential groundwater endangerment
lagoons are present in the county, the high density clusters of
similar type of lagoons found in other suspect counties are not present in
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Vigo County. Suprisingly not a single RCRA hazardous waste dumpsite
is located in Vigo County, at least such a dumpsite is not logged in
the Federal-State computer.
Two of the considered industrial impoundments are used to stabilize
previously biologically treated pharmaceutical wastes, primarily to
decrease the ammonia concentration through oxidation to nitrogen
oxides. While the impoundments have discharge permits (NPDES) since
they discharge to surface waters, and are regulated with respect to
chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia, and suspended solids, the
impoundment bottoms are either unlined or defective. According to
the SIA, the asphaltic liner of one of the above lagoons was severly
cracked most likely due to improper installation and/or maintenance.
While the exact composition of the pharmaceutical wastes entering the
biological treatment plant is unknown except to company personnel,
most likely these wastes include some of the following categories of
both organic and inorganic compounds and their biological degradation
products: anesthetics, narcotics, hypnotics, analgesics, antiseptics,
protozoacides, vitamins, and hormones and other miscellaneous drugs.
Moreover since many of the raw materials used in drug manufacture are
derived from the by-products of coal distillation, the aromatic
derivatives obtained therefrom can also be expected to be part of the
pharmaceutical waste composition. Other considered Vigo County
impoundments contain wastes from nitrogen fertilizer production, aluminum
smelting, oil and gas production, mining operations, and municipal
sewage treatment plant operations.
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Incorporated within the unconsolidated deposits in Vigo County are
glacial till, outwash sand and gravel, dune sand, and large clays.
The thickness of the glacial drift ranges from 100 to 200 feet. The
most important water bearing formations are the outwash sand and
gravel aquifers associated with the Wabash River Valley and its
tributaries. Properly constructed wells in the Wabash Valley sand
and gravel aquifers are capable of yields exceeding 2000 GPM (See
Figure 9). In most of the County, to the northwest and southeast,
groundwater availability is quite limited. Most wells in these low
availability areas are located in Pennsylvanian bedrock and yield
less than 50 GPM, with 10 GPM being the highest expected yield in
many areas.
Vigo County is serviced by seven (7} public water supply systems.
All systems withdraw their supplies from groundwater sources. In
addition, the largest, Terre Haute, augments its seven (7) MGD
groundwater supply with two (2) MGD from the Wabash River. The (1980)
population of Vigo County was approximately 113,000. The service
population of the seven (7) public water supply systems is approximately
72,000, indicating that about 40,000 people in the County get their
water from private wells. Most of the private wells are located in
the southern part of the County.
Half of the considered impoundments are located above aquifers of
large groundwater availability. These impoundments are sited in
areas of highly permeable sand and gravel deposits. Since most of
the lagoons are unlined, and.since there may be construction/operational
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problems with those that are lined, and because of the location of
the lagoons in highly permeable and productive areas, the water
supplies serving Terre Haute and the northern half of the County
should be sampled and analyzed primarily for nitrates, nitrites, and
total organic carbon (TOC). If the TOC is unreasonably high, more
definitive organic characterizations should be made. A random number
of private wells in the southern part of the County should be analyzed
for chlorides and metals.
OTHER SITES
The preceding discussion dwelled on Counties in Indiana that would
have the most likely potential for groundwater endangerment based
upon the number of closely proximate SIA impoundments and RCRA dumpsites
present, the likely hazard of "the expected wastes involved using
Standard Industry Code information, and the geology of the underlying
areas.
Examination of Figure 16 shows little proximity and lesser numbers
of the report considered RCRA dumpsites and SIA impoundments in the
remaining Indiana Counties. It is possible that groundwater
contamination and/or endangerment could occur, or is present, at any
of the latter sites, especially those generally located in the northern
half of the State or in the valleys of the major rivers and their
tributaries (See Figure 9). The geology in these areas (greater
unsaturated zone permeability) allows for more facile seepage of any
contaminated liquid to underlying aquifers. Since the impoundment
and dumpsite density is relatively low, expenditure of investigative
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resources in the above areas could better await study resolution in
the previously comprehensively described areas.
