Using the OTIS Solute-Transport Model to Evaluate ...

1 Using the OTIS Solute-Transport Model to Evaluate remediation scenarios in cement Creek and the Upper Animas RiverBy Katherine Walton-Day, Suzanne S. Paschke, Robert L. Runkel, and Briant A. KimballChapter E24 ofIntegrated Investigations of Environmental Effects of Historical mining in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, ColoradoEdited by Stanley E. Church, Paul von Guerard, and Susan E. FingerProfessional Paper Department of the Geological SurveyPrepared in cooperation with Bureau of Land ManagementContentsAbstract .. and Scope .. Studies ..982 Solute-Transport Modeling with OTIS ..982 Determination of Physical Parameters ..983 Model Calibration for Conservative Solutes ..984 Model Calibration for Reactive Solutes.

2 984 Simulation of remediation ..985 OTIS Solute-Transport Modeling ..985 Upper cement Creek Subbasin ..985 Determination of Physical Parameters and Boundary Conditions ..987 Model Calibration for Simulation of the Bromide Tracer Calibration for Copper, Iron, and Zinc Simulations ..988 remediation Simulations ..992 Lower cement Creek Subbasin ..994 Determination of Physical Parameters and Boundary Conditions ..996 Model Calibration for Simulation of the Lithium Tracer Profile ..996 Model Calibration for Copper, Iron, and Zinc Simulations ..998 remediation Simulations ..1002 Simulation of the Effect of Changed Conditions at the Mogul Mine ..1005 Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville ..1008 Determination of Physical Parameters and Model Calibration for Simulation of the Chloride Tracer Profile.

3 1010 Model Calibration for Zinc Simulations ..1010 remediation Simulations ..1012 Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton ..1014 Determination of Physical Parameters and Model Calibration for Simulation of the Chloride Tracer Profile ..1016 Model Calibration for Zinc Simulations ..1016 remediation Simulations ..1016 Significance of Metal Removal Processes in cement Creek and the Upper Animas River ..1019 Comparison of remediation Using OTIS and a Mass-Loading Model ..1021 Summary and Conclusions ..1022 References Calibration of the Solute-Transport Model OTIS ..1025 Determination of Physical Parameters ..1025 Model Calibration for Conservative Solutes ..1025 Model Calibration for Reactive Solutes ..1027 Physical Parameters for OTIS Models.

4 1027 Figures 1. Map showing location of study area and study reaches, Animas River watershed study area, Colorado ..981 2. Graph showing variation in dissolved bromide concentration with time at transport sites T1, T2, and T3, upper cement Creek tracer injection, September 1999 ..983 3. Map showing detail of upper cement Creek study reach ..986 4 7. Graphs showing: 4. Upper cement Creek, September 1999: variation in bromide concentration in synoptic samples, variation in streamflow discharge calculated from bromide concentrations in synoptic samples, distances corresponding to Model reaches in calibrated OTIS Model ..988 5. Upper cement Creek, September 1999: variation in OTIS lateral-inflow concentrations and observed inflow concentrations for dissolved copper, iron, and zinc with distance from injection site.

5 990 6. Upper cement Creek, September 1999: OTIS results for conservative and reactive simulations for dissolved copper, iron, and zinc ..991 7. Upper cement Creek, September 1999: OTIS results for five remediation scenarios for dissolved copper, iron, and zinc ..993 8. Map showing detail of lower cement Creek study reach ..995 9 15. Graphs showing: 9. Lower cement Creek, September 1996: variation in lithium concentration in synoptic samples, variation in streamflow discharge calculated from lithium concentrations in synoptic samples, distances corresponding to Model reaches in calibrated OTIS Model ..998 10. Lower cement Creek, September 1996: variation in OTIS lateral-inflow concentrations and observed inflow concentrations for filtered copper, total iron, and filtered zinc with distance from injection site.

6 999 11. Lower cement Creek, September 1996: OTIS results for conservative and reactive simulations for filtered copper, total iron, and filtered zinc ..1001 12. Lower cement Creek, September 1996: OTIS remediation simulations for filtered copper, total iron, and filtered zinc ..1004 13. Lower cement Creek, September 1996: OTIS results for simulation of 1999 conditions in cement Creek and South Fork cement Creek ..1006 14. Gauge at mouth of cement Creek (CC48): record of observed streamflow, filtered ( m) copper, total iron, and filtered ( m) zinc concentrations and filtered ( m) copper, total iron, and filtered ( m) zinc concentrations simulated for 1999 conditions Using calibrated OTIS Model .

7 1007 15. Lower cement Creek, residual concentrations of copper and zinc at cement Creek gauge versus time for regression models constructed Using environmental data collected between 1996 and 2001 ..1008 16. Map showing detail of upper Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville study reach ..1009 17 20. Graphs showing: 17. Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville, August 1998: variation in chloride concentration in synoptic samples, variation in streamflow discharge calculated from chloride concentrations in synoptic samples, distances corresponding to Model reaches in calibrated OTIS Model ..1011 18. Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville, August 1998: variation in OTIS lateral-inflow concentrations and observed inflow concentrations for dissolved zinc with distance along study reach.

8 1012 19. Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville, August 1998: OTIS results for conservative and reactive simulations for zinc ..1013 20. Animas River, Eureka to Howardsville, August 1998: OTIS results for two remediation scenarios ..1014 21. Map showing detail of upper Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton study reach ..1015 22 25. Graphs showing: 22. Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton, September 1997: variation in chloride concentration in synoptic samples, variation in streamflow discharge calculated from chloride concentrations in synoptic samples, distances corresponding to Model reaches in calibrated OTIS Model ..1017 23. Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton, September 1997: variation in OTIS lateral-inflow concentrations and observed inflow concentrations for dissolved zinc with distance along study reach.

9 1018 24. Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton, September 1997: OTIS results for conservative and reactive simulations for zinc ..1019 25. Animas River, Howardsville to Silverton, September 1997: OTIS results for two remediation scenarios ..1020 26. Flow chart indicating actions necessary to calibrate the solute transport Model OTIS ..1026 Tables 1. Summary of mass-loading studies used for OTIS simulations ..982 2. Upper cement Creek, reach number, distance at end of reach, and description of reaches used in OTIS modeling of synoptic samples collected for upper cement Creek (September 1999) ..987 3. Upper cement Creek, samples and methods used to estimate lateral-inflow concentrations (CL) for copper, iron, and zinc in calibrated OTIS Model .

10 989 4. Upper cement Creek, first-order removal coefficients ( ) by metal and reach for calibrated OTIS Model ..992 5. Simulated concentration at the downstream end of the upper cement Creek mass-loading study reach resulting from various remediation scenarios ..994 6. Lower cement Creek, reach number, distance at end of reach, and description of reaches used in OTIS modeling of synoptic samples collected for lower cement Creek (September 1996) ..997 7. Lower cement Creek, samples and methods used to estimate lateral-inflow concentrations (CL) for copper, iron, and zinc in calibrated OTIS Model ..1000 8. Lower cement Creek, first-order removal coefficients ( ) by metal and reach for calibrated OTIS Model .