USE OF LONG-TERM MONITORING DATA SETS TO CHARACTERIZE STORM SURGE IMPACTS ON SHALLOW GROUNDWATER

Characterizing shallow groundwater impacts associated with hurricane-related storm surges is highly problematic because the exact timing of such events is inherently unpredictable. Thus it is impossible to collect well designed “before and after” groundwater quality data sets for hypothesis testing. However, long-term groundwater monitoring at contamination sites in areas affected by storm-surge flooding provides potential data for researchers interested in these unique groundwater / surface water interaction events. Mining these data involves (1) locating historical (temporal and spatial) records on storm surge coverage, (2) juxtaposing this information with the locations of groundwater contamination sites in the affected areas, (3) determining the periods and frequencies of monitoring events that occurred before and immediately after the flooding events at these sites, and (4) physically performing file reviews of appropriately timed sampling records associated with these sites. Data was gathered from actively monitored hazardous waste sites located in storm surge affected areas of Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida. This information was reviewed pre- and post-flood. Some contaminant spikes were found directly following flooding, indicating a surge of salt water infiltration. Remobilization of contaminant plumes is theoretically possible for these sites.