SUPERFUND SITES
In addition, thirteen (13) inactive (non-RCRA) "Superfund" sites (See
Table 3) not shown in Figure 16, and located in Seymour, Columbia
City, Lebanon, Kingsbury, Gary (3) Bloomington (2), Indianapolis,
Fort Wayne (New Haven), Zionsville, and Elkhart have the potential
for groundwater contamination. In fact, the monitoring wells of
several of the Superfund sites have been tested positive for both
organic and inorganic contaminants. Moreover five (5) of fifteen
(15) wells located in the Main Street well field, which produces
approximately 70 percent of Elkharts1 potable water supply, have been
found positive for trichlorethene.
The Superfund dumpsites in Gary, Elkhart, and Indianapolis are located
in areas geologically described earlier and are proximate to other
SIA impoundments and RCRA dumpsites. As such, the presence of the
Superfund dumpsites enhances the significance of the observations
made for these areas.
The Zionsville Superfund site is located over the Eagle Creek Valley
aquifer, in an area of thick, unconsolidated glacial deposits, with a
very permeable unsaturated zone and excellent groundwater availability.
The Zionsville public water supply has its source in this aquifer.
On-site monitoring wells have tested positive for the volatile organic
chemicals 1,1-Dichloroethane, Trichloroethene, and 1,1,1-Trichloroethane.
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TABLE 3
SUPERFUND SITES*
1 Lebanon (Boone County)
2 Zionsville (Boone County)
3 Columbia City (Whitley County) -
4 Seymour (Jackson County)
5 New Haven (Allen County)
6 Bloomington (Monroe County)
7 Bloomington (Monroe County)
8 Kingsbury (LaPorte County)
9 Gary (Lake County)
10 Gary (Lake County)
11 Gary (Lake County)
12 Indianapolis (Marion County)
13 Elkhart (Elkhart County)
Wedzeb Enterprises Inc.
Envirochem Corp.
Wayne Waste Oil
Seymour Recycling Corp.
Parrot Road Dump
Lemon Lane Landfill
Neals Landfill
Fisher-Calo Inc.
Ninth Ave. Dump
Midco 1
M&M Landfill (Lake Sandy Jo)
Bragg Dump
Main Street Well Field
* List order has no significance
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It is likely that this site is contaminating nearby Finley Creek
which is a tributary to Eagle Creek. Eagle Creek leads to the Eagle
Creek reservoir which is a major source of drinking water for Marion
County (Indianapolis).
The Kingsbury Superfund site is located over the Kankakee River Valley
aquifer with a geology very similar to the Zionsville site. The
Kingsbury public water supply is located in a tributary aquifer of
the Kankakee River Valley.
On-site monitoring wells have tested positive for 1,1-Dichloroethene,
trichloroehene, and tetrachloroethene. Like other Superfund sites,
this site is inactive (not presently being used for waste disposal).
However, monitoring well analysiSL-has. shown increases of up to 30
percent in the volatile organic chemicals mentioned above in a period
of about one-half year.
The (2) Bloomington Superfund sites are located in Monroe County
which is nearly devoid of glacial deposits. The lack of glacial
deposits has made this area one of poor groundwater resources. As a
result the city of Bloomington must resort to Monroe Lake - a State
owned reservoir developed by darning Salt Creek - as a source for its
public water supply. Fortunately most of Monroe County is serviced
by the Bloomington Water Utility or other utilities which purchase
water from Bloomington.
Both Bloomington sites were used to dump electric capacitors and
arresters that are filled with polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCB).
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Available data show high concentrations of PCB in both dump site
soils. In addition, PCBs were found in water samples from springs
near the sites. Since this area is a karst (sinkhole) area (see page
34), the possibility of PCB contamination is fairly high.
The Fort Wayne (New Haven) Superfund site is located in an area of
rich groundwater resources and availability. It is a highly glaciated
area; Fort Wayne being located at the confluence of the St. Joseph,
St. Mary, and the Maumee Rivers. Inspite of the excellent groundwater
availability the city of Fort Wayne Public Water Supply is obtained
from the St. Joseph River and the Cedarville reservoir, sources which
need no treatment for hardness, manganese and iron content. Although
this dumpsite is located in an area serviced by the New Haven Water
utility, this utility purchases...its water from Fort Wayne.
