Water Quality and Hydrogeology near Four Wastewater-Treatment Facilities in Grand Teton National Park and John D Rockefeller, Jr, Memorial Parkway, Wyoming, September 1988 through September 1997

Hedmark, Kenneth; Young, H.

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, began data collection in 1988 to monitor the water quality at four wastewater-treatment facilities located in Grand Teton National Park and John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, Wyoming. Water-level measurements and chemical and biological water- quality samples were collected from September 1988 through September 1997 from 21 monitoring wells and 8 water-supply wells located near the facilities, and 10 water-supply wells in the study area but not directly associated with the facilities. The National Park Service requested a review of the current ground-water monitoring program in 1997 to evaluate the program's adequacy, identify any impacts that facility operations might have on ground-water quality, and suggest modifications to the existing monitoring-well network. Water-quality data indicate that reducing conditions exist in the ground water beneath the Colter Bay Village wastewater-treatment facility. The areal and vertical extent of the zone is unknown. A seasonal variation exists for selected constituents in samples collected from monitoring well CBS, in contrast to samples collected from monitoring wells CB1, CB2, CBS, and CB4. A likely explanation for the seasonality is that treated wastewater from the facility is impacting the ground water around this well. Contrasts in concentrations of dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, nitrate, and ammonia between monitoring well CB5 and monitoring wells CB1, CB2, CBS, and CB4 are interpreted to most likely be the result of biologically mediated oxidation- reduction processes occurring in the ground water. Reductive processes appear to be the best avail- able explanation for the decrease in dissolved- oxygen and nitrate concentrations and the increase in ammonia concentrations in well CB5. In general, concentrations of selected constituents were lower in the spring than in the fall. Water-quality data in samples collected at the Signal Mountain and Flagg Ranch wastewater-treatment facilities indicate that high concentrations of selected constituents correspond to periods when liners leaked in aeration ponds. Concentrations of selected constituents appeared to decrease after liner replacement at these sites, suggesting that the high concentrations were the result of the leaking liners. Low concentrations of selected constituents were analyzed in samples collected from monitoring wells located near the Moose Village wastewater-treatment facility, indicating that facility operations appear to have no apparent affect on the water quality. Water-quality samples collected from the 18 water-supply wells indicate that concentrations of selected constituents are low, also indicating that the supply wells are not being affected by wastewater-treatment facility operations.

Water Quality and Hydrogeology near Four Wastewater-Treatment Facilities in Grand Teton National Park and John D Rockefeller, Jr, Memorial Parkway, Wyoming, September 1988 through September 1997

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