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Mr. Fred Kaufman <br /> May 7, 1990 <br /> Page 2 <br /> area will be readily available for winter wastewater disposal at fields 1 , <br /> 2, and 3. Therefore wastewater dilution will not be necessary. <br /> Our discussion on groundwater quality impacts in the Report of Waste <br /> Discharge was not intended to give the impression that we were writing off <br /> groundwater quality in the upper 90 feet. We merely intended to show that <br /> shallow groundwater had nitrate concentrations in excess of E.P.A. limits <br /> prior to operations at QAP, as does much of the shallow groundwater <br /> throughout the Central Valley. Shallow groundwater salinity was also <br /> moderately elevated (but below California primary drinking water limits) <br /> prior to QAP operations. Nearby domestic wells which are sampled as part <br /> of the monitoring requirements have shown good water quality, with minor <br /> fluctuations. Monitoring well water quality has shown no significant <br /> change since QAP operations began. <br /> Most of the nitrogen in the wastewater is in the organic form and is <br /> therefore much less mobile and more subject to eventual denitrification <br /> than the mineral forms of nitrogen. As was shown in the Report of Waste <br /> Discharge, there should be no excess nitrogen available to percolate to <br /> shallow groundwater after denitrification and crop uptake are accounted <br /> for. Therefore, QAP wastewater disposal operations should have no adverse <br /> impacts on shallow groundwater nitrate concentrations. <br /> We prepared a report on groundwater salinity impacts resulting from QAP <br /> wastewater discharge operations for the Regional Board in December 1988. <br /> The conclusion of this report was that QAP would have only a slight adverse <br /> impact on shallow groundwater salinity and no significant impact on <br /> salinity in drinking water wells. A copy of this report will be furnished <br /> to you. <br /> I appreciate your concerns in regards to the change in wastewater flows <br /> from QAP. If you have any other questions, please let me know. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> NOLTE AND ASSOCIATES <br /> Robert A. Beggs <br /> /blp (CL900-K) <br /> cc: Ron Crites <br /> Ken Zeier <br /> Rich Freitas, QAP <br /> John Kurtz, QAP <br /> Twila Price, RWQCB <br /> M= Ton Vorster, RWQCB <br /> NOLTE and ASSOCIATES <br /> Engineers, Planners, Surveyors <br />