Leachate from the New Haven dumpsite was determined to contain
tetrachloroethylene, benzene, fluorene, and hexachlorobenzene. A
well 50 feet east of the site is contaminated. The aquifer which is
approximately 20 feet below the site, is the source of water for
approximately 1100 people not serviced by the New Haven Water Utility,
and who live within three (3) miles of the site.
The Seymour Superfund site is located in the valley of the East Fork
of the White River. Although the White River Valley is a rich
groundwater source, the city of Seymour gets its water from the East
Fork of the White River for reasons described above. However, the
Freeman Field Utility which serves an industrial park immediately
south of Seymour, and approximately 1000 persons in adjacent areas,
uses the White River aquifer and withdraws approximately 630,000
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GPD. The Seymour dumpsite is located in this industrial park.
Initially this site was an industrial waste reclamation operation.
The area contains thousands of drums of solvents, phenols, cyanides,
acids, and many smaller containers of hazardous materials from chemical
laboratory operations. Investigative studies performed off-site
indicate contamination of the soil and groundwater.
The Columbia City site is located over the Blue River Valley (tributary
of the Eel River) aquifer which is overlaid by thick, permeable, un-
consolidated glacial materials. The groundwater resource and avail-
ability are excellent. The Columbia City public water supply
is obtained from the Blue River Valley aquifer. In addition,
there are many private wells in the surrounding area tapped into
the same aquifer.
Over one (1) million gallons of waste have been disposed of on this
superfund site by open dumping on surface soils, into unlined pits,
and into an unlined trench. Leaking drums on-site abound. Data
indicate high levels of cyanides, lead, chromium, and cadmium. The
site is bordered by residences on the north and west sides, and a
bend of the Blue River on the east and south sides. Three (3)
municipal wells are located within one (1) mile northeast of the
site. While the municipal wells appear to be up-gradient from the
dump site, this has not been substantiated. The likelihood of
municipal and private well contamination appears strong. In addition,
it is likely that leachate materials from this site may be contaminating
the Blue River.
The Lebanon site is located in Boone County as is the heretofore
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discussed Zionsville site. While the Lebanon Site does not contain
the thick, permeable unconsolidated deposits and groundwater resources
found in the Zionsville area, nevertheless Lebanon has a good
groundwater resource with fairly thick deposits and a fairly permeable
unsaturated zone. The Lebanon water supply taps an aquifer of a
tributary of Sugar Creek. The sand and gravel aquifer is approximately
100 feet beneath the surface in the area of the Superfund site.
The Lebanon Superfund site is the remains of a warehouse destroyed by
fire on May 2, 1981. The warehouse was used to store approximately
50,000 capacitors, many containing PCB. The PCB-contaminated warehouse
debris was left on-site and remains on-site to the present time.
Sampled rubble was determined to be as high as 24,500 PPM PCB. In
addition, low levels of tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and
tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TCDF) were found to concentrations of 500
parts per trillion (PPT). Although no aquifer contamination has been
detected as yet, low concentrations of PCBs have been measured in
nearby Prairie Creek.
SUMMARY
(1) Groundwater in Indiana occurs in a variety of both
unconsolidated and bedrock aquifer systems. The most
significant of these aquifers are the various uncon-
solidated outwash sand and gravel deposits associated
with glacial drift, and the limestone, dolomite, and
sandstone bedrock formations.
(2) Generally the most productive groundwater aquifers are
in the northern part of Indiana and get progressively
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less productive north to south, exclusive of major
river valley aquifers.
(3) Approximately one-twelfth of the State is non-glaciated
and is located in the southcentral portion. Many areas
in the southern part of the State are particualrly lack-
ing in groundwater, and only limited amounts (less than
10 GPM) are available to properly constructed wells.
(4) The contamination of groundwater supplies is not solely
the work of "midnight dumpers" who illegally pour barrels
of wastes into ditches and fields. Much of the contamina-
tion is the result of the legal disposal of solid wastes
into improperly protected and operated ground repositories.
