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Mr. Mike Huggins <br /> February 9,2009 Groundwater Monitoring Plan <br /> Page 4 of 8 Granite Construction Company,Vernalis Plant <br /> south and cast of the Teichert Vernalis plant(Liese Schadt[LSCE]personal communication with P. <br /> Mercurio [Teichert], October 2002). Further;reduced usage of local surface water supplies by local <br /> interests,which may have caused a corresponding increase in local groundwater pumpage,has been <br /> reported(Liese Schadt [LSCE]personal communication with J. Muller [Teichert],October 2002). <br /> Groundwater Quality <br /> The groundwater in the vicinity of the project site is reported to be of moderate quality,with elevated <br /> nitrate concentrations(over 20 mg/L)and groundwater from the deep aquifer containing proportionally <br /> more sulfate than shallow aquifer water(Hotchkiss and Balding, 1971). <br /> Local monitoring efforts conducted by Teichert since 1994 are in agreement with the above <br /> observations (Attachment 4). Specifically,the electrical conductivity(EC)of samples retrieved from <br /> two shallow wells (Hall and Faulkner domestic wells)(see Figure 2)typically ranges between 900 and <br /> 1,000 pS/cm and.has been stable during the period of record(Figure 11). The EC of samples retrieved <br /> from deep wells typically ranges between 800 and 950 VS/cm and has also been stable during the period <br /> of record. The EC of Brown's#1 (water quality monitoring stopped in 2004 when the wellhead was <br /> vandalized)exhibits the greatest variability. Finally,samples retrieved from the Granite#3 well <br /> (sampling commenced in 2006)have EC values of about 1,000 pS/cm. <br /> Time series plots of major cation concentrations(sodium,calcium,and magnesium)and anion <br /> concentrations (bicarbonate,chloride,and sulfate)prepared for individual wells are in agreement with <br /> ' the EC measurements and exhibit stable hydrochemical groundwater conditions (Figures 12 to 16). <br /> Concentrations of major cations and anions were averaged over the period of record and plotted in <br /> milliequivalents per liter(meq/L). The plot shows that calcium,sodium, and bicarbonate are the most <br /> prevalent ions in both the shallow and deep zones (Figure 17). Shallow groundwater has greater <br /> chloride concentrations than deep groundwater and its hydrochemical facies is of Ca-NalHCO3-C1 type. <br /> Deep groundwater has greater sulfate concentrations than shallow groundwater and its hydrochemical <br /> facies is of Ca-Na/HCO3-SO4 type. Groundwater retrieved from the Granite#3 well has proportionally <br /> more sulfate and is of Ca-Na/SO4-HCO3 type. <br /> Nitrate(as nitrate)c tufa s ' shallow groundwater samples retrieved/fro well <br /> increased from a ut 15 30 mg between 1994 and 1996, decreased to bout 20 mg/L 'n 1999, and <br /> have remained rela ively s ince then with concentrations typically belo in the last few <br /> years (Fi ure 18). With the exception of the early monitoring record(1994-96),nitrate concentrations <br /> in z ell have typically been lower than in the Hall well,with a similar long-term trend. <br /> 1 he highest nitrate oncentrations(u to 50 mg/L were observed in samples retrieved from the South <br /> �. racy#1 well prio to commencement activities in,1997/98."Since the beginning of the <br /> m itoring re in 1994, concentrations have decreased to below 35 mg/L in 2008. Nitrate <br /> concentrations observed in the South Tracy#3 well are approximately 10 mg/L lower than in the South <br /> Tracy_#1 well,but show similar seasonal fluctuations(its record extends from 2004 to the present). <br /> During its period of record(1994-2001), nitrate concentrations in samples retrieved from the Brown's <br /> ' New well were stable, fluctuating between 6ar�d 11 mg/L, and concentrations in the Granite 43 well are <br /> similarly low. <br /> The greatest long-term variability and seasonal variability is exhibited by the Brown's #1 well. Nitrate <br /> concentrations initially increased from 12 to 30 mg/L in 1994, decreased to 12-16 mg/L in 1997-98,and <br /> since then increased to 48.5 mg/L(May 2004). The last nitrate concentration obtained from this well <br /> was 38.8 mg/L(December 2004). Since nitrate concentrations began increasing in 1999, seasonal <br /> fluctuations also increased. <br /> © LUHOOh FF G SGALMANINI <br /> C O N S U L- i N G ENGINEERS <br />