[PAST EVENT] Modeling of Sediment and PCB Transport at the New Bedford Superfund Site

November 16, 2012
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Location
VIMS - Watermen's Hall, McHugh Auditorium
1375 Greate Road
Gloucester Point, VA 23062Map this location
Presenter: Earl Hayter, Research Engineer, Army Corps of Engineers Research and Development Center

Reception at 3:00 p.m. in the lobby of Watermen's Hall
Seminar from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in McHugh Auditorium

This seminar was rescheduled from November 2nd due to Hurricane Sandy.

Background
Dr. Hayter is a Research Civil Engineer with the Environmental Laboratory at the USACE Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS. He received his B.S. degree in physical oceanography at the Florida Institute of Technology, his M.S. degree in coastal engineering at the University of Florida, and his Ph.D. degree in civil engineering at the University of Florida. Between 1984 and 1998 he was a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Clemson University in Clemson, SC; from 1999 to 2007 he was a Research Environmental Engineer at EPA ORD's laboratory in Athens, GA; and from 2008 to present he has worked at ERDC.

Abstract
Dr. Hayter will describe a surface-water modeling study that is used to simulate PCB and cohesive sediment transport at the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site, Massachusetts. The LTFATE modeling system was used in this study. Time series of water-surface elevations and current velocities measured at different locations throughout the model domain were used in calibrating and validating the hydrodynamic model. A wave transformation model was used to simulate the formation of wind-generated surface waves in the finer grid model domain. Time series of predicted wave heights and periods enabled the calculation of combined current- and wave-induced bed shear stress in the SEDZLJ model. Three-phase equilibrium partitioning of PCBs between particulate, freely dissolved, and DOC-bound phase was simulated. Diffusion of freely dissolved PCBs from the water column to the sediment was also simulated. This model is being used to simulate the long-term (30 years) post-remediation recovery of the New Bedford Harbor estuarine system under different remediation alternatives. Results from the 30-year simulations will be presented. Daily-averaged PCB concentrations calculated by LTFATE are being used to drive a foodweb model. Project managers will use the output from the foodchain model as one line of evidence in deciding which remedial alternative should be used.
Contact

[[seitz, Rochelle Seitz]] at 804-684-7698