(5) Because of the huge numbers" of impoundment sites located in
Indiana, it was arbitrarily decided to limit this study to
only those impoundments (37) with numerical SIA ratings
between 25 and 29 inclusive (one percent of the Indiana total),
with the caveat that the arbitrary cut-off may exclude some
sites that are contaminating or have the potential to contami-
nate, usable groundwater supplies (See Table 1).
(6) Since the RCRA dumpsites in Indiana were not nearly as numerous
as the impoundments, all 49 RCRA sites computer-programmed by
the Region were retrieved and considered in this report (See
Table 2).
(7) Because of the high degree of public health hazard potential,
all thirteen (13) Indiana Superfund candidates (See Table 3),
were included in this report, along with a description of
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dumpsite location geology, and associated groundwater
contamination problems.
(8) Lake County contains more by far of the report-considered
waste repositories than any other Indiana County. Moreover
all the waste repositories are in the northernmost twenty-
five (25) percent of the County.
(9) The Lake County geology contiguous to Lake Michigan does not
make groundwater readily available. As a result most of the
Lake County population is served by public water supplies
using Lake Michigan as a source. However five (5) to ten (10)
percent of the population in this part of the county are on
private wells. It is most likely that the groundwater
supplying these have a high potential for contamination
by the toxicants listed on page 21.
(10) Because of the large number of waste repositories located in
Marion County, and the extreme permeability of the unsaturated
zone in the area, it appears likely that the aquifers supplying
the private wells in the periphery of Marion County, in addition
to the groundwater sources augmenting the Indianapolis Water
Company surface supply, and those of the Speedway and Lawrence
Water Companies have a high potential for contamination by the
toxicants listed on page 24.
(11) As with Lake County, the area contiguous to Lake Michigan in
Porter County does not yield groundwater readily. As a result
most of the larger Porter County Lake Shore communities are supplied
Lake Michigan water by the Gary-Hobart Water Company. However, the
remaining Lake Shore areas, and the second and third "rows" of
towns south of the immediate Lake Shore are supplied by public and
private wells drilled through highly permeable unsaturated zones
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to high producing aquifers. Because of the large number
of waste repositories located in the area, and the geology
as described above, it appears that the aquifers serving
the Beverly Shores, Porter, and Chesterton areas have a
high potential for contamination by toxicants listed on
page 26.
(12) For the same reasons described above, the groundwater
aquifers supplying the private and public wells in northern
St. Joseph, northwestern Elkhart, and central Kosciusko
Counties have a high potential for contamination by the
toxicant types listed on page 29.
(13) Because many unlined brine waste lagoons are located above
highly permeable unsaturated zones and high yield aquifers,
it appears likely that the aquifers which serve the villages
of Grandview, Rock port, and" Chrisney and environs are becom-
ing more saline daily.
(14) Because Orange County is a karst (sinkhole) area, and because
inadequate State regulatory resources result in the illegal
operation of feedlot oxidation ponds (inadequate irrigation of
effluent leading to pond overflow especially during periods
of precipitation), the aquifers serving rural water supplies in
the northeastern part of the county, and the municipal wells of
the city of Orleans have a high potential for contamination by
nitrites and nitrates.
(15) Since most of the impoundments in Vigo County are located over
highly permeable and productive areas, and since most of the
impoundments are unlined, and because there may be construction/
operational problems with those that are lined, the water supplies
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serving Terre Haute and the northern half of the county
appear to have a high potential for contamination by
the materials listed on page 37.
(16) Other Indiana Counties not discussed in this report could
have problems with groundwater contamination, especially
those to the north. However, since the waste repository
density in these counties is much less, groundwater con-
tamination potential would be much less. Investigation of
these sites should await problem definition in the sites
with greater densities.
(17) Based upon location geology, and the fact that these sites
are considered the most hazardous in Indiana, the Superfund
sites at Zionsville, Kingsbury, New Haven, Seymour, Columbia
City, and Lebanon most likely have a high potential to conta-
minate groundwater aquifers. Because of unsaturated zones
with little permeability and little groundwater availability,
any potential groundwater contamination at the two (2) Blooming-
ton Superfund sites will affect relatively few people, since
most of the area population is serviced from surface sources.
The Superfund sites at Gary, Elkhart, and Indianapolis augment
RCRA and SIA waste repository contamination described earlier.
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REFERENCES
1) Clark, G.D., The Indiana Water Resource, Indiana Department
of Natural Resources, Indianapolis (1980)
2) Brady, N.C., The Nature and Properties of Soils, MacMillan
Publishing Co., Inc., NY, NY, (1974)
3) Freeze, R.A., Cherry, J.A., Groundwater, Prentice-Hall Inc.,
NY, NY, (1979)
4) Krauskopf, K.B., Introduction to Geochemistry, McGraw-Hill
Book Co. NY, NY. (1967)
5) Press F. Siever, R., Earth, Freeman and Co., San Francisco,
California (1973)
6) Water Resources Research Center et. al., An Inventory of
Groundwater Data and Aquifer Assessment for Indiana. US EPA
(1980)
7) Cargo, D.N., Mai lory, B.F., Man and His Geologic Environment,
Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Reading, Mass. (1974)
8) Tank, R., Focus on Environmental Geology, Oxford University
Press NY, NY (1976)
9) Carpenter, G.L., et. al,--fri1 Development and Production in
Indiana in 1981, Indiana Department of Natural Resources,
Bloomington, Indiana (1982)
10) Division of Oil and Gas, Rules and Regulations, IDNR, Indianapolis
Indiana (1980)
11) SCS Engineers, Surface Impoundment Assessment in Indiana, US EPA
(1980)
12) Read, W.T., Industrial Chemistry, John Wiley and Sons, NY, NY
(1946)
13) Claussen, C.A., Mattison, G., Principles of Industrial Chemistry,
John Wiley & Sons, NY, NY (197"8]
14) Riegel, E.R., Industrial Chemistry, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
NY, NY (1974)
15) McNabb, J. et., al., Nutrient, Bacterial and Virus Control as
Related to Groundwater, US EPA (1977)
16) OWS-OSWMP, Waste Disposal Practices and Their Effects on Groundwater,
US EPA (19771
17) NAS-NAE, Water Quality Criteria, US EPA (1972)
18) OAWP - Groundwater Pollution From Subsurface Excavations, US EPA (1973)
74
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19) K-U Associates Inc., Groundwater Survey-Seymour Hazardous Haste
Site, US EPA (1980) ~—
20) Walker, W.H., Where Have All The Toxic Chemicals Gone, Illinois
State Water Survey (T972J
21) Walker, W.H., Groundwater Contamination and Refuse Disposal^
Illinois State Water" Survey, (197?)
22) Harrington, W.M., Sanitary Landfill Design Considerations to
Protect Water SuppTies, AWW.'T~(T970] ~~
23) American Petroleum Institute, Primer of Oil and Gas Production,
Dallas Texas (1979)
24) Personal Communication, Mr. Richard Bates, Lake County Health
Department, March 15, 1983
25) Personal Communication, Mr. Tim Bauingartner, Indianapolis Water
Co., March 16, 1983
26) Personal Communication, Mr. Jeff Meyers, Marion County Health
Department, March 16, 1983
27) Personal Communication, Ms. Karyl Schmidt, Indiana State Board of
Health, March 16, 1983
28) Personal Communication, Mr. Dennis Gillespie, SCS Engineers,
April 4, 1983
29) Personal Communication, Mr. Homer Brown, Indiana Department of
Natural Resources, April 4, 1983
30) Personal Communication, Mr. James Traylor, Indiana State Board
of Health, April 21, 1983
31) Personal Communication, Miss Beverly Kush, US EPA, April 26, 1983
32) Personal Communication, Mr. H. Lipner, Fort Wayne Water Co.,
April 27, 1983
33) Personal Communication, Mr. Paul Boyd, Spencer County Health
Department, April 13, 1983
All figures used in this report (except Figure 16) v/ere taken
from The Indiana Water Resource published by the Indiana
Department of Natural Resources and edited by G.A. Clark.
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