October 2009 – Western Cape Cod Water Table Varied Less than 2 Feet during 2009 Water Year
The altitude of the water table at the top of the Sagamore Lens of the Cape Cod aquifer varied less than 2 feet during the 2009 water year (Oct. 2008 to Sept. 2009). The water table dropped about 0.7 feet during fall 2008 but rose about 1.1 feet during May to October 2009 owing to an unusually wet spring and early summer. The water table-altitude is monitored continuously by the USGS in cooperation with the AEC at four wells on and near Camp Edwards northwest of Snake Pond. The data are available online in near real time.

October 2009 – Passive Sampling Methods Show Promise for Monitoring Perchlorate and Explosive Compounds in Groundwater
Field tests of three passive-sampling methods for the long-term monitoring of ordnance-related compounds in groundwater were conducted in six wells in the Impact Area at the MMR in summer 2009. Concentrations of perchlorate and explosive compounds in water samples collected by two diffusion methods – rigid porous polyethylene membranes and regenerated cellulose membranes and one grab-sample method – the Hydrasleeve – were similar to concentrations measured in pumped samples. A field test of the Hydrasleeve method is currently underway in more than 25 wells at the MMR.

February 2009 – Oxygen and Hydrogen Stable Isotopes Help Delineate Potential Paths of Ordnance-Related Contaminants in Groundwater Near a Pond
Profiles of the ordance-related compounds and oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes were used to evaluate the probable path of a contamination plume that extends from the Impact Area at the MMR to a kettle pond near the base. Profiles of perchlorate and explosive compounds from two direct-push borings on an island in the pond confirmed evidence from an earlier study that the contaminants did not discharge into the upgradient side of the pond. Profiles of oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes from borings and wells on the downgradient side of the pond indicated that the contaminants would be more than 100 feet below the shoreline if they ever traveled that far (LeBlanc and others, 2008)

October 2008 – New Groundwater Modeling Methods Used to Improve Model Calibration and Examine Model Uncertainty
New features of the USGS groundwater computer program MODFLOW-2000 were used to improve the calibration and examine the prediction uncertainty of the USGS regional groundwater-flow model of western Cape Cod. By using the inverse (statistical) capabilities of the computer program, the match between simulated and observed groundwater levels and streamflows was improved and insights were gained into the relative effect of hydrogeologic properties on the flow system. The inverse capabilities were also used to examine the uncertainty of model predictions such as the flow paths in the aquifer (Walter and LeBlanc, 2007).

August 2007 – USGS Studies Show Slow Lead Transport Relative to Groundwater Flow in Cape Cod Sands
Results from tracer studies and sampling of the Ashumet Valley treated-wastewater plume indicated that lead generally is transported slowly relative to the rate of groundwater flow in the Cape Cod sand and gravel. However, USGS scientists noted that geochemical changes, such as a decrease in pH, could increase lead mobility. The USGS results were provided to the Mass. National Guard during its studies related to the proposed resumption of firing lead ammunition at training ranges on Camp Edwards. In July 2007, the USEPA gave the MANG conditional permission to resume the use of lead ammunition at selected training ranges.

July 2007 – Western Cape Cod Water Table Remains at Historically High Levels
The altitude of the water table at the top of the Sagamore Lens of the Cape Cod Aquifer remained near its historically high level during July 2007. The water-table altitude is monitoring continuously by the USGS in cooperation with AEC at a site on Camp Edwards northwest of Snake Pond. The data are available online near real-time.

April 2007 - LeBlanc Presents the MIT Freeman Lecture
Denis LeBlanc, research hydrologist from the U.S. Geological Survey, presented the 2007 John R. Freeman Lecture at MIT on April 6. The talk, titled "Cape Cod's Billion Dollar Groundwater Cleanup - The Hydrologic Story," was well-attended by a diverse group of environmental professionals from the academic, regulatory, scientific, and consulting communities. The annual Freeman Lecture is sponsored by the Boston Society of Civil Engineers and the MIT Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/capecodclean.html).

January 2007 - Initial Test of Diffusion Sampling in Wells for Monitoring Explosives and Perchlorate Shows Promise
A field study conducted in summer 2005 in 15 wells in the Impact Area at the MMR indicates that concentrations of explosive compounds and perchlorate measured in water samples from down-well diffusion samplers compared favorably with concentrations measured in pumped water samples. Diffusion sampling may be a simple, cost-effective method for long-term monitoring of the groundwater cleanup on the MMR.

January 2007 - Water-level Altitude at Top of Western Cape Cod Mound Available Online
The USGS, with support from the IAGWSP, monitors the water level near the top of the western Cape Cod water-table mound continuously. The water-level readings are transmitted by satellite to USGS computers and are updated on the web every 15 minutes. The recording began in January 2005, so two years of data are now available on the USGS website.Click to view the water-level data

November 2006 - Students from Johns Hopkins and Tufts Universities Tour MMR Groundwater Sites
USGS hydrologists Denis LeBlanc, Tim McCobb, and Luke Parsons led a tour of MMR groundwater field sites on November 3 for 27 students and faculty from Johns Hopkins University and Tufts University. The sites included an overlook at the Camp Edwards Impact Area, a water-treatment plant, a sonic-drilling operation, and the USGS research well array.

October 2006 - Groundwater Modeling of the MMR Presented at the 2006 GSA Meeting
USGS hydrologist Don Walter presented a talk at the 2006 Geological Society of America meeting in Philadelphia on October 23 titled, "Use of stochastic methods to improve groundwater model calibration and evaluate model-prediction uncertainty, Camp Edwards, Cape Cod, Massachusetts." His results included confidence bands on predicted flow paths and contributing areas to wells pumped for water